Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Snack frequency increasing
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- Figure 1: Snacking frequency, January 2015 and November 2018
- Consumers say they want healthy snacks, but flavor remains important
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- Figure 2: Snack attitudes -- Health, November 2018
- Expanding boundaries challenge snack brands, provide opportunity for all food/drink players
- The opportunities
- Fun and function are on par for snackers
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- Figure 3: Snack motivations, November 2018
- Flavor rules snack choice, but value has a strong impact on purchase
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- Figure 4: Snack purchase drivers, November 2018
- All snack categories are experiencing sales growth
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- Figure 5: Percentage growth in select snack categories, 2012-17
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Aging population shifts the call for age-specific snacks
- Wellness for the masses
- Americans are stressed, and stress eating
- Time is money, and there’s not enough of it
Market Factors
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- Aging population shifts the call for age-specific snacks
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- Figure 6: Population by age, 2013-23
- Consumers focused on wellness, seek guidance
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- Figure 7: Current health goals, August 2018
- Americans are stressed, and stress eating
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- Figure 8: Health concerns, by age, November 2018
- Time is money and there’s not enough of it
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- Figure 9: Snack motivations – Busy, by age, November 2018
- Snacks across category see sales growth
Market Perspective
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- All snack categories are experiencing sales growth, some stronger than others
- Salty snacks maintain momentum
- Dips and savory spreads continue steady growth
- Dollar sales of bars grow 20% from 2012-17; slower growth projected through 2022
- Slower sales, yet signs of recovery for nuts, seeds, and trail mix
- Modest, mostly steady growth for chocolate confectionery
- Chips on track for continued modest growth
- Non-chocolate confectionery sales grow 13% from 2012-17
- Frozen snacks recover from a bumpy few years, challenged by growing snack options
- Crackers need repositioning to remain competitve
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- Figure 10: Percentage growth in select snack categories, 2012-17
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Good value and good taste provide a winning snack combination
- Snackers will continue to push the snack boundaries even further
- The future is fresh
- The next generation of convenience
What’s Working?
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- Good value and good taste provide a winning (vital?) snack combination
What’s Struggling?
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- Nuts imply health, but struggle with value
What’s Next?
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- Expanding boundaries challenge snack brands, provide opportunity for all food/drink players
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- Figure 11: “Afternoon Snack Breaks,” October 2018
- The future is fresh
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- Figure 12: Healthy snack attributes, May 2018
- Convenience redefined
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Majority of consumers snack 2-3 times per day
- Snackers are planning their snacks
- Fun and function are on par for snackers
- Snackers want their hunger satisfied
- Snack habits don’t scream health, but shifts are seen
- Supermarkets continue to lead for snack purchase
Snacking Frequency
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- Majority of consumers snack 2-3 times per day
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- Figure 13: Snacking frequency, November 2018
- Snack frequency increasing
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- Figure 14: Snacking frequency, January 2015 and November 2018
- Figure 15: Snack behavior – Change, November 2018
- Men make up the largest share of super snackers
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- Figure 16: Share of snacking, by gender, November 2018
- Half of super snackers are under age 35
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- Figure 17: Share of snacking, by age, November 2018
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- Figure 18: Snack behavior - change, by age, November 2018
- Parents are strong targets for frequent snacking
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- Figure 19: Snacking frequency – CHAID – Tree output, November 2018
- Figure 20: Snacking frequency – CHAID – Table output, November 2018
Reasons for Snacking
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- Fun and function are on par for snackers
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- Figure 21: Snack motivations, November 2018
- Younger shoppers are more likely to see snacks as functional
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- Figure 22: Snack motivations, by age, November 2018
- Consumers view snacks as helping maintain focus
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- Figure 23: Snack attitudes - focus, November 2018
Snack Choice Drivers
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- Flavor rules snack choice
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- Figure 24: Snack purchase drivers, November 2018
- Women are more calorie conscious
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- Figure 25: Snack purchase drivers, by gender, November 2018
- Moms are the most price conscious
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- Figure 26: Snack purchase drivers, by parental status, November 2018
- Affordability is key for younger snackers
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- Figure 27: Snack purchase drivers, by age, November 2018
- Lower earning HHs are not as reliant on health-focused snack attributes
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- Figure 28: Snack purchase drivers, by HH income, November 2018
- Nutritional features appeal to Asian snackers
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- Figure 29: Snack purchase drivers, by age, November 2018
Snack Occasions
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- Snackers are planning their snacks
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- Figure 30: Snack behavior – Unplanned, November 2018
- 18-24s remain impulse snackers
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- Figure 31: Snack behavior – unplanned, by age, November 2018
- Snackers from higher earning HHs are most likely to plan snacks
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- Figure 32: Snack behavior – unplanned, by HH income, November 2018
- The morning snack occasion should not be overlooked
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- Figure 33: Snack attribute by occasion*, November 2018
- Two thirds of snackers replace meals with snacks
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- Figure 34: Snack attribute by occasion* – Meal replacement, November 2018
- Home and work are most popular locations for snacking
Snacking Attributes
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- Snackers want their hunger satisfied
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- Figure 35: Snack attribute by occasion – Any occasion, November 2018
- Portable, energizing, fruit-based snacks are sought for morning snacking
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- Figure 36: Correspondence analysis – Symmetrical map – Snack attributes by occasion, November 2018
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- Figure 37: Snack attributes by occasion, November 2018
- Young snackers value satiety, energy, and affordability
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- Figure 38: Snack attribute by occasion – Any occasion, by age, November 2018
- Hispanic snackers lean toward health, Black snackers drawn to indulgence
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- Figure 39: Snack attribute by occasion – Any occasion, by Hispanic origin, November 2018
- Figure 40: Snack attribute by occasion – Any occasion, by race, November 2018
- Portability is important to super snackers
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- Figure 41: Snack attribute by occasion – Any occasion, by snacking frequency, November 2018
Types of Snacks Consumed
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- Snack habits don’t scream health, but shifts are seen
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- Figure 42: Snack behavior – Health, November 2018
- Parents aren’t instilling healthy snack habits in their children
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- Figure 43: Snack behavior – Kids, November 2018
- Younger snackers are least likely to exhibit health behaviors
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- Figure 44: Snack behavior – Health, by age, November 2018
- Snack choices are largely driven by convenience and satisfaction
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- Figure 45: Snack diary, November 2018
Ideal Snack
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- Consumers say they want healthy snacks, but flavor remains important
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- Figure 46: Snack attitudes – Health, November 2018
- Flavor and convenience are key
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- Figure 47: Snack attitudes -- Preferences, November 2018
Snack Purchase Location
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- Supermarkets continue to lead for snack purchase
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- Figure 48: Snack purchase location, November 2018
- …but mass merchandisers are closing in for primary purchase
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- Figure 49: Snack purchase location – Most often purchase, March 2017 and November 2018
- Super snackers are most likely to buy at mass
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- Figure 50: Snack purchase location – Most often purchase, by snacking frequency, November 2018
- Age and income play strong roles in purchase location
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- Figure 51: Snack purchase location – Any purchase (Net*), by age, November 2018
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- Figure 52: Snack purchase location – Any purchase (Net*), by HH income, November 2018
- Mass locations are key for moms
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- Figure 53: Snack purchase location – Any purchase (Net*), by parental status, November 2018
- More than one in 10 super snackers use online services
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- Figure 54: Snack purchase location – Any purchase (Net*), by snacking frequency, November 2018
- Online channels are slow to catch on in the snack space
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- CHAID methodology
- Correspondence analysis methodology
- Consumer qualitative research
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
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