Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Salty snack sales forecast to reach $6.8 billion in 2019
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- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of salty snacks, at current prices, 2009-19
- Cheese snacks, popcorn drive category growth
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- Figure 2: Total US retail sales of salty snacks, by segment, at current prices, 2012 and 2014
- Key players
- PepsiCo maintains market share by diversifying its snack offerings
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- Figure 3: MULO sales of salty snacks, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2014
- The consumer
- Product innovation can hold consumer interest in category
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- Figure 4: Household purchase of salty snacks, October 2014
- Emotional needs mainly driving salty snack purchases
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- Figure 5: Reasons for buying salty snacks, October 2014
- Younger consumers’ snacking habits vital to category growth
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- Figure 6: Behaviors related to salty snacks, top five, October 2014
- Consumers concerned about nutrition, ingredients
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- Figure 7: Agreement with attitudes toward salty snacks – Any agree, top five, October 2014
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- How will increased snacking occasions impact the category?
- Issues
- Insight: Nutritious, portable snacks will be in greater demand
- What impact do health concerns have?
- Issues
- Insight: Health is top of mind for consumers, but so is indulgence
- What motivates consumers to buy salty snacks and how can this create new opportunities for the category?
- Issues
- Insight: Emotional and functional drivers should align with product attributes
Trend Applications
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- Trend: Mood to Order
- Trend: Factory Fear
- Trend: Play Ethic
Market Size and Forecast
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- Key points
- Sales and forecast of salty snacks
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- Figure 8: Total US sales and forecast of salty snacks, at current prices, 2009-19
- Figure 9: Total US sales and forecast of salty snacks, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2009-19
- Salty snack sales forecast to reach $6.8 billion in 2019
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- Figure 10: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of salty snacks, at current prices, 2009-19
- Forecast methodology
Market Drivers
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- Key points
- More Americans are snacking
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- Figure 11: Agreement with attitudes toward food, April 2008-June 2014
- Health concerns are top of mind but the category still growing
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- Figure 12: Agreement with attitudes toward food, April 2008-June 2014
Competitive Context
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- Key points
- Increase in snacking heats up the competition
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- Figure 13: Snacks eaten in past six months – Any consumption, top five, November 2013
- Foodservice offerings satisfy cravings away from home
- Subscription snacking expands options
Segment Performance
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- Key points
- Cheese snacks, popcorn drive category growth
- Sales of salty snacks, by segment
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- Figure 14: Total US retail sales of salty snacks, by segment, at current prices, 2012 and 2014
- Cheese snack sales grow 13% from 2009-14
- Sales and forecast of cheese snacks
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- Figure 15: Total US retail sales and forecast of cheese snacks, at current prices, 2009-19
- Popcorn to grow 34% from 2014-19
- Sales and forecast of popcorn
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- Figure 16: Total US retail sales and forecast of popcorn, at current prices, 2009-19
- Small, steady growth ahead for pretzel segment
- Sales and forecast of pretzels
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- Figure 17: Total US retail sales and forecast of pretzels, at current prices, 2009-19
Retail Channels
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- Key points
- Supermarket sales grow 8% from 2012-14
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- Figure 18: Target “Made to Matter” TV Ad: September 2014
- Sales of salty snacks, by channel
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- Figure 19: Total US retail sales of salty snacks, by channel, at current prices, 2012 and 2014
- Natural channel sales grow 38% from 2012-14
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- Figure 20: Natural supermarket sales of popcorn, pretzels, and puffed snacks, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012-2014
- Organic sales grow 12% from 2012-14
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- Figure 21: Natural supermarket sales of organic popcorn, pretzels, and puffed snacks, by segment, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012 and 2014
- Gluten-free salty snack sales grow 66%
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- Figure 22: Natural supermarket sales of gluten-free* popcorn, pretzels, and puffed snacks, by segment, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012 and 2014
- Non-GMO popcorn sales grow 208% in natural supermarkets
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- Figure 23: Natural supermarket sales of non-GMO popcorn, pretzels, and puffed snacks, by segment, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks 2012 and 2014
Leading Companies and Brand Analysis
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- Key points
- PepsiCo maintains market share by diversifying its snack offerings
- Manufacturer sales of salty snacks
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- Figure 24: MULO sales of salty snacks, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2013 and 2014
- Strong growth for RTE brands
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- Figure 25: “The Pop Dongle by Pop Secret: The First-Ever Smellable Mobile Game,” December 2013
- Manufacturer sales of popcorn
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- Figure 26: MULO sales of popcorn, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2013 and 2014
- Cheetos dominates the cheese snacks segment
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- Figure 27: “Cheetos Present Los Cheetahs vs Los Jefes,” November 2014
- Manufacturer sales of cheese snacks
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- Figure 28: MULO sales of cheese snacks, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2013 and 2014
- Private label pretzel sales grow 14%
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- Figure 29: “Snyder’s of Hanover Sweet and Salty Pretzel Pieces,” February 2014
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- Figure 30: Rold Gold “House of Gold Trailer,” March 2014
- Manufacturer sales of pretzels
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- Figure 31: MULO sales of pretzels, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2013 and 2014
Innovations and Innovators
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- Pretzel product launches on the rise
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- Figure 32: Salty snack product launches, by subcategory, 2009-14*
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- Figure 33: Salty snack product launches, by launch type, 2009-14*
- Private label launches grow
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- Figure 34: Salty snack product launches, by private label, 2009-14*
- Health claims increasingly prevalent
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- Figure 35: Salty snack product launches, by top 10 claims, 2009-14*
- Spicy and indulgent flavors keep snacking fun
- Skinny and mini
Household Purchase
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- Key points
- Product innovation can hold consumer interest in category
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- Figure 36: Household purchase of salty snacks (nets), October 2014
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- Figure 37: Household purchase of salty snacks, by gender, October 2014
- iGeneration/Millennials most likely to buy all types of salty snacks
