Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Sales reach $7.7 billion in 2015
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- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of crackers, at current prices, 2010-20
- Crackers are a household staple
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- Figure 2: Cracker purchase, Any purchase, November 2015
- Consumers view crackers as a healthy snack
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- Figure 3: Important nutritional attributes, November 2015
- The opportunities
- Explore ingredient and flavor innovation
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- Figure 4: Crackers innovation areas – flavors, November 2015
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- Figure 5: Crackers innovation areas – ingredients, November 2015
- Promote use in recipes
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- Figure 6: Correspondence Analysis – Cracker use, November 2015
- Room for packaging and ingredient improvements
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- Figure 7: Attitudes about crackers – Any Agree, November 2015
- What it means
The Market – What you need to know
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- Cracker sales reach $7.7 billion in 2015
- All other crackers segment drives sales
- Interest in snacking helps and hurts category
Market Size and Forecast
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- Cracker sales grow 17% from 2010-15
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- Figure 8: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of crackers, at current prices, 2010-20
- Figure 9: Total US sales and forecast of crackers, at current prices, 2010-20
- Figure 10: Total US sales and forecast of crackers, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2010-20
Market Breakdown
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- All other crackers represent nearly three quarters of category
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- Figure 11: Total US retail sales of crackers, by segment share, 2015
- Figure 12: Total US retail sales and forecast of crackers, by segment, at current prices, 2010-15
- More than half of cracker sales from supermarkets
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- Figure 13: Total US retail sales of crackers, by channel, at current prices, 2010-15
- Nearly all cracker segments grow within natural channels
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- Figure 14: Natural supermarket sales of crackers, by category, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks ending Nov. 3, 2013 and Nov. 1, 2015
Market Perspective
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- Consumers eating a variety of snacks
Market Factors
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- Interest in snacking grows
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- Figure 15: Attitudes and opinions about food, July 2009-September 2015
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- Figure 16: Attitudes and opinions about food, July 2009-September 2015
- Core user groups growing
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- Figure 17: Households, by presence of own children, 2003-13
- Figure 18: Population by race and Hispanic origin, 2011-21
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Three companies represent three quarters of category sales
- Strongest growth among other, smaller brands
- Simple ingredients and marketing works
- Cracker bases, free-from claims expanding
Manufacturer Sales of Crackers
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- Mondelēz maintains category lead, strongest growth among other brands
- Manufacturer sales of crackers
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- Figure 19: MULO sales of crackers, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
What’s Working?
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- Simple and Wholesome
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- Figure 20: TV ad, The simple magic of honey with Savannah Bee Company - Makers of More - Triscuit, June 2015
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- Figure 21: MULO sales of Mondelēz International Inc. other crackers
- Figure 22: TV ad, Life’s Rich, April 2015
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- Figure 23: MULO sales of Nabisco graham crackers
- Figure 24: TV ad, Honey Maid “This Is Wholesome” 2015 Introducing GoBites, January 2015
- New products and dayparts
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- Figure 25: MULO sales of Snyder’s-Lance Lance crackers with fillings
- Figure 26: MULO sales of Snyder’s-Lance’s other crackers
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- Figure 27: MULO sales of PepsiCo Inc. Rold Gold crackers with fillings
- Figure 28: MULO sales of Kellogg Co. Sunshine other crackers
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- Figure 29: MULO sales of Campbell Soup Co. Pepperidge Farm other crackers
- Figure 30: TV ad, Goldfish on a Snow Day, November 2015
- Packaged for convenience
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- Figure 31: MULO sales of Ferrero USA Inc. Ferrero crackers with fillings
- Figure 32: MULO sales of Jif To Go crackers with fillings
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- Figure 33: MULO sales of Mondelēz International Inc.’s Ritz Fresh Stacks other crackers
What’s Struggling?
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- Special K struggles to grow
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- Figure 34: MULO sales of Kellogg Co. Special K other crackers
- Not all brand extensions perform well
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- Figure 35: MULO sales of Campbell Soup Co. Pepperidge Farm graham crackers
- Tired brands may need a refresh
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- Figure 36: MULO sales of Kellogg Co. saltine crackers
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- Figure 37: MULO sales of Mondelēz International Inc. Handi-Snacks crackers with fillings
- Private label crackers lack appeal
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- Figure 38: MULO sales of private label crackers
What’s Next?
