Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Definition
Executive Summary
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- Top takeaways
- The issues
- Snack growth outpacing cracker sales
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- Figure 1: Forecast growth of salty snacks and crackers, % change, 2019-2023
- The snack space is crowded
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- Figure 2: New food US product launches by snack subcategory, 2018-2019
- Engagement drops off with age
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- Figure 3: Types of crackers consumed, repertoire, by age, November 2019
- The opportunities
- Where’s the packaging innovation?
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- Figure 4: Innovation to drive purchase, November 2019
- BFY formulations a way to get non-parents on board
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- Figure 5: Cracker attitudes, parental status, November 2019
- Solidify an association with sophistication
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- Figure 6: Snack associations, November 2019
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- No big shifts ahead for crackers
- “Other” crackers keep category afloat
- “Other” crackers are also gaining market share
- The category’s largest audience is shrinking
Market Size and Forecast
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- Cracker sales rebound from slight slump
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- Figure 7: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of crackers, at current prices, 2014-2024
- Figure 8: Total US retail sales and forecast of crackers, at current prices, 2014-24
Market Breakdown
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- “Other” crackers keeps the category above water
- Cracker segments are competing with one another
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- Figure 9: Total US retail sales and forecast of crackers, by segment, at current prices, 2014-24
Market Perspective
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- Snack time is all the time
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- Figure 10: new food US product launches by snack subcategory, 2018-2019
- Consumers shopping the perimeter for snacks
- Super snackers getting their fix from other categories
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- Figure 11: Share of salty snack consumption, by age, January 2019
Market Factors
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- An aging population impacts cracker consumption…
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- Figure 12: Population by age, 2013-2023
- …So will fewer children
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- Figure 13: Households, by presence of related children, 2008-18
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Category leaders, share show little movement
- Brand diversification meeting consumers at all occasions
- Free-from labels catch wellness and allergen-minded consumers
- Brands on the edge of oversaturation?
- Moving from better for you to good for you
- Ethical brands to stand out from the clutter
Mintel Trend Drivers – what’s motivating change?
Company and Brand Sales of Crackers
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- Campbell makes small share gains while Kellogg and Mondelēz hold steady
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- Figure 14: Multi-outlet sales of crackers, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
- Private label not yet a competitor, but certainly a contender
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- Figure 15: Multi-Outlet private label sales of saltine, graham crackers, crackers with fillings, and all other crackers, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
What’s Working
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- Blurring the line between cracker and chip
- Drivers: Experience
- Pillars: Pleasure
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- Figure 16: MULO sales of chip inspired crackers, rolling 52 weeks 2018
- Crackers that can stand up to meal times
- Drivers: Experience
- Pillars: Pleasure
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- Figure 17: MULO sales of thick crackers, rolling 52 weeks 2018
- Single serve offers flexibility of portability
- Drivers: Value
- Pillars: Convenience
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- Figure 18: MULO sales of chip portable/individually packaged crackers, rolling 52 weeks 2018
- Cleaner, free-from crackers
- Drivers: Wellbeing
- Pillars: Nutrition
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- Figure 19: MULO sales of crackers with free-from claims, rolling 52 weeks 2018
- Figure 20: Increased claims with crackers, 2017-2018
- Global influence
- Drivers: Experience
- Pillars: Adventure, Pleasure
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- Figure 21: International food consumption – net any consumption, November 2018-November 2019
- Figure 22: MULO sales of internationally-inspired crackers, rolling 52 weeks 2018
What’s Struggling
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- The struggle is real (long) for graham crackers
- Drivers: Experience
- Pillars: Nostalgia
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- Figure 23: MULO sales of declining graham crackers, rolling 52 weeks 2018
- Figure 24: MULO sales of growing graham crackers, rolling 52 weeks 2018
- Innovation overload stalls Nabisco
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- Figure 25: MULO sales of declining nabisco crackers, rolling 52 weeks 2018
What’s Next
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- Laser in on nutrients
- Drivers: Wellbeing
- Pillars: Nutrition, Physical
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- Figure 26: Nutrient-positioned snacks
- Protein packed
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- Figure 27: high protein crackers
- Going against the grain
- Drivers: Wellbeing
- Pillars: Nutrition, Physical
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- Figure 28: Grain free and vegetable crackers
- Snacks that do no harm
- Drivers: Wellbeing, Experiences, Surroundings, Identity
- Pillars: Nutrition, Adventure, Sustainability, Morals
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- Figure 29: Healthy snack attitudes, August 2019
- Brands in action
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- Figure 30: Healthy snack attitudes, August 2019
- Reaching for seaweed at snack time
- Drivers: Wellbeing, Experiences, Surroundings, Identity
- Pillars: Nutrition, Adventure, Sustainability, Morals
- Brands in action
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- Figure 31: Healthy snack attitudes, August 2019
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Parents eat the same crackers as their kids
- Crackers have caught the eye of foodies
- Crackers appeal to the “treat yourself” occasion
- The category could use a flavor boost
- Snack options blur together, but there is whitespace to be won
Cracker Consumption
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- Cracker consumption is widespread
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- Figure 32: Cracker consumption, November 2019
- Yet…consumers 18-24 most likely to avoid crackers
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- Figure 33: Cracker consumption, by age, November 2019
- Parents, kids are a strong base
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- Figure 34: Cracker consumption, by parental status, November 2019
- Foodies hungry for crackers
