Innovation in healthy snacking is accelerating.
The distinction between a tiny meal and a snack has vanished, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between those two types of food and a meal. Because of these changes in consumer behaviour, product producers must pay close attention to the components used in snacks because an increasing proportion of customers depend on them for sufficient nutrition.
During the epidemic, one of the most popular categories of consumer packaged goods was snacks. According to Scott Feldman, proprietor of Just Pure Foods in San Diego, there was an increase in consumer demand across the board and a rise in interest in the nutritional content of some businesses’ snacks.
“Health is becoming a top priority for consumers, and they are searching for healthier options,” he stated.
According to Grand View Research, a San Francisco-based company, the global market for healthy snacks was valued at $85.6 billion in 2021 and is projected to expand at a 6.6% annual pace between 2022 and 2030.
757 registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) responded to this year’s “What’s Trending in Nutrition” study conducted by Pollock Communications, New York, and the magazine Today’s Dietitian, Spring City, Pennsylvania. The RDNs were asked to predict what they thought consumers would value in 2023. Additionally, they forecasted the top components of the year that may be considered “superfoods,” many of which can be found in healthier snacks. Ancient grains, avocados, blueberries, fermented foods, leafy greens, green tea, non-dairy milks, nuts, and seeds are on the list, which is arranged alphabetically.
The RDNs forecasted that consumers will continue to snack at the same rate as they did for the previous two years even with the relaxation of COVID-19 limitations. The survey revealed that the top three reasons for working from home were boredom, comfort, and comfort.
According to Louise Pollock, head of Pollock Communications, “consumers are more aware than ever of the benefits food can provide for gut health and immune function.” “Consumers will be searching for less expensive foods and snacks that still offer significant health benefits as grocery store prices rise.”
According to Sally Lyons Wyatt, executive vice president and practice leader-client insights at IRI in Chicago, “the better-for-you snack segment is growing in certain pockets.” Certain items have inherent health benefits. Contemplate wildly. Some are created with the intention of being nutritious (by adding components like fibre, protein, and other nutrients). Customers choose to test these goods since they are seeking for snacks that fit into their diets and whole food ingredients.
One whole food snack offered by Just Pure Foods is Crunchy Tomato Chips. Because they are created from tomatoes that were either ploughed under because they were the wrong size or shape or matured too early, the fruit-based dehydrated tomato chips are regarded as upcycled products.
Popadelics, situated in New York, sells a whole food snack that is centred around shiitake mushrooms. The chips made from mushrooms are high in fibre and protein.
Compared to more conventional snacks like a bag of chips or granola bar, Ms. Lyons Wyatt advised being cautious about the small dollar and unit sales of many alternative health-focused snack meals. Snacks enhanced with protein are the most popular.
These snacks are popular with customers when protein is listed on the front of the packaging, according to Ms. Lyons Wyatt. “Everyone seems to be looking for energy these days, and consumers associate protein with energy.”
Snack foods contain a variety of plant proteins, with mycelium proteins predicted to be the next big thing in vegan protein sources. In the wild, mycelium proliferates swiftly and tenaciously beneath the surface, creating a web of branching, thread-like fibres that give mushrooms the solidity they require to stem and sprout. Fungal roots can be utilised to ferment side streams of carbohydrates, like corn, into a high-protein component that can be utilised to make a variety of foods, including grain-based snack foods.
For instance, the Chicago-based business Nature’s Fynd makes dairy-free cream cheese substitutes using a protein component derived from mycelium. Another Chicago-based firm, Hyfé Foods, produces flour products by using mycelial fermentation.
Innovation in animal protein
Marketers of animal protein also want a share of the snack business. Bite-sized Perdue Chicken Plus Snackers are being introduced by Perdue Farms, located in Salisbury, Maryland. A quarter cup of veggies and nine grammes of protein are contained in each serving of the barbecue, “firecracker,” and pizza types. The chicken is blended with the vegetables.
Dairy protein is the main focus of Simply Good Foods Co.’s Quest brand in Denver. Cheddar cheese crackers are the brand’s newest addition.
Linda Zink, chief marketing officer of Simply Good Foods, stated, “Consumers are focusing on their nutrition and wellness goals, but still want that savoury snacking experience.” “The goal of Quest is to serve customers by providing both the taste and the macros they want.”
While In Good Hands, a better-for-you snack brand started by dairy farmers in Visalia, California, states on the front of its packages that its protein cheese puffs contain 12 grammes of milk protein per serving, Quest advertises “10 grammes of protein.” Furthermore, each serving of the puffs only has one gramme of sugar.
According to Stacy Heaton, director of communications for California Dairies, “like 97% of consumers, our dairy farmers are snackers and always looking for better-for-you options to power them through their busy days.”Inc., parent company of In Good Hands.
Husband and wife food scientists Hordur and Holly Kristinsson launched the food venture Responsible Foods in Reykjavik, Iceland, in 2019. Naera Icelandic Snacks, the company’s initial product, made its US premiere almost a year ago. Dairy components are used in the formulation of the shelf-stable, popped snacks. Fish Jerky Crunch is a new addition from the firm. The addition of fish to the new snack’s recipe increases its protein content and provides it with omega-3 fatty acids.
“Unlike many other fish jerkies, Naera Fish Jerky Crunch is not loaded with sugar or soy sauce,” Ms. Kristinsson stated. These are the first fish treats that combine fish with high-quality Icelandic cheese and butter. We are establishing the benchmark for seafood and dairy snacks.snacks by sustainably introducing Icelandic superfoods to the world in an indulgent, better-for-you, fun form with innovative textures and flavors.”
Though it may not be typical in American society, eating dried fish for a snack is a tradition in Asian and Scandinavian civilizations.
Sustainable salmon is used to make the salmon chips sold by Tochi Snacks in New York. The salmon skin, which has the highest nutritional content of any fish, is used by the company and is gently crisped with tapioca flour. The product comes in four flavours: salted egg, Thai lime and herb, sriracha, and Korean BBQ.
In Southeast Asia, fish skins, also referred to as salmon chips, are a common snack. The brand feels that the moment is right to introduce flavours from various regions of Asia to the US market, since Asian Americans currently make up about 6% of the country’s population.
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Dina Shi, who co-founded the business with brothers Ian and Marc Seah, said, “We created Tochi Snacks to break out of the ethnic aisle at traditional retail grocers and normalise Asian-inspired flavours by making it accessible for the masses.” Omega-3 fatty acids are more abundant in salmon skins than in the flesh. The skins are also rich in potassium, phosphate, and marine collagen. Each serving of the chips provides 8 to 9 grammes of complete protein, which will help you feel fuller for longer and recover from workouts more quickly.
Even while it might seem like protein is taking centre stage in the snack food industry, Ms. Lyons Wyatt stated that the popularity of decadent treats is still rising. Packages with portion control encourage customers to indulge themselves.
All generations of today’s consumers appear to have a‘sweet spot’ for snacks, as we are going through some tough times, and they are giving themselves permission to indulge,” Ms. Lyons Wyatt said.