At the
intersection of What’s for Dinner, and I’m hungry now, are what were once referred
to as snacks. Today according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA
based Foodservice Solutions® “Gen Z and Millennials disregard the idea of three
meal periods and instead opt for ‘convenient meals.
Johnson insists
that one company is driving the adoption of ‘convenient meals’ better than any
other and that company is PepisCo.
There are new insights to be found within the fifth annual U.S. Snack Index from
Frito-Lay and Quaker. Let’s take a Look:
Denise Lefebvre, senior vice
president of R&D for PepsiCo
Foods, stated, "While Frito-Lay and Quaker's latest Snack Index
confirms that time is scarce, the data also reinforces the fierce passion that
consumers have for their food preferences," …. "As we look to 2024,
we have a tremendous opportunity to continue meeting the evolving needs of our
consumers. It has never been more important for us to infuse that inspiration
with innovation, delivering on our promise of more smiles with every bite."
With 2024 around the corner, Frito-Lay
and Quaker are unveiling the three food and snacking trends poised to shape the
year ahead:
1. The Time Crunch Dilemma
Despite there being 24 hours in a day,
80% of Americans feel like their days actually have fewer hours. This
burden is most acutely felt by younger generations (85%) with no sign of
letting up, as 60% of consumers expect demands to increase in the new year.
In 2024, Americans will say goodbye to
hours spent marinating, chopping, roasting or baking. A proliferation of the
"no-prep dinner," defined as a simple meal that requires little
effort to make, will continue to grow in popularity, alongside dinners rooted
in Americans' favorite snack products, the survey revealed.
A Dash to Dine
According to the Index, the average
American has only 52 total minutes per day to prepare, eat and enjoy their
meals. One-third of consumers note having even less time, scraping together
less than 30 minutes a day to prep and enjoy meals.
Snacks Move to Center Plate
More consumers are integrating their
favorite snack products into meals, up 35% over previous years. Once a week,
more than half of consumers use snacks as a key ingredient in no-prep dinners,
while more than one-third seize this opportunity multiple times a week.
Top Truths
When asked why snacks are an important
part of their no-prep repertoire, Americans report yearning for a specific
snack (51%) and being too busy to cook (44%) as the top rationale.
Do You Want a Larger
Share of Stomach?
Think
Mini - Meals Snacks
#GirlDinner Debunked
The internet might have dubbed
snack-focused meals as "#GirlDinner," but in 2024, the trend is for
everyone. Men (92%) report being just as likely to use snack foods in meals as
women (93%), with 36% pushing snack and meal boundaries more than in previous
years.
2. Introducing the Snack Savant
The rise of the self-proclaimed
"Snack Savant" will undoubtedly make waves in 2024, PepsiCo and
Quaker found. Savants embrace all things food, adventure and community.
Defining the Snack Savant
Millennials (83%) and Gen Z (82%) are
most likely to embrace this title, with the majority of these Snack Savants
also being city dwellers (77%). They are resourceful — 55% report
their favorite snack combinations are inspired by what is already in the
pantry — and lean on social media for additional ideas (32%).
Snacking is an Art
Eighty percent agree that combining
multiple food products to create the perfect bite is an art form and 65% admit
to having eccentric snack combos.
3. Snacking for Tasty Satisfaction
In 2024, snacking will be centered on the
importance of purpose, protein and packing a punch.
Protein Power
When eyeing snacks at the grocery store,
Americans cite protein as the most important nutritional attribute (55%).
Compared to previous years, 79% of consumers admit it's more critical than ever
for protein to take center stage — especially true for those most crunched on
time (80%).
Energy Boost
At least once a week, 60% of consumers
look to their favorite snack products to provide energy. Millennials (72%) are
by far the generation most in need of a pick-me-up vs. Gen Z (62%), Gen X (61%)
and baby boomers (46%). Additionally, 72% of parents say they leverage snacks
for energy.
Taste Triumphs
Across generations, nearly three-quarters
of consumers (74%) refuse to sacrifice taste when selecting their snacks. Baby
boomers are the most unwilling to compromise on taste (84%), followed by Gen
Xers (75%).
The fifth annual U.S. Snack Index
surveyed a sample of 2,000 nationally representative U.S. adults ages 18 years
old and over online between Dec. 6-12.
Based in Plano, Frito-Lay North
America is the $23 billion convenient foods division of PepsiCo
Inc., which is headquartered in Purchase, N.Y. Frito-Lay snacks include
Lay's and Ruffles potato chips, Doritos and Tostitos tortilla chips and branded
dips, Cheetos snacks, Stacy's pita chips, PopCorners popped-corn snacks,
SunChips multigrain snacks and Fritos corn chips. The company operates 30-plus
manufacturing facilities across the United States and Canada, more than
200 distribution centers and services 315,000 retail customers per week through
its direct-store-delivery model.
Invite Foodservice
Solutions® to complete a Grocerant ScoreCard, or for product positioning or
placement assistance, or call our Grocerant Guru®. Since 1991 Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma, WA has been the
global leader in the Grocerant niche. Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or 253-759-7869
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