Table of Contents
Overview
-
- What you need to know
- Definition
Executive Summary
-
- The issues
- Slight sales slowdown in salty snack sales predicted
-
- Figure 1: Salty snack statements – Reduction, January 2019
- Salty snacks remain a slight snack favorite, but competition can be seen
-
- Figure 2: Salty snack statements – Any agree: Preference, January 2019
- The tug-of-war between health and indulgence
-
- Figure 3: Salty snack statements – Any agree: Health, January 2019
- The opportunities
- Smaller segments may do well to diversify offerings
-
- Figure 4: Salty snack consumption, January 2019
- Flavor rules salty snack choice
-
- Figure 5: Important salty snack attributes, January 2019
- Low-calorie snacks could hit sweet spot of health and desire
-
- Figure 6: Healthy salty snacks compared to innovation of interest, January 2019
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
-
- Salty snack sales reach $18 billion in 2018
- Snacking remains strong
- Salty snacks remain a slight snack favorite, but competition can be seen
- Category players can reinvent to maintain relevance
Market Size and Forecast
-
- Salty snack sales reach $18 billion in 2018
-
- Figure 7: Total US retail sales and forecast of salty snacks, at current prices, 2013-23
- Figure 8: Total US retail sales and forecast of salty snacks, at current prices, 2013-23
- Figure 9: Total US retail sales and forecast of salty snacks, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2013-23
Market Breakdown
-
- “Other” salty snacks soar
- Meat snack segment benefits from interest in protein
- Cheese snacks see big gains, new products can expand engagement
- Strong popcorn growth projected to slow
- Pretzels sales are flat
-
- Figure 10: Total US retail sales and forecast of salty snacks, by segment share, at current prices, 2016-18
- Figure 11: Total US retail sales and forecast of salty snacks, by segment, at current prices, 2013-23
- “Other” channels continue strong category gains
-
- Figure 12: Total US retail sales of salty snacks, by channel, at current prices, 2016 and 2018
Market Perspective
-
- Salty snacks have a small, perhaps fleeting, snack advantage
-
- Figure 13: Salty snack statements – Any agree: Preference, January 2019
- The snack space gets complex
-
- Figure 14: Percentage growth in select snack categories, 2013-18
- Figure 15: Snack purchase drivers, November 2018
- Stacked against other snacks, category struggles with health
-
- Figure 16: Correspondence analysis – Symmetrical map – Perception of snacks, December 2018
-
- Figure 17: Perception of snacks, December 2018
Market Factors
-
- Snacking remains strong
-
- Figure 18: Snacking frequency, January 2015 and November 2018
- Pay attention to demographic shifts
-
- Figure 19: Population by age, 2013-23
Key Players – What You Need to Know
-
- PepsiCo domination persists
- “Low and no” claims are most popular in the category
- Salty snacks get sweet
- RTE popcorn challenges microwaveable
Company and Brand Sales of Salty Snacks
-
- PepsiCo dominates MULO sales of salty snacks
-
- Figure 20: Multi-outlet sales of salty snacks, by leading companies share, 2018
- Figure 21: Multi-outlet sales of salty snacks, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
What’s Working?
-
- All meat snack leaders see growth
-
- Figure 22: Multi-outlet sales of meat snacks, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
- Cheetos dominate cheese-flavored snacks, but even cheesier products move in
-
- Figure 23: Multi-outlet sales of cheese snacks, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
- Private label sees strong growth in corn snacks
-
- Figure 24: Multi-outlet sales of corn snacks, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
- Private label also makes gains in “other” salty snacks
-
- Figure 25: Multi-outlet sales of other salty snacks, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
- GMO-free claim gains steam
-
- Figure 26: Salty snack launches – Claims share, by segment, 2015-19*
- Salty snacks hit the sweet spot
-
- Figure 27: Salty snack launches – Flavor share, by segment, 2015-19*
What’s Struggling?
-
- Pop Secret struggles to compete against RTE popcorn options
-
- Figure 28: Multi-outlet sales of popcorn, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
- Most pretzel leaders dip
-
- Figure 29: Multi-outlet sales of pretzels, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
What’s Next?
