Snac World - February 2018 - 26

INDUSTRY TRENDS

SNACK
facts

3 out of 5

(64%) said
that snacking is
necessary to get through the day

Source: Mintel

CASHEWS ON THE RISE

3.0% G R O W T H R AT E
($418.2 billion in cross-channel sales)
Compared with 0.6% in overall nut category

Source: SPINS, powered by IRI, for the 52 weeks ending Oct. 28, 2017

CONSUMERS WHO SNACK
FIVE OR MORE TIMES PER DAY
2016

2017

11.5% 14.2%
Source: Mintel

like grab-and-go Superfood Popcorn from Point
Richmond, CA-based Living Intentions, which used
the adaptogen herb ashwagandha.
Expect medicinal mushrooms to also gain traction
as an adaptogen this year. "We predict continued (and
progressively innovative) applications of functional
mushrooms across food, beverages and dietary supplements, plus the integration of other ingredients that
focus on adaptogenic properties," SPINS said in the
firm's Top 10 Trend Predictions for 2018 report.
Digestive health is another big issue for mind-andbody-conscious consumers, and probiotics and prebiotics offer snacks a point of differentiation.
Products made with cultured and fermented
doughs are often easier to digest, leaving people
feeling less full after consumption. Thanks in part to
the Microbiome, a term used to describe group of
consumers who are savvy in seeking out foods made
with probiotics, probiotic label claims are up 14.2% in
shelf-stable grocery, according to SPINS. While that
number reflects more than $385 million annually, it
bears noting that it jumps another million when SPINS
adds in the pre- and probiotic combinations.
Consumers' new propensity for mind- and
body-awareness means they are more willing than
ever to have more candid conversations about aspects of their health that were previously off-limits.
Highlighting the gut-health benefits of snack foods is
bound to bring a new layer to consumers' craving for
functional snack foods.

SNACKING REACHES UBIQUITY
Phillips Arena and grasshoppers in Safeco Field,
home of the Seattle Mariners.
"Before 2017, the pace of shifting attitudes toward insect foods might have been a crawl, but
this year the potential of insect protein took flight,"
SPINS noted in the 2017 report.

MIND AND BODY
Consumers strive for greater awareness not only in
their food but also their bodies. In an era of self-awareness and self-care, people want to proactively lessen
physical challenges like stress. When people are
consuming meals in the car while shuttling themselves
and their families from one activity to the next, they're
looking to mitigate stress wherever possible. Foods
with adaptogens - a term describing the characteristics of any substance that can reduce stress - are
gaining popularity.
While the beverage sector delivers products such
as kombucha as the most common adaptogen vehicle, snacks are now getting on board with products

SNAC WORLD 2018

Although snacking is conducive to today's healthy
and active lifestyles, it's not the only thing driving
trends for snacking as a part of people's everyday
lives. What they're snacking on is only part of the
puzzle ... it's also about the when, where and how.
According to Mintel, today's consumers are
snacking so much that three out of five (64%) said
that snacking is necessary to get through the day,
and that includes 77% of millennials, who have indicated they are more likely to visit snack shops, the
latest trend in specialty retailers.
Although these shops that focus on grab-and-go
foods still face competition from traditional retailers
like grocery stores, there's opportunity for innovation,
according to Mintel. "Snack shops are in a great
position to promote themselves both as a destination
for the occasional treat and a quick stop for eating
on the go. To further compete with the dominant
retail snack market, specialty shops should have
pre-packaged options available for consumers
as well as partner with recognized brands to offer
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Snac World - February 2018