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- Figure 38: Household purchase of salty snacks, by generations, October 2014
- Households with children more likely to buy salty snacks
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- Figure 39: Household purchase of salty snacks, by presence of children in household, October 2014
Reasons for Buying
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- Key points
- Emotional needs mainly driving salty snack purchases
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- Figure 40: Reasons for buying salty snacks, by gender, October 2014
- iGeneration/Millennials more likely to snack to replace meals
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- Figure 41: Reasons for buying salty snacks, by generations, October 2014
Important Attributes
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- Key points
- Younger consumers looking for convenient, portioned packaging
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- Figure 42: Important attributes when buying salty snacks, by age, October 2014
- Households with children prefer variety packs, individual portions
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- Figure 43: Important attributes when buying salty snacks, by presence of children in household, October 2014
Important Characteristics
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- Key points
- Flavor options a key driver for pretzels, popcorn purchases
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- Figure 44: Important characteristics when buying salty snacks, October 2014
- iGeneration/Millennials look for a variety of popcorn flavors
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- Figure 45: Important characteristics when buying salty snacks – Popcorn, by generations, October 2014
- Men prefer sweet and salty, spicy cheese snacks
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- Figure 46: Important characteristics when buying salty snacks – Cheese-flavored snacks, by gender, October 2014
Behaviors Related to Salty Snacks
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- Key points
- Younger consumers’ snacking habits vital to category growth
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- Figure 47: Behaviors related to salty snacks, by age, October 2014
Attitudes toward Salty Snacks
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- Key points
- Consumers concerned about nutrition, ingredients
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- Figure 48: Agreement with attitudes toward salty snacks – Any agree, by gender, October 2014
- 25-34s most brand loyal, prefer indulgent, premium varieties
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- Figure 49: Agreement with attitudes toward salty snacks – Any agree, by age, October 2014
Race and Hispanic Origin
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- Key points
- Hispanics more likely to buy popcorn, pretzels, and cheese snacks
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- Figure 50: Household purchase of salty snacks, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
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- Figure 51: Reasons for buying salty snacks, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
- Packaging, natural ingredients more important to Hispanics
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- Figure 52: Important attributes when buying salty snacks, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
- Hispanics buying more snacks, and higher quality items
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- Figure 53: Behaviors related to salty snacks, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
- Hispanics most brand loyal
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- Figure 54: Agreement with attitudes toward salty snacks – Any agree, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2014
Consumer Segmentation
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- Figure 55: Salty snack clusters, October 2014
- Group one: Savvy Snackers
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunities
- Group two: Seldom Snackers
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunities
- Group three: Sensible Snackers
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunities
- Cluster characteristic tables
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- Figure 56: Target clusters, October 2014
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- Figure 57: Household purchase of salty snacks, by target clusters, October 2014
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- Figure 58: Purchase of salty snacks for self, by target clusters, October 2014
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- Figure 59: Reasons for buying salty snacks, by target clusters, October 2014
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- Figure 60: Important attributes when buying salty snacks, by target clusters, October 2014
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- Figure 61: Behaviors related to salty snacks, by target clusters, October 2014
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- Figure 62: Agreement with attitudes toward salty snacks – Any agree, by target clusters, October 2014
- Cluster demographic table
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- Figure 63: Target clusters, by demographics, October 2014
- Cluster methodology
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Appendix – Other Useful Consumer Tables
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- Figure 64: Household purchase of salty snacks, October 2014
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- Figure 65: Household purchase of salty snacks, by age, October 2014
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- Figure 66: Household purchase of salty snacks, by household income, October 2014
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- Figure 67: Purchase of salty snacks for self, by age, October 2014
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- Figure 68: Purchase of salty snacks for self, by gender, October 2014
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- Figure 69: Purchase of salty snacks for self, by race, October 2014
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- Figure 70: Purchase of salty snacks for self, by household income, October 2014
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- Figure 71: Type of pretzels eaten by household, by race/Hispanic origin, April 2013-June 2014
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- Figure 72: Reasons for buying salty snacks, by age, October 2014
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- Figure 73: Reasons for buying salty snacks, by presence of children in household, October 2014
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- Figure 74: Reasons for buying salty snacks, by household snack purchase, October 2014
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- Figure 75: Important attributes when buying salty snacks, by gender, October 2014
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- Figure 76: Important attributes when buying salty snacks, by generations, October 2014
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- Figure 77: Important characteristics when buying salty snacks – Pretzels, by Hispanic origin, October 2014
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- Figure 78: Behaviors related to salty snacks, by gender, October 2014
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- Figure 79: Behaviors related to salty snacks, by generations, October 2014
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- Figure 80: Behaviors related to salty snacks, by household income, October 2014
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- Figure 81: Behaviors related to salty snacks, by presence of children in household, October 2014
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- Figure 82: Agreement with attitudes toward salty snacks – Any agree, by generations, October 2014
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- Figure 83: Agreement with attitudes toward salty snacks – Any agree, by presence of children in household, October 2014
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- Figure 84: Agreement with attitudes toward salty snacks – Any agree, by household income, October 2014
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- Figure 85: Agreement with attitudes toward salty snacks – Any agree, by household snack purchase, October 2014
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Appendix – Trade Associations
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