Posted in Snacking on August 1, 2024
Dessert may still be known to many as an after-dinner treat, but it’s growing in stature as much more than the icing on the cake of a meal. In fact, while the dinner daypart may be operators’ largest source of dessert sales, 56% of consumers surveyed ate their last dessert as a snack, according to the market research firm Datassential.1
What’s more, dessert is not bound by dine-in or daypart. Seventy-seven percent of consumers surveyed reported having their last dessert away from home—26% as a late night snack and 23% as an afternoon snack.1
“Many consumers are having desserts as snacks, opening up an opportunity for grab-and-go desserts, take-home desserts on menus and convenience-driven options like cake pops or cheesecake on a stick,” wrote Rene Lee Wege, senior publications manager for Datassential.1
Dishing on Dessert-Hungry Young Snackers
An appetite for desserts as a snack is especially robust among younger consumers, with 44% of Gen Zers and 52% of millennials expressing interest in them.2 Thirty-eight percent of consumers overall are interested in snackable desserts.2
Younger consumers are also sweet on dessert-inspired snacks, for which 41% of Gen Zers and 43% of millennials have a hankering.2 Savory snacks with sweet flavors like Cracker Coated Cookies made with OREO and RITZ Crushed Crackers, and treats that combine flavor and function like birthday cake energy balls, fall into this category.
Many operators menu mini desserts, with varying degrees of success. Thirty-one percent report their mini desserts yield higher than average profitability, while 48% report average profitability.2
(For more insights to help you hit the sweet spot for portable desserts, be sure to read Fast Track Snacks: Shareable Grab-and-Go Foods Feed Market Need.)
Recipes for Snackable Dessert Success
With snackable desserts, as with any culinary creation, any recipe for success requires the right ingredients. Crafting snackable desserts with trusted brand ingredients like OREO Cookies is a
proven way to ensure flavor appeal and maximize sales, as Chef Keegan Gerhard, a Mondelēz Foodservice Brand Ambassador, pointed out.
“Thirty years into my career, I consider OREO Cookies an indispensable ingredient,” said Gerhard, who has served as host and head judge of over 200 episodes of “Food Network Challenge” and “Last Cake Standing.” “With its simple, clean flavors, OREO Cookies can serve as the inspiration for a complete dessert or a perfect way to fortify flavor. The best part of using OREO Cookies in your desserts—if you say OREO, you know it will sell!”
Consider adding snackable dessert options that combine portability with palate-pleasing flavor profiles like Cookies 'n' Creme Hand Pie made with OREO Cookie Pieces and Chocolate Marshmallow Ice Cream Bar made with OREO Cookie Pieces.
Ready for Snackable Dessert Solutions? Grab and Go for It
With operators making regular changes to their snack offerings, now is the time to introduce new snackable desserts. Operators surveyed added a new snack or changed an existing item within the past six months. Salty crunchy snack topped the list (30%), followed by cookie (29%). Other baked item (27%) and ice cream (26%) also ranked high.
“Suppliers have ample opportunity to provide operators with new and innovative snack varieties as many of these offerings are refreshed frequently,” reported Datassential. “More than a quarter of snack-serving operators have recently updated their offerings for other baked items like muffins and brownies, sandwiches and wraps, cookies, and salty crunchy snacks.”2
Culinary creativity is a must for making the most of menu opportunities for snackable desserts. Bear in mind that for 81% of consumers surveyed, “novelty of the flavor and texture combination are important to me when choosing a snack,” according to the 2023 State of Snacking Report from Mondelēz International.3
Mondelēz Foodservice is here to help you feed the need for snackable desserts with inventive culinary solutions. For recipe inspiration, visit our Culinary Center and follow us @mondelezfoodservice on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. And don’t forget to sign up for our emails to get the latest insights and inspiration delivered to your inbox!
1. “Dessert Decadence,” FoodBytes Trend Report, Datassential, 2024
2. Snacking Keynote Report, Datassential, 2024
3. State of Snacking 2023 Global Consumer Snacking Trends Study, Mondelēz International, 2023