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- The real deal
- Free-from growth continues
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- Figure 39: Cracker product launches, by top 15 claims, 2011-15*
- Alternative bases
- Less is more
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- Figure 40: TV ad, Even Thinner Wheat Thins Limited Edition Launch, December 2015
- International flavor influences
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Crackers are a household staple
- Consumers open to flavor and ingredient innovation
- Crackers viewed as a healthy snack, but room for packaging, ingredient improvements
Cracker Purchase
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- 93% of households purchase crackers
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- Figure 41: Cracker purchase, Any purchase, November 2015
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- Figure 42: Cracker purchase, November 2015
- Purchase skews toward 18-34s
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- Figure 43: Cracker purchase, Any purchase, by age, November 2015
- Significantly higher purchase among parents
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- Figure 44: Cracker purchase, Any purchase, by parental status, November 2015
- Hispanics more likely to purchase all cracker types
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- Figure 45: Cracker purchase, Any purchase, by race and Hispanic origin, November 2015
Cracker Use
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- Opportunity to increase cracker use in recipes
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- Figure 46: Correspondence Analysis – Cracker use, November 2015
- Figure 47: Cracker use, November 2015
Important Nutritional Attributes
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- Fiber important, yet nearly one quarter uninterested in nutritional claims
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- Figure 48: Important nutritional attributes, November 2015
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- Figure 49: Natural supermarket sales of crackers, by "natural" labeling or perception, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks ending Nov. 3, 2013 and Nov. 1, 2015
- Nutritional attributes more appealing with indulgent flavors
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- Figure 50: Select important nutritional attributes, by select crackers innovation areas - flavors, November 2015
- Interest in alternative cracker bases with natural ingredients, functionality
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- Figure 51: Select important nutritional attributes, by select crackers innovation areas - ingredients, November 2015
- Millennials interested in functionality, Non-Millennials want free-from claims
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- Figure 52: Important nutritional attributes, by Millennials and Non-Millennials, November 2015
- Hispanic and Black consumers interested in high fiber, protein
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- Figure 53: Important nutritional attributes, by race and Hispanic origin, November 2015
Innovation Areas
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- Opportunity for sweeter flavors, alternate bases
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- Figure 54: Crackers innovation areas – flavors, November 2015
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- Figure 55: Crackers innovation areas – ingredients, November 2015
- Parents more interested in flavor, ingredient innovation
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- Figure 56: Crackers innovation areas – flavors, by parental status, November 2015
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- Figure 57: Crackers innovation areas – ingredients, by parental status, November 2015
- Millennials more interested in all flavor innovation areas
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- Figure 58: Crackers innovation areas – flavors, by Millennials and Non-Millennials, November 2015
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- Figure 59: Crackers innovation areas – ingredients, by Millennials and Non-Millennials, November 2015
- Non-White, Hispanic consumers want savory, spicy flavors
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- Figure 60: Crackers innovation areas – flavors, by race and Hispanic origin, November 2015
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- Figure 61: Crackers innovation areas – ingredients, by race and Hispanic origin, November 2015
Behaviors Related to Crackers
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- Crackers more likely to be a solo snack
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- Figure 62: Behaviors related to crackers – purchase and use, November 2015
- Parents buy on impulse, spend more when entertaining
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- Figure 63: Behaviors related to crackers - purchase, by parental status, November 2015
- Older consumers more creative with their cracker use
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- Figure 64: Behaviors related to crackers - use, by age, November 2015
- Opportunity to expand breakfast consumption among Hispanics
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- Figure 65: Select behaviors related to crackers – purchase and use, by race and Hispanic origin, November 2015
Attitudes about Crackers
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- Simple ingredients most important
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- Figure 66: Attitudes about crackers – Any Agree, November 2015
- Millennials more adventurous with flavor
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- Figure 67: Attitudes about crackers – Flavor – Any Agree, by Millennials and Non-Millennials, November 2015
- Parents view crackers as healthy, but room to improve ingredients
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- Figure 68: Attitudes about crackers – Brand and Health – Any Agree, by parental status, November 2015
- Hispanics most price sensitive
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- Figure 69: Attitudes about crackers – Areas for Improvement – Any Agree, by race and Hispanic origin, November 2015
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
Appendix – Correspondence Analysis
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- Methodology
Appendix – Market
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- Market breakdown
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- Figure 70: Total US retail sales and forecast of crackers, by segment, at current prices, 2010-20
- Figure 71: Total US retail sales of crackers, by segment, at current prices, 2013 and 2015
- Figure 72: Total US retail sales and forecast of crackers with fillings, at current prices, 2010-20
- Figure 73: Total US retail sales and forecast of graham crackers, at current prices, 2010-20
- Figure 74: Total US retail sales and forecast of saltine crackers, at current prices, 2010-20
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- Figure 75: Total US retail sales and forecast of all other crackers, at current prices, 2010-20
- Retail channels
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- Figure 76: Total US retail sales of crackers, by channel, at current prices, 2013 and 2015
- Figure 77: US supermarket sales of crackers, at current prices, 2010-15
- Figure 78: US sales of crackers through other retail channels, at current prices, 2010-15
- Natural channels
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- Figure 79: Natural supermarket sales of crackers, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks Nov. 3, 2013-Nov. 1, 2015
- Figure 80: Natural supermarket sales of crackers, by organic ingredients, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks ending Nov. 3, 2013 and Nov. 1, 2015
- Figure 81: Organic share of natural supermarket sales of crackers, by segment, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks ending Nov. 3, 2013 and Nov. 1, 2015
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- Figure 82: Natural supermarket sales of crackers, by gluten-free labeling/certification, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks ending Nov. 3, 2013 and Nov. 1, 2015
- Figure 83: Gluten-free* share of natural supermarket sales of crackers, by segment, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks ending Nov. 3, 2013 and Nov. 1, 2015
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- Figure 84: Natural supermarket sales of crackers, by GMO ingredients, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks ending Nov. 3, 2013 and Nov. 1, 2015
- Figure 85: Natural supermarket sales of crackers, by whole grain council certification, at current prices, rolling 52 weeks ending Nov. 3, 2013 and Nov. 1, 2015
Appendix – Key Players
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- Figure 86: MULO sales of crackers with fillings, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
- Figure 87: MULO sales of graham crackers, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
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- Figure 88: MULO sales of saltine crackers, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
- Figure 89: MULO sales of all other crackers, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
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