Table of Contents
Executive Summary
-
- Top takeaways
- Market overview
- COVID-19 sales bump for the category to prove fleeting
-
- Figure 1: Total US sales and forecast of crackers, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 2: Total US sales and forecast of crackers, at current prices, 2015-25
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on crackers
-
- Figure 3: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on crackers, January 2021
- Opportunities and Challenges
- Young adults are less engaged in the category
-
- Figure 4: household cracker consumption, by age, November 2020
- Disrupt the habits
-
- Figure 5: Attitudes about crackers, November 2020
- Packaging refresh can refresh engagement
-
- Figure 6: Reasons for not eating crackers more often, November 2020
- Match innovation to what consumers really want
-
- Figure 7: Attitudes toward crackers, November 2020
The Market – Key Takeaways
-
- Sales expected to retract to pre-pandemic growth
- The diverse “other” segment shapes category performance
Market Size and Forecast
-
- COVID-19-era sales bump for the category to prove fleeting
-
- Figure 8: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of crackers, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 9: Total US sales and forecast of crackers, at current prices, 2015-25
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on crackers
-
- Figure 10: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on crackers, January 2021
- Lockdown
- Re-emergence
- Recovery
- COVID-19: US context
- Learnings from the 2008 recession
-
- Figure 11: Total US retail sales of crackers, 2005-10
Segment Performance
-
- Versatility helps segments thrive, except filled crackers
-
- Figure 12: Total US retail sales and forecast of crackers, by segment, at current prices, 2015-25
- “Other” retailers cut into supermarkets’ share
-
- Figure 13: Total US retail sales of crackers, by channel, at current prices, 2015-20
Market Factors
-
- Population shifts suggest brands need to refresh
-
- Figure 14: US population by age, 2013-23
- Increased cooking and baking ignites cracker category
-
- Figure 15: Behaviors compared to last year – cooking and baking in general, October 2020
Market Opportunities
-
- Packaging innovation to curb freshness concerns
-
- Figure 16: Factors encouraging users to pay more, by parental status, November 2020
- Broaden snacking opportunities
-
- Figure 17: Crackers as snacking options, by age, November 2020
- Think beyond clean label
-
- Figure 18: Interest in cracker with recognizable ingredients, by age, November 2020
- Link healthy crackers with portable snacking post-pandemic
-
- Figure 19: Interest in organic on-the-go crackers, by parental status, November 2020
Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
-
- Market leader gains share
- Free-froms help to mitigate processed stigmas
- Brands use plants to clean up the label
Market Share
-
- Mondelēz grows market share, as all companies post sales gains
- Sales of crackers by company
-
- Figure 20: Multi-outlet sales of crackers, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
Competitive Strategies
-
- Brands double down on GMO, free-from claims
-
- Figure 21: Cracker launches in the US, by claim, 2015-20
- Figure 22: Select cracker launches with free-from claims, 2020
- Elevated private label crackers
-
- Figure 23: Select cracker launches with organic claims, 2020
- Plant-, veggie-centric options help consumers eat “cleaner”
-
- Figure 24: US cracker launches with vegan/no-animal-ingredient claim, 2016-20
- Figure 25: Notable plant-based cracker launches, 2020
- Consumer focus on ingredient content
-
- Figure 26: Attitudes toward recognizable ingredients in crackers, November 2020
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
-
- Widespread consumption masks potential challenge
- Nearly three in 10 increase cracker consumption
- Under 45s have broader cracker repertoires
- Ideal cracker begins with the crunch
- Keeping it fresh
- Packaging refreshes are in order
- Newcomers beware
Household Cracker Consumption
-
- Widespread cracker consumption
-
- Figure 27: Household cracker consumption, November 2020
- Kids of all ages can drive cracker purchase
-
- Figure 28: Household cracker consumption, by parental status, by age of children, November 2020
Cracker Consumption Changes
-
- More than a quarter increase cracker consumption
-
- Figure 29: Cracker consumption changes, November 2020
- Parents much more likely to have increased consumption
-
- Figure 30: Cracker consumption changes, by parental status, November 2020
Types of Crackers Consumed
-
- Cracker types consumed hold steady
-
- Figure 31: Types of crackers consumed, November 2020
- Younger adults sticking with graham, cheese crackers
-
- Figure 32: Types of crackers consumed, by age, November 2020
- Lifestage influences penetration in the cracker market
-
- Figure 33: Repertoire analysis of types of crackers consumed, by age, November 2020
Reasons for Not Eating Crackers More Often
-
- Cracker freshness can stale consumers
-
- Figure 34: Reasons for not eating crackers more often, November 2020
Building a Better Cracker
-
- Taste, texture outweigh BFY innovation
-
- Figure 35: Building a better cracker, November 2020
Features Worth Paying More For
-
- Packaging upgrades are worth considering
-
- Figure 36: Improving crackers, November 2020
- Cracker enthusiasts hungry for package improvements and flavor extensions
-
- Figure 37: Improving crackers, by repertoire analysis of cracker types consumed, November 2020
- Healthier ingredients would expand appeal among parents
-
- Figure 38: Improving crackers, by parental status, November 2020
Attitudes toward Crackers
-
- Crackers widely seen as a value-oriented snack
-
- Figure 39: Attitudes toward crackers, November 2020
- Brands need to appeal to young consumers
-
- Figure 40: Attitudes toward cracker brands, by age, November 2020
- Wide interest in healthier crackers
-
- Figure 41: Attitudes toward healthier crackers, any agree, November 2020
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
-
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
Appendix – The Market
-
-
- Figure 42: Total US retail sales and forecast of crackers, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
- Figure 43: Total US retail sales of crackers, by segment, at current prices, 2018 and 2020
- Figure 44: Total US retail sales and forecast of filled crackers, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 45: Total US retail sales and forecast of filled crackers, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
-
- Figure 46: Total US retail sales and forecast of graham crackers, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 47: Total US retail sales and forecast of graham crackers, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
- Figure 48: Total US retail sales and forecast of saltine crackers, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 49: Total US retail sales and forecast of saltine crackers, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
-
- Figure 50: Total US retail sales and forecast of other crackers, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 51: Total US retail sales and forecast of other crackers, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
-
Appendix – Companies and Brands
-
-
- Figure 52: Multi-outlet sales of filled crackers, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Figure 53: Multi-outlet sales of graham crackers, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
-
- Figure 54: Multi-outlet sales of saltine crackers, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Figure 55: Multi-outlet sales of other crackers, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
-
Appendix – Retailers
-
-
- Figure 56: Total US retail sales of crackers, by channel, at current prices, 2015-20
- Figure 57: Total US retail sales of crackers, by channel, at current prices, 2018 and 2020
-
- Figure 58: US supermarket sales of crackers, at current prices, 2015-20
- Figure 59: US drugstore sales of crackers, at current prices, 2015-20
- Figure 60: US sales of crackers through other retail channels, at current prices, 2015-20
-
Back to top