Better-for-you snacks, such as Hippeas chickpea-based products, have been gaining traction with more growth expected this year.
“Consumers are more discerning now than ever over their health, and the brands that deliver against these needs will win,” says Lynn Hemans, VP consumer intelligence and strategy at The Hershey Co. Pennsylvania-based Hershey, which has already acquired the maker of Skinny Pop and the Pirate’s Booty, Smart Puffs and Original Tings brands, is likely to take a deeper dive into the snack segment in the future.
The Return of Better-for-You Snacks
“Signs point to the desire for consumers to adopt better habits once the threat of the pandemic wanes,” says Bloom. “Health-focused snacks have been driving much of the growth in the salty snack space, with strong increases seen in high-protein snacks, low-carb cheese snacks, veggie-based snacks, bean snacks, and snacks using alternative grains.” Mintel research shows that 35% of salty snackers who reported increasing their snack consumption in the past year attributed it to the availability of healthier options.
Charles Coristine, president and CEO of LesserEvil, the Danbury, Conn.-based snack manufacturer of organic popcorn, Veggies Sticks, Power Curls and Paleo Puffs lines, is convinced that consumers will continue to seek products with less processing that offer a variety of flavors. To keep snackers engaged, LesserEvil has introduced a series of hot, seasonal items.
“This past year, we’ve been committed to thinking of fun flavors that correspond with the time of the year,” says Coristine. “Customers loved our Sweetheart Popcorn for Valentine’s Day, our three different citrus flavors for summer popcorn, and our festive flavors for fall and the holiday season.”
According to Coristine, this year, LesserEvil is adding a Fiery Hot flavor to its Power Curls line, and introducing a line of snacks specifically for toddlers, Lil Puffs. The company is also at work on plant-based protein initiatives.
“Most of the new products that are entering the market are plant-based,” observes Rachel Krupa, founder of The Goods Mart, a better-for-you convenience store located in New York, and a consultant for the category.
More Flavor, Fewer Ingredients
The Snack Brigade, the Columbus, Ohio-based manufacturer of IncrediPuffs, is also bringing exciting new flavors to the market. The company recently introduced an Elote Mexican street corn flavor as well as a holiday Hot Cocoa and Marshmallow flavor, and is launching an Apple Pie flavor at Keasbey, N.J.-based Wakefern Food Corp.’s ShopRite stores in February.
“Limited-edition drops provide retailers an opportunity to always offer something new,” explains Andrew Ford, VP of sales and marketing at The Snack Brigade.
Ford sees more upside for better-for-you snacks. “Consumers are smarter and smarter. They want more plant-based and premium ingredients,” he says. The brand, which launched in Meijer and is now carried at a number of major grocery chains, recently boosted the nutritional profile of its puffs by substituting a combination of corn, sorghum and navy beans for potato. According to Ford, the company makes products that offer consumers healthier versions of traditional snacks.