KANSAS CITY — The surging snack trend shows no signs of slowing, with 83% of consumers in 2016 saying they snack on a daily basis, up from 73% in 2014 according to research from Technomic. As the category continues to grow, consumers look to snacks to fill different roles and meet their demand for organic, nutritious and clean label foods.
Kelly Weikel, director of consumer insights at Technomic |
“With consumers’ lives getting busier, snacks are serving more needs than in the past,” said Kelly Weikel, director of consumer insights at Technomic. “To gain share, operators and suppliers must adapt their snack lineup to meet consumers’ wide range of need states — from tiding them over to the next meal to replacing meals, to providing nutritious, supplemental treats.”
To fulfill the need for organic, non-G.M.O. snacks, Saratoga Chips is offering its new line of OrganicPop. The U.S.D.A. Certified organic popcorn is Non-GMO Project verified, certified gluten-free, kosher and available in four varieties: Farmhouse Butter, Heartland Cheddar, Roasted Garlic and Kale, and Ancient Grains.
Jim Schneider, president and managing partner of Saratoga Chips |
“OrganicPop was developed to satisfy two consumer driven trends in the snack food industry,” said Jim Schneider, president and managing partner of Saratoga Chips. “It’s no secret that both ready-to-eat popcorn and organic snack foods are both posting double-digit growth in consumer research data, year over year. OrganicPop is a fusion of these two hot trends in one unique and innovative line-up.”
For consumers searching for superfoods and clean labels, Crunchies Natural Food Co. is launching Crunchies Freeze-Dried Beets, a farm-to-fork snack made with beets grown and processed in France. The snack contains no added sugar, artificial flavors or colors and are Non-GMO Project verified, gluten-free, vegan, kosher and halal certified.
Scott Jacobson, president and c.e.o. of Crunchies |
“Because ‘pure’ and ‘nothing added’ are the building blocks of our brand, we knew that we wanted to introduce a vegetable that complemented our mission of health and transparency,” said Scott Jacobson, president and chief executive officer of Crunchies. “Beets, a well-known superfood, are the perfect, natural addition to our line.”
Wasa, owned by the Barilla Group, is offering nutritious snack-seeking consumers a helping of whole grains with its new Wasa Thins. The oven-baked flatbread crackers bear the Whole Grain Council Stamp, declaring 8 grams or more of whole grains per serving and contain no added sugar, cholesterol or artificial flavors. Wasa Thins are available in sesame and sea salt and rosemary and sea salt flavors.
Sharmin Moten, senior brand manager of Wasa USA |
“Wasa Thins deliver everything that snackers crave — crunch, wholesomeness and great taste,” said Sharmin Moten, senior brand manager of Wasa USA. “By adding the whole grain goodness and nutrition Wasa is known for, we’ve made a perfect snack option for today’s active, health-conscious consumer. It’s easy to snack smart when all of this is in the convenience of one package of Wasa Thins.”
Click for a slideshow of new products.