Spotlight on snacks: Plant-based preferences are rising, focus on health and better-for-you options

21 Jun 2021 --- Propelled by the COVID-19, consumers are taking a more proactive approach to their holistic well-being, which is impacted by what they are seeking in snacks. Convenience snacks and healthy food-to-go items are back in the hot seat as more consumers leave the house for work, education and social events. Notably, plant-forward snacks are gaining momentum.

FoodIngredientsFirst speaks with key suppliers in the snacking arena, who spotlight the key themes dominating the space. 

According to John Powers, marketing director, Snacking and Baked Goods at ADM, recognizable and closer-to-nature elements like plant proteins and wholesome ingredients are catching the eyes of snack shoppers, as these snacks are often perceived as higher quality or better-for-you. 

“Our Outside VoiceSM research finds that more than 70 percent of consumers rate protein from plant sources as healthy. Moreover, growing interest in plant-based eating and snacking is linked to an increasing desire for healthier lifestyles, sustainability and food safety, all of which has accelerated due to the pandemic.”

Changing the way consumers snack
The uncertainty of the past year has significantly impacted purchasing behaviors, including the way people snack. 

As well as looking for healthier snacks for home consumption, consumers also want a balance between indulgence and health.“With snacking becoming more predominant, people expect it to play a greater part in delivering their daily nutrition,” Powers outlines. “Consumers have been choosing healthier snacks since the start of the pandemic, and they’re turning to plant-based, whole-food ingredients like ancient grains, beans, nuts and seeds, for nutritional benefits and intriguing texture and taste.”

Notably, snacks like puffed pea crisps, multigrain crackers and nutritional bars with low sugar, high protein and healthy fats are growing in popularity because they appeal to conscious consumers of all ages, states Powers. 

Plant-based nutrition heats up
For Myriam Snaet, head of market intelligence and consumer insights at Beneo, the sector is evolving rapidly. “With every second consumer ‘very or extremely interested’ in plant-based food and drink products, many more producers are looking to create plant-based snacking alternatives.”

More than half (52 percent) of parents in the UK say there should be more plant-based snacks for children, she notes. “This demand is principally being driven by the perceived health benefits of plant-based products, with 70 percent of consumers worldwide agreeing that long-term health is a key driver for them wanting more plant-based nutrition.”

According to Beneo, 60 percent of global consumers say that plant-based solutions are a taste preference.

Eye on children’s health
Health has become top-of-mind for everyone, influencing the types of snacks consumers are opting for.

“This trend is even more pronounced when purchasing snacks for children, with three-quarters of consumers globally stating that it is ‘extremely or very important’ that childrens’ products cater for better nutrition,” says Snaet. 

“Concern for longer-term health is influencing snacks for children, as is the promotion of digestive health (76 percent), as well as snacks that keep a child feeling fuller for longer (69 percent) and plant-based snacks (52 percent).”

“With health such a focus for old and young consumers alike, manufacturers need to make it easier for shoppers to be able to swap to healthierConsumers are taking a more proactive approach to their holistic well-being, which is impacted by what they are looking for in snacks for children. snacks by using transparent communication, labeling and claims. With this in mind, using natural, functional ingredients that resonate with parents and provide healthier nutrition will be of growing importance,” she comments. 

Powers at ADM believes that parents and caregivers are much more likely to adhere to more strict health-oriented guidelines when selecting snacks for their children, including snacks with low sugar and a range of free-from and clean-label-centered cues. 

“76 percent of parents say that they try to give their kids more nutritionally balanced snacks, and 83 percent are willing to prepare freshly made snacks for their kids.”

Additionally, families with children are willing to spend more on snacks and put more effort into finding options that kids want to eat. 

“We see an opportunity for brands to develop parent-friendly offerings with free-from, organic, and other trend-forward functional attributes that also meet children’s taste expectations,” he explains. 

Industry must adapt
With many consumers now considering themselves vegan and flexitarian, these categories are proving both incredibly popular and profitable. 

“We have seen a significant increase in demand from our customers for help in developing dairy and meat-free recipe reformulations, as they seek to extend their ranges and provide more options to choose from,” adds Snaet. 

Seven out of ten consumers now say that they wish they had healthier options available across indulgent food and drink categories, she remarks. 

“The opportunity for food producers is to tap into this desire with more natural and cleaner label meat analog snacks that help to dispel perceptions of meat snacks as highly processed.”

In addition, there’s enormous scope for products that promote permissible indulgence thanks to planet-friendly offerings through plant-based solutions that offer high protein content and low or light positionings.

“As consumers demand more and more from their snacks, we expect to see even more healthy snacks that offer a range of other benefits brought to market,” Sneat notes. 

Stefan Wagemans, account manager at Bösch Boden Spies, says huge fast-food restaurants want to become vegetarian- and vegan-friendly places, as environmental and health-conscious consumers also want to be able to eat there.

“Collaborations of fast-food restaurants and meat alternative manufacturers have enabled tasty plant-based products. Thereby allowing the consumers to make a conscious choice even when snacking,” he comments. 

Blurred lines 
Powers says there will also be more opportunities for meat alternatives as the line between meals and snacks continues to blur. 

“For instance, 13 percent of consumers said they have replaced a meal with a snack at least once in the past week, and 47 percent report eating leftovers as a snack at least once in the last week.”

“As such, nutrient-dense and plant-diverse meatballs, patties, and shreds can become a quick, substantial snack. Plant-based alternatives to seafood products like crab cakes, fish