Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Definition
Executive Summary
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- Market overview
- Top takeaways
- In a crowded snack aisle, let flavor be the difference
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- Figure 1: Snack attitudes -- Health, November 2018
- Fickle snackers ripe for experimentation
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- Figure 2: Snack attitudes, % of snackers, November 2019
- Mainstream innovation must leverage familiar flavors for mass appeal
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- Figure 3: snack flavors currently consumed, November 2019
- Next level interests point to consumers looking beyond “basic” innovation
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- Figure 4: Snack flavor experience and interest, tier two flavors, November 2019
- The future is flavorful
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- Figure 5: Snack flavor experience and interest, tier three flavors, November 2019
Market Landscape – What You Need to Know
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- Snack growth continues unabated
- Snack growth comes with movement into healthier options
- Flavor innovation drives snack choice
- Alternative snacks ramp up to target younger consumers
- Flavor & ingredient innovation can propel growth
State of the Market
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- Strong overall snack sales growth
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- Figure 6: Total US retail sales of salty snacks, by segment, at current prices, 2014 and 2019 (est)
- Innovation is leaning into BFY format
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- Figure 7: Product launches by snack segment, change in percent of total launches 2018-2019
- With consumers, traditional offerings still dominate, yet niche snacks gain steam
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- Figure 8: Snack Consumption, November 2019
- Young (foodies) are the catalyst of snack change
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- Figure 9: Generational profile of snack eaters, by snack type, indexed against all respondents, November 2019
- Meat snacks enjoy strong growth
- Flavorful innovation in meat snacks
- Flavorful pork rind snack innovation
- Alternative chips appeal to younger consumers
- Alternative chips feature cutting-edge flavors
- There’s a lot of territory to explore…
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- Figure 10: Percent of US snack product launches with top 15 flavor components, 2015-2019
Mintel Trend Drivers – Mapping the Catalyst of Change
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- In snacks, flavor is a must
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- Figure 11: Snack choice drivers, November 2018
- Younger consumers driving the shift to less traditional snacks
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- Figure 12: Snack Consumption, By Generation, November 2019
- Wellness increasingly drives snacking habits
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- Figure 13: Snack Behaviors, Health, November 2018
- Flavor = excitement
- Flavor innovation in pretzels
Brand Landscape – What You Need to Know
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- Legacy brands and disruptors feed each other
- Snack innovation should be rooted experience with some healthy nods
- Now: New takes on classic favorites
- Next: International influence crosses new snack borders
- Pipeline: Future flavors will rely on connections
Brand Landscape
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- Same goal, different approach
- A tale of two types of snack brands
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- Figure 14: US: Instant reaction and purchase intent, new snacks from top disruptors vs new snacks from top mainstream brands, Jan 2017 to Dec 2019
- Figure 15: US: Attribute perceptions, new snack launches from disruptors vs new snacks from top mainstream brands, Jan 2017 to Dec 2019
Product Development: Now – Current Snack Flavor Trends
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- The mainstream is getting peppered with diversity
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- Figure 16: Preferred snack flavor types November 2019
- Spicy and sour flavors meet in the middle to deliver experience
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- Figure 17: Percent change in snack launches with spicy/sour flavors, 2018-2019
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- Figure 18: US: Instant reaction & purchase intent for snacks with spicy and sour flavors, 2017-2019
- Brands in action
- Herbs
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- Figure 19: Percent change in snack launches with herbal flavor component, 2018-2019
- Brands in action
- Some consumers shy away from grain ingredients for wellbeing
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- Figure 20: Categories where free-from claims are sought, April 2019
- Brands in action
- Rising Asiago cheese flavor provides pleasure and adventure
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- Figure 21: Purchase intelligence scores, Cheese snacks versus other flavor snacks, January 2019
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- Figure 22: Cheese varietal growth on menus, % change Q2 2016 to Q2 2019
- Brands in action
- Everything bagel flavor revels in social buzz
- Brands in action
Product Development: Near – What to Watch for Tomorrow
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- Seaweed snacks connect to multiple consumer trends
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- Figure 23: Snack attitudes, ingredient scrutiny and ethics, August 2019
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- Figure 24: International food consumption – net any consumption, Asian cuisines, November 2017-November 2018
- Brands in action
- Indian influence rises as snacks leverage adventurous taste experiences
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- Figure 25: International food consumption – net any consumption Indian cuisine, by generation, November 2017-November 2018
