Culinology - March 2016 - (Page 6)

EMERGING trends SNACK TREND: Think THIN Thinning is winning in the snack aisle, as food companies introduce thinner, crispier cookies and crackers. "Less is more" is the essence of the "thin" trend - less thickness means more pieces the consumer can eat for less or the same amount of calories as the original or thicker counterparts. A recent addition to the leaner lineup is Mondelez's Wheat Thins Even Thinner. The crackers are 14% thinner, allowing consumers to eat 22 crackers rather than 16 of the original Wheat Thins for the same calorie count. Last summer Mondelez also introduced Oreo Thins, a skinnier, crispier version of the popular cookie. Consumer demand for healthier options has driven the trend, said James Russo, senior vice-president of global consumer insights at Nielsen. The New York City-based company found that portion control is most popular in North America as a means of managing weight and staying healthy, so slimmer snacks cater to that movement. "Two trends are playing heavily into the 'thins' snacking trend, the first being the growth of health and wellness within the grocery food space," Mr. Russo said. "The second ties to a shift of how Americans are eating today. We are becoming a nation of grazing snackers as we shift away from the traditional meal times. Here is where the two trends collide - when it comes to snacking, consumers want both indulgent and healthy options." 6| Culinology | MARCH 2016 Pretzel thins, cracker crisps and even cookie thins are all fairly new options for consumers, he noted. "This seems to be the year of the thin cookie," said Brooke Smith, president of Salem Baking Co., WinstonSalem, N.C. "As a brand that has been making thin cookies for more than 85 years, we know quite a bit about the allure of this style of cookie." Salem Baking manufactures thin Moravian cookies in an array of flavors like Meyer lemon, which have about 130 calories in a nine-cookie serving. "When the quality of a product is higher and the taste is more decadent and satisfying, consumers tend to eat less to feel satisfied," Ms. Smith said. Several companies debuted thin products in 2015. Mary's Gone Crackers unveiled a new gluten-free Thins line. Open Road Snacks introduced Sinfully Thin popcorn, a lower-guilt alternative to popcorn, in blue corn and herbs and spices flavors. In the dessert department, Free For All Kitchen debuted Gluten Free Brownie Thins and Mrs. Thinster's introduced Cookie Thins. Skinny snacking chocolate brands introduced barkTHINS and Brown & Haley's Roca Thins. "Today's snacking consumer is on the hunt for something new, and the 'thin' snack trend allows consumers to continue to engage in their favorite snacks in a new way," Mr. Russo said. Snack companies are offering thinner, crispier versions of their offerings.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Culinology - March 2016

Culinology - March 2016
Table of Contents
President's Letter - The right hand side of the page
Emerging Trends - Snack Trend: Think Thin
“New savory” flavors sliding into sweet
Ingredient Trends - Deliciously gluten-free
Dairy Trends - Tapping into trends with dairy ingredients
Member Profile - Recipe for success
Expert Voices - Five questions for Campbell’s master chef
Industry News - Culinology resource book hits shelves
RCA elects new leaders
Local events build Culinology community
Six student teams to compete for top honors
Upcoming events
Petits Fours - Five trends from Winter Fancy Food
Consumers call for more food safety monitoring
Grocery sales soar for breakfast items, exotic meats
News Bites
Ad Index

Culinology - March 2016