Snacking takes Center Stage

 

There is no doubt that we are in prime time when it comes to snacking.  We have the Super Bowl in February, followed by March Madness and game time turns snacking into a must have as the team at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® first noted in it’s white paper,  the 65 Inch HDTV Syndrome. Once again, the choice between dining-out or cooking at home could be the size of the HDTV.

It is at the intersection of the consumer, technology and retail food sales we find the grocerant niche creating and expanding points of quality food distribution.  It’s at that intersection that Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru® Steven Johnson identified one universal commonality driving consumers buying pattern changes.  Johnson calls it “The 65 Inch HDTV Syndrome” consumer like HDTV’s have invested heavily in them and are using them.

Regular readers of this blog know that, the grocerant niche is the result of the blurring line between restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, and drug stores all selling fresh prepared, portable, convenient meal solutions.  Targeted at the time-starved consumer with Ready-2-Eat or Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food components that are perceived “better for you”, and portioned for one or two. Consumers like the Convenient Meal Participation, Differentiation, Individualization / Family Customization that these retailers offer.

Now of the retailers that takes center stage this time of year is Frito-Lay.  In its latest Snack Index Frito-Lay say running out of snacks is worse than their team losing the big game. How many of you agree?

So, according to Frito-Lay's latest Snack Index, half of the country believes running out of snacks is worse than their team losing the Super Bowl.

"The Super Bowl is about more than just football, it's about spending time with loved ones and snacking has become a big part of that ritual," said Denise Lefebvre, senior vice president of research and development for PepsiCo Foods. "That's why we invest in understanding what our consumers want, so they can have the right flavors, variety and snack styles to make their spreads a touchdown everyone can celebrate." Here are highlights of the latest Snack Index:

Recipe for a Perfect Party

·         Stock up early and often: Nearly half of guests (49 percent) note running out of snacks is worse than their team losing the Super Bowl, with three in five guests (62 percent) preferring to make the dash for snack refills during commercials rather than miss any game time.

·         Get the party started: Nearly a quarter of survey respondents say the party should start at lunch or earlier, with millennials (36 percent) and Gen Z (26 percent) most eager for an early kickoff.

·         Add variety: Compared to previous years, three in four consumers (71 percent) say they're more excited to try new flavors or variations of their favorite snacks in 2023.

·         Consider the guests: Millennials (61 percent) are the most eager to try new snack flavors, followed by Gen Z (57 percent) and Gen X (52 percent). On the other hand, baby boomers prefer to stick with tried-and-true classic flavors (38 percent).

Snack Lineup Perfection

·         Though loyal to their favorites, Americans are equally open to new flavor varieties. Half (50 percent) like to try new flavors rather than just keeping to their classics.

·         Gen Z notes a love for flavor "dust," with nearly three in five (59 percent) preferring snacks that leave remnants on their fingers vs. 40 percent overall.

·         A whopping 95 percent of Americans say at least some of their Super Bowl dishes will feature snacks served with the dish or as part of the recipe.

Snacks are Icebreakers

·         Fifty-nine percent of Americans have bonded over snack preferences with people they have struggled to make conversation with, including a partner's friends or family (27 percent), coworkers (24 percent) and even strangers in the checkout line (18 percent).

·         Gen Z (79 percent) and millennials (72 percent) are the most likely consumers to have connected with another person over snacks, followed by Gen X (61 percent) and baby boomers (42 percent).

·         Only three in 10 Americans have gotten into an argument over snack flavors.

What snacks are you selling?  Where and when are you selling them? Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideas look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how our Grocerant Guru® can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit: us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

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