According to a 2015 Mintel research study, ninety-four percent of Americans eat snacks on a daily basis. From 2010 to 2015, snack sales increased 17.4 percent to $145 billion. 2.3 billion in sales was for organic snack foods. This clearly demonstrates that the snack market is booming.
At the same time, consumers have become more concerned about their health. While in the past their choice was based on pure indulgence, they now prefer to balance that indulgence with healthful benefits. At the recent National Confectioners Association’s 2016 Sweet & Snacks Expo, many new candy and snack products were showcased from global manufacturers. There were many new snacks on display which reflected these consumer preferences for simple products with minimal ingredients, unique flavors and new formats. International flavors also had a strong influence on new products.
The Mintel research also revealed that 73 percent, or three in four consumers, are willing to pay more for snacks made with high quality ingredients. Most of these consumers are millennials, America's primary snacking generation.
A growing number of product manufacturers are researching and developing exciting new fruit and vegetable-based snacks in both dried and freeze-dried formats. While banana is the most common ingredient in chips and granola bars, goji, cacao nibs, pomegranate, acai, kale, coconut, turmeric and ginger are also popular ingredients found in healthy snacks.
Many snacks are created using a combination of flavorful natural ingredients. For example, the combination of apple, cinnamon and strawberry is an all-time favorite. New products similar to the traditional chip also present an array of alternatives and flavors. Drinkable snacks are very popular, combining convenience and portability to target younger consumers.
Savory snack foods such as nutritional bars have also been gaining ground in daily meals. Innovation, convenience, energy-efficiency and smaller portions to-go are all important considerations for consumers when selecting snacks. They look for clean labels and prefer products with simple, recognizable ingredients. In response, product manufacturers are looking to offer exciting new products that address these consumer demands.
NP Nutra® offers many nutraceutical ingredients including Nutra Pura, a special range of nutrient-dense, freeze-dried powders which are ideal for the development of snacks and other products. These include Acai, CocOganic®Plus, Dragonfruit, Kale, MaquiForza™, Strawberry and Spinach. Other suitable premium ingredients include Lo Han Guo, Lucuma, Pomegranate, Goji, Maca, Mangosteen, Noni, Papaya, Banana, Mango, and many more. NP Nutra® products will add that special touch to your innovative healthy snack product.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org
http://www.mintel.com/
https://www.specialtyfood.com/news/article/better-you-trends-leads-increased-snack-sales/
http://www.nutraceuticalsworld.com
