"Expanded snacking occasions require flavors and ingredients to fill a variety of consumer needs, with opportunity to innovate across a spectrum of cravings, from nutritious to indulgent."
Sydney Riebe - US Food and Drink Analyst
Mintel’s snacks market research finds a surge in consumer interest in novel and adventurous flavors. However these innovative flavors need to be balanced with the classics, as familiarity remains a strong driver for consumer.
While almost half of US consumers agree that snacking is primarily about indulgence compared to less than a fifth who focus on nutrition, this doesn’t mean the two are mutually exclusive. Only around four in ten of shoppers stick to the same snack flavors, highlighting an openness to variety if the right balance is achieved.
But familiarity remains important, with old favorites like nacho cheese and pizza flavors maintaining their popularity. However, innovation within spicy and umami-forward profiles is sparking interest among adventurous consumers. Emerging flavors such as hatch chili, miso, and gochujang are enticing shoppers to experiment and explore new snacking options, also highlighting interest in global cuisine flavors.
The importance of crafting snack options that blend familiar and innovative flavors while aligning taste with nutritional and ingredient transparency is paramount. Combined with strong, appealing flavor descriptions, brands can cater to both curiosity and comfort, ensuring their products resonate with a broad audience.
The first Mintel Market Intelligence report was published over 50 years ago. Since then, we have provided our unique insights and understanding of consumers, innovation and global markets to thousands of customers worldwide. Here’s why our customers rely on Mintel:
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Our expert analysts are skilled in weaving these diverse data streams together. They apply a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to uncover the deeper story, connecting the dots to deliver clear, actionable insights. This comprehensive, multi-layered process is how we transform raw data into a market intelligence report you can trust to inform your most important business decisions.
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