SIAL 2024 live: Plant-based ingredients, spicy nuances and novel flavors dominate snacking categories

Food Ingredients First attended the international food and drink exhibition SIAL 2024 in Paris, France, where snacking innovation proliferated the show floor. We dive into the latest trends influencing the snacking category, which is moving away from the humble potato chip as food manufacturers and brands celebrate the versatility of plants. Also, new chili variations are turning up the heat and “interesting” plays on flavor are coming to fruition.

SIAL 2024 showcased a plethora of food innovations from across the globe, highlighting how the savory snacking market is one of the most innovative and exciting areas of F&B. We take a look at some of the NPD innovation.

Korean natural grass 

In the savory food hall, Seoul-headquartered food company Skybio Ltd presented its traditional Korean crisps brand, with innovations highlighting the “natural grasses of Korea,” Mei Youn, CEO, tells us. 

Among the company’s snacks are lotus root crisps, which are dried with glutinous rice paste and fried in brown rice oil. Harnessing the nutritional benefits of seaweed, the company also uses laver seaweed crips and sea tangle crisps. Laver seaweed is also known as gim, a type of edible seaweed commonly used in Korean cuisine, while sea tangle is known as kelp. 

The snacks are available in Korea and can be purchased in the UK through Waitrose and Ocado’s websites. Youn explains why the UK is a key market for this Korean snack brand: “Consumers have been familiar with seaweed as an ingredient for the last ten years or so, but now they are looking for seaweed-based snacks as a healthier alternative to some of the products that are on the market today.”

Oh Hee Sook (left) is certified as a Korean food grandmaster for “National Recognition Producer Of Authentic Traditional Korean Snack of No. 25 (2004).” She is pictured with Mei Youn, her daughter (right).Youn’s mother, Oh Hee Sook, who creates and develops the brand’s range, is a certified Korean food grandmaster. South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs awards the title of grandmaster to those who have shown excellence in traditional Korean food.

Tempeh and mushroom snacks 

Malaysian snack brand Aducktive also offers consumers healthy snack options, using tempeh and oyster mushrooms as key ingredients. 

Anif Azami, managing director, tells us: “We have our new tempeh chips made from soybean. This snack is a superfood snack; it’s high in protein, gluten-free and free from additives. Nowadays, people are looking for healthy options. Healthier snacks are sometimes not very tasty, so that’s why we have developed this unique solution made from high-protein tempeh. We believe this superfood snack competes with the traditional potato chip snack and we predict it will be a good solution for healthy snacks in the future.”

Tempeh chips are available in two flavors: original and hot and spicy. 

Aductive creates its tempeh chips using dehydration and fermentation methods. The chips are then deep-fried in coconut oil and baked, and offer a similar texture and crunch to potato chips. 

The Malaysian company is also showcasing its capabilities with oyster mushroom chips. 

“We use fresh oyster mushrooms, which are also high in protein and nutrients,” notes Azami. “We deep fry the mushrooms and mix them with tapioca flour to make this very crunchy and crispy plant-based snack.”

Asian street food 

Also harnessing the flavors of the East, Mitsuba, a Dutch snack food brand, is bringing typical Asian flavors to its lineup of rice crackers and nut snacks. The company’s latest offerings include flavors such as Thai green curry, beef noodles and coconut satay. 

“They are based around the flavor exploration of flavors you can find in Asian street food. We’re trying to bring the adventure of Asian travel to consumers at home so that they can get that flavor experience you can’t find anywhere else,” Stef Oosterveen, brand manager, explains. 

Rice snacks and nuts are often deemed “healthier snacks by consumers,” Oosterveen notes that the current range is “clean label, free from preservatives and almost entirely vegetarian.”Migle Misiunaite, marketing lead at Chazz, explains how the brand is pushing flavor innovation to the next level.

The snacks have been created with sharing in mind, convenience for on-the-go snacking and accessibility. “We also showcase different spice levels, so there is something for everyone,” adds Oosterveen. 

Bold chip flavors 

Lithuanian chip brand Chazz is pushing flavor innovation to the next level. Among its innovations in Paris, the company showcased “the world’s first energy drink flavored chips.”

“We were selected for the SIAL Innovation highlights for this product, as it has such an interesting and unusual flavor that you wouldn’t expect from a packet of potato chips,” Migle Misiunaite, marketing lead at Chazz, explains.

“These chips are hand-cooked kettle chips, which are baked at a lower temperature. We use only natural ingredients, no preservatives, so we see our snacks as healthier, using clean ingredients.” Commenting on the other flavors like truffle and cannabis, Misiunaite tells us that “we use real truffles and natural cannabis seeds.”

The company also rolled out pink soup flavor crips, which is a widely consumed soup in Lithuania. The company uses beetroot ingredients for its vibrant pink hue. 

To ensure this brand stands out from the crowd for its innovative flavor concepts, Misiunaite comments, “We want to show the world that we are different and brave and that we can make snacks fun and tasty by using completely natural ingredients.”

Hot chips, nuts and popcorn

Czech Republic company Hot Chip presented its Hot Nut challenge innovation, which will be launched in European markets later this year. Czech Republic company Hot Chip exhibited its range of “challenges,” which include a Hot Chip, Hot Nut and a Salt Chip challenge. On track to be launched to European markets later this year, the company is tapping into the sensory excitement that spicy and salty flavors can bring. 

Martin Válek, export manager, says: “These innovations are less of a snack and more of an experience. They are great for parties, reunions, gatherings with family or friends, and it’s fun to see the consumers’ reactions.”

Meanwhile, the company also brought a gourmet spicy caramel product to SIAL Paris, which showcases “the unique combination of sweet caramel and mildly spicy habanero chili.”

With live reporting from Elizabeth Green at SIAL 2024 in Paris, France