- Brands in action
- Popped water lily seeds leverage nutritional punch
- Brands in action
- Lemongrass delivers adventurous Southeast Asian tastes
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- Figure 26: Growth of US menu instances of lemongrass, Q4 2015-2019
- Brands in action
Product Development: Next – What’s in the Pipeline
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- The free-from brand
- Brands in action
- Chimichurri provides bold Argentinian experiences
- Brands in action
- Za’atar brings exotic experiences to snacks
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- Figure 27: US menu instances of za’atar, percent change Q3 2015-Q3 2019
- Brands in action
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Spoiler alert: young foodies love bold international flavors
- Preferred flavors are increasingly influenced by social media
- Emerging flavors face familiarity challenges
- Consumers enjoy experimenting with flavors…to a point
Snack Flavor Attitudes
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- Snacks are a platform for new flavor discovery
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- Figure 28: Snack flavor attitudes, November 2019
- Younger women are following flavor trends online
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- Figure 29: Snack attitudes, % of snackers, by generation, November 2019
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- Figure 30: Snack attitudes, by gender and age, November 2019
- Consumer segmentation by snack attitudes
- Entrée-inspired snacks become viral hits with Social Followers
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- Figure 31: Preferred snack flavors, by snack attitudes, November 2019
Preferred Snack Flavor Families
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- Some like it hot, but not as much as sweet
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- Figure 32: Preferred snack flavors, November 2019
- Flavor pairings interest younger snackers
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- Figure 33: Preferred snack flavors, % of respondents, by gender and age, November 2019
Now: Primary Snack Flavors Consumed
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- Most frequently consumed flavors led by barbecue
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- Figure 34: Snack flavors consumed, November 2019
- Optimal snack flavor lineup banks on the familiar
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- Figure 35: TURF Analysis – snack flavors consumed, November 2019
- Tangy flavors interest Hispanic consumers
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- Figure 36: Snack flavors consumed, % of snackers, by race/ethnicity, November 2019
Near: Snack Flavor Experience and Interest
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- Trial and level of interest suggest that consumers are looking beyond “basic” innovation
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- Figure 37: Snack flavor experience and interest, tier two flavors, November 2019
- Figure 38: Snack flavor experience and interest, tier two flavors, Net any interest, November 2019
- Net flavor score defined
- Herbal flavors garner universal interest
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- Figure 39: Snack flavor interest, tier two, net flavor score, November 2019
- Millennials want it all but don’t neglect Gen X
- Figure 40: Snack flavor interest, tier two flavors, net flavor score, by generation, November 2019
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- Figure 41: Blue Diamond almond flavor innovation appeals to specific consumer segments
Next: Snack Flavor Experience and Interest
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- Interest levels indicate education is needed for tier three flavors
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- Figure 42: Snack flavor experience and interest, tier three flavors, November 2019
- Net flavor score defined
- Flavors of the future will be social
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- Figure 43: Snack flavor interest, net flavor score, by snack attitudes, November 2019
- Lack of familiarity holds emerging flavors back
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- Figure 44: US: Instant reaction and purchase intent, snack launches with emerging flavors vs snacks with established flavors, Jan 2017 to Dec 2019
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- Figure 45: US: Attribute perceptions, snack launches with emerging flavors vs snacks with established flavors, Jan 2017 to Dec 2019
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- Figure 46: Emerging snack flavor interest, net flavor score, November 2019
- Asian and Hispanic consumers open to new flavor experiences
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- Figure 47: Snack flavor interest, tier three flavors, net flavor score, by race/ethnicity, November 2019
Snack Flavors by the Mintel Food and Drink Consumer Segmentation
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- Figure 48: Snack flavor interest, tier two, net flavor score, by food and drink shopper segmentation, November 2019
- Premium private label can act as a gateway to new flavors
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- Figure 49: Emerging snack flavor interest, tier three, net flavor score, by food and drink shopper segmentation, November 2019
- Premium private label snacks with cutting-edge snack flavors
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer survey data
- Purchase Intelligence
- Mintel Menu Insights
- Mintel Food and Drink Shopper Segmentation
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – The Consumer
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- Consumer segmentation by snack attitudes
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- Figure 50: Demographic profile of snack eaters, by snack type, indexed against all respondents, November 2019
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 51: Total US retail sales of salty snacks, by segment, at current prices, 2014 and 2019 (est)
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