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- Figure 35: Cracker consumption, by food and drink segmentation, November 2019
Types of Crackers Consumed
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- Traditional options remain household favorites
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- Figure 36: Types of crackers consumed, November 2019
- Breakfast and lunchbox options outperform with kids
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- Figure 37: cracker types consumed, by adults and children, November 2019
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- Figure 38: cracker usage by cracker consumption, November 2019
- Teenagers too cool for kids’ crackers
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- Figure 39: cracker types consumed by cracker consumption, November 2019
- Parents eat what their kids eat
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- Figure 40: Types of crackers consumed, November 2019
- Figure 41: Types of crackers consumed, repertoire, parental status, November 2019
- Engagement drops with age
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- Figure 42: Types of crackers consumed, repertoire, by age, November 2019
- A cracker for every occasion
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- Figure 43: Types of crackers consumed, repertoire, food and drink segmentation, November 2019
- Figure 44: Types of crackers consumed, food and drink segmentation, November 2019
Cracker Occasions
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- Crackers fit most occasions
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- Figure 45: Cracker usage, net any crackers, November 2019
- Socializing with crackers could use some love
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- Figure 46: Cracker usage, correspondence analysis, November 2019
- Crackers with fillings make a case for increased portability
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- Figure 47: Cracker usage, away from home, November 2019
Cracker Attitudes
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- Kid- and adult-friendly are not mutually exclusive
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- Figure 48: Cracker attitudes, November 2019
- Portability desired by the heaviest users
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- Figure 49: Cracker attitudes, i wish crackers were more portable, repertoire analysis cracker types consumed, November 2019
- BFY formulations a gateway to non-parents
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- Figure 50: Cracker attitudes, parental status, November 2019
- Breadsticks, water, matzoh crackers to embrace toppings
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- Figure 51: Cracker attitudes, by cracker type consumption, November 2019
Snack Associations
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- Dense snack competition leaves little room for differentiation
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- Figure 52: Correspondence Analysis – Symmetrical map – Snack associations, November 2019
- Cracker associations with excitement are stale
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- Figure 53: Snack associations, exciting, November 2019
Flavor Interest
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- Consumers ready for flavor
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- Figure 54: Cracker flavor interest, November 2019
- Some cracker types require more flavor expansion
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- Figure 55: Cracker flavor interest by types of crackers consumed November 2019
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- Figure 56: Cracker flavor interest by types of crackers consumed November 2019
- Flavor interest varies by age
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- Figure 57: Cracker flavor interest, by age, November 2019
Interest in Innovation
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- Flavors drive the decision making process
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- Figure 58: Innovation to drive purchase, November 2019
- Traditional cracker consumers satisfied with the status quo
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- Figure 59: Innovation to drive purchase by types of crackers consumed, November 2019
- Parents eager for innovation
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- Figure 60: Innovation to drive purchase, parental status, November 2019
- Older consumers may be hard to sway
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- Figure 61: Innovation to drive purchase, age, selected none of the above, November 2019
- Time Savers influenced by maximizing purchases
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- Figure 62: Innovation to drive purchase, food and drink segmentation, November 2019
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Food and drink segmentation
Abbreviations and terms
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- Abbreviations
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 63: Total US retail sales and forecast of crackers, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2014-24
- Figure 64: Total US retail sales of crackers, by segment, at current prices, 2017 and 2019
- Figure 65: Total US retail sales and forecast of filled crackers, at current prices, 2014-24
- Figure 66: Total US retail sales and forecast of filled crackers, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2014-24
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- Figure 67: Total US retail sales and forecast of filled crackers, at current prices, 2014-24
- Figure 68: Total US retail sales and forecast of filled crackers, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2014-24
- Figure 69: Total US retail sales and forecast of graham crackers, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2014-24
- Figure 70: Total US retail sales and forecast of saltine crackers, at current prices, 2014-24
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- Figure 71: Total US retail sales and forecast of saltine crackers, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2014-24
- Figure 72: Total US retail sales and forecast of all other crackers, at current prices, 2014-24
- Figure 73: Total US retail sales and forecast of all other crackers, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2014-24
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Appendix – Retail Channels
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- Figure 74: Total US retail sales of crackers, by channel, at current prices, 2014-19
- Figure 75: Total US retail sales of crackers, by channel, at current prices, 2017 and 2019
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- Figure 76: US supermarket sales of crackers, at current prices, 2014-19
- Figure 77: US drugstore sales of crackers, at current prices, 2014-19
- Figure 78: US sales of crackers through other retail channels, at current prices, 2014-19
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Appendix – Key Players
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- Figure 79: Multi-outlet sales of crackers with fillings, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
- Figure 80: Multi-outlet sales of graham crackers, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
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- Figure 81: Multi-outlet sales of saltine crackers, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
- Figure 82: Multi-outlet sales of all other crackers, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
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