Posted in Millennials on March 20, 2017
No flash in the pan, the better-for-you movement has boiled over into the mainstream, turning up the heat on foodservice operators to blaze a clean label trail of menu innovation. But while the millennial snack market may demand more natural and nutritious options, many consumers still hanker for traditional favorites with rich and satisfying flavor profiles.
A recent national survey by FONA International reinforces findings from market research firm Mintel about the importance of hanker-worthy snacks.1 Snack attacks are still spurred by a taste for the sweet, salty and savory, with flavor-favoring consumers eating into a large piece of the market pie.
Taste, not caloric content, is king for this consumer segment, where temptation trumps nutrition. Snacking has become a daily occurrence for 83% of consumers, with 26% treating or rewarding themselves with a snack between meals.1 Demand for better-for-you options may be huge, but the scales often tip in favor of taste. While 33% say they’ll snack on more-nutritious food this year in comparison to last, 62% snack to satisfy a hankering.1FONA’s survey1 identified four key taste-driven snacking trends:
- Classic indulgence: 50% of respondents treat themselves to “decadent” snack and beverage varieties with low nutritional value. Top classic indulgences include chocolate, ice cream, cake, candy, soda and beer/wine.
- Indulgence as an Experience: 29% choose snacks that offer satisfying flavor experiences. FONA doesn’t elaborate, but the millennial appetite for new and adventurous flavor profiles is a recurring theme for foodservice operators who hunger for a higher check average.
- Affordable Indulgence: 11% favor budget-friendly snacks that emphasize consumers’ bottom line over their waistline. For this group, low cost takes priority over high nutritional content.
- Healthy Indulgence: While only 10% cited high-nutrition snacks as their preference, FONA noted the trend toward “permissive indulgence”—the sweet spot between deliciousness and wellness. The popularity of thins and crisps, mini-portions and single servings underscores the consumer yearning for portion control formats that allow for moderate indulgence in snacking staples.
While classic indulgence fulfills an emotional need for a break from the stress and hectic pace of today’s busy lifestyles, healthy indulgence meets another emotional need: to feel good about the food we consume and rest easy that it meets clean label and wellness standards in an increasingly health-conscious world. As FONA’s report on the survey findings put it: “One thing is clear: whether it is a classic pull toward some sinful decadence or a healthier choice that provides the taste of indulgence without the guilt—consumers are treating themselves, and they’re doing it outside of mealtimes.”1
Have Your Cake and Eat It Too
The popularity of snack cakes, which have an over 75% household penetration rate, is another example of strong demand for indulgent products.2 45% of U.S. consumers report eating snack cakes last year—the same percentage, interestingly enough, that cite nutritional value as the top factor in choosing food.2 Preferred by 40% of shoppers, traditional versions of this flavorful favorite take the cake, far exceeding the negligible subset of consumers that choose variations without sugar, or with low or no fat.2
As Brent Bradshaw, vice president of cake marketing for Flower Foods Inc., points out: “while clean label is definitely a motivator for some shoppers, research consistently finds that when it comes to indulgence, consumers seem to be more willing to splurge.”2
How do you plan to balance consumer yearning for indulgence with demand for better-for-you options? Want to learn more about snacks that provide the best of both worlds? Indulge our taste for feedback below.
