What's next in snacks? Start with Ardent Mills at ArdentMills.com or call (888) 685-2534 to learn more.
Ready-to-eat (R.-T.-E.) snack foods fall into three major categories with each segment making up roughly one-third of the total R.-T.-E. snack food universe. In the better-for-you category, consumer demand is driving the search for nutritional “functional fuel” that curbs hunger for longer.
Source: The NPD Group, Inc.’s Snacking in America report, 2015. Previously published in the May 2017 issue of Snac World
Cookie and cracker “thins” help keep snacks on the smaller size, while hearty ingredients like whole grains, seeds and nuts make them filling and nutritious.
Granola/snack bars are the No. 1 new retail product introductions using quinoa. Sales of quinoa snack/granola bars were $113.6 million, Snack/tortilla chips with quinoa reached $49.2 million, and quinoa cracker sales were $22.8 million.
Source: Ardent Mills/Nielsen Scantrack, XAOC, Total US, year ending August 2016
“Enrobed and filled snacks are a great category in frozen foods. Things like mixed grain arancini stuffed with cheese and 'tots' translate very well to grains like barley or quinoa. I like the idea of 'dusted and dipped' tots that are finished with a spice mix. You can even sneak greens and other veggies into a grain tot.”
— Chef Jason Gronlund, Technical Sales Manager, Ardent Mills, Denver
Nutritional snacks and snack mixes, including salty/sweet combinations, have enjoyed 4.6% growth and $924 million in sales. Sales of snacks with healthy inclusions are forecast to grow to $1.2 billion in 2017, according to Packaged Facts.
Source: IRI sales data for for the 52 weeks ending February 19, 2017
BakingBusiness.com reports that words like “simply” on snack packaging suggest a product is minimally processed with just a few familiar ingredients. From beans and beets to kale and quinoa, nutrient-dense ingredients add a wholesome twist to traditional snack foods.