-
- Flavor frenzy
- Protein promotion
- Very veggie
- For the love of legumes
- Diet specific
- Vegan varieties
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
-
- 91% of US adults eat salty snacks
- Cravings drive consumption
- Consumers aren’t exhibiting healthy snack behavior
- Consumers don’t want to sacrifice flavor for health
- Snackers are more likely to stick to flavors than brands
- Big brands don’t completely stumble on health
Salty Snacks Consumption
-
- Salty snack consumption nears ubiquity
-
- Figure 30: Salty snack consumption, January 2019
- Close to a third of salty snacks eaters have reduced consumption
-
- Figure 31: Salty snack statements – Reduction, January 2019
- Men make up a larger share of meat snack eaters
-
- Figure 32: Share of salty snack consumption, by gender, January 2019
- The majority of salty snack eaters are under 45
-
- Figure 33: Share of salty snack consumption, by age, January 2019
- Presence of children increases likelihood of snacking
-
- Figure 34: Salty snack consumption, by parental status, January 2019
Reasons for Salty Snacks Consumption
-
- Cravings and indulgence lead consumption drivers
-
- Figure 35: Reasons for salty snack consumption, January 2019
- Functional attributes resonate with men
-
- Figure 36: Reasons for salty snack consumption, by gender, January 2019
- Many options for messaging to younger snackers
-
- Figure 37: Reasons for salty snack consumption, by age, January 2019
- Parents look for time savings
-
- Figure 38: Reasons for salty snack consumption, by parental status, January 2019
- Snack reducers can be retained through time savings
-
- Figure 39: Reasons for salty snack consumption, by snack statements, January 2019
Important Salty Snacks Attributes
-
- Flavor rules salty snack choice
-
- Figure 40: Important salty snack attributes, January 2019
- Salty snack segments can focus on unique appeal
-
- Figure 41: Important salty snack attributes, by salty snack segment, January 2019
- Snack motivation impacts attribute importance
-
- Figure 42: Important salty snack attributes, by reasons for salty snack consumption, January 2019
- Appeal to women through health and men through indulgence
-
- Figure 43: Important salty snack attributes, by gender, January 2019
- Price is key to younger snackers
-
- Figure 44: Important salty snack attributes, by age, January 2019
- Lower-earning households look for affordability and satiety
-
- Figure 45: Important salty snack attributes, by household income, January 2019
- Influence of children seen in portability, portionability, and durability
-
- Figure 46: Important salty snack attributes, by parental status, January 2019
Salty Snacks Flavors
-
- Three quarters of salty snack eaters want cheese-flavored options
-
- Figure 47: Salty snack flavors, January 2019
-
- Figure 48: Salty snack flavors, by salty snack consumption, January 2019
- Flavor preferences differ by gender, men go for the extreme
-
- Figure 49: Salty snack flavors, by gender, January 2019
- Younger snackers show greatest interest in unique flavors
-
- Figure 50: Salty snack flavors, by age, January 2019
Healthy Salty Snacks
-
- Consumers aren’t exhibiting healthy snack behavior
-
- Figure 51: Salty snack statements – Health, January 2019
-
- Figure 52: Salty snack statements – Any agree: Health, January 2019
- Young snackers are more interested in indulgence, but they recognize the value of health
-
- Figure 53: Salty snack statements – Health, by age, January 2019
- Figure 54: Salty snack statements – Any agree: Health, by age, January 2019
- Category can aim at health through sodium reduction
-
- Figure 55: Healthy salty snacks, January 2019
- Health-conscious women can be targeted through ingredient claims
-
- Figure 56: Healthy salty snacks, by gender, January 2019
Salty Snacks Innovation
-
- Close to half of snackers are interested in low-calorie salty snacks
-
- Figure 57: Innovation of interest, January 2019
- Pretzel thins eaters are more likely to be drawn to health innovation
-
- Figure 58: Innovation of interest, by salty snack consumption, January 2019
- High-protein snacks appeal to men; women open to small pack sizes
-
- Figure 59: Innovation of interest, by gender, January 2019
- Stress snackers plead for help
-
- Figure 60: Innovation of interest, by reasons for salty snack consumption, January 2019
Snack Statements
-
- Emotion
- Salty snacks are more likely to improve mood than cause guilt
-
- Figure 61: Salty snack statements – Any agree: Emotion, January 2019
- Habits
- Majority of salty snack choices are impulsive
-
- Figure 62: Salty snack statements – Any agree: Impulse, January 2019
- Brand
- Snackers are more likely to stick to flavors than brands
-
- Figure 63: Salty snack statements – Any agree: Habits, January 2019
- Big brands don’t completely stumble on health
-
- Figure 64: Salty snack statements – Brand, January 2019
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
-
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – The Market
-
-
- Figure 65: Total US retail sales and forecast of meat snacks, at current prices, 2013-23
- Figure 66: Total US retail sales and forecast of meat snacks, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2013-23
- Figure 67: Total US retail sales and forecast of popcorn, at current prices, 2013-23
- Figure 68: Total US retail sales and forecast of popcorn, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2013-23
-
- Figure 69: Total US retail sales and forecast of cheese snacks, at current prices, 2013-23
- Figure 70: Total US retail sales and forecast of cheese snacks, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2013-23
- Figure 71: Total US retail sales and forecast of pretzels, at current prices, 2013-23
- Figure 72: Total US retail sales and forecast of pretzels, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2013-23
-
- Figure 73: US retail sales and forecast of corn snacks, at current prices, 2013-23
- Figure 74: Total US retail sales and forecast of corn snacks, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2013-23
- Figure 75: Total US retail sales and forecast of other salty snacks, at current prices, 2013-23
- Figure 76: Total US retail sales and forecast of other salty snacks, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2013-23
-
- Figure 77: US supermarket sales of salty snacks, at current prices, 2013-18
- Figure 78: US drug store sales of salty snacks, at current prices, 2013-18
- Figure 79: US convenience store sales of salty snacks, at current prices, 2013-18
- Figure 80: US sales of salty snacks through other retail channels, at current prices, 2013-18
-
Appendix – Key Players
-
-
- Figure 81: Multi-outlet sales of salty snacks, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2017 and 2018
-
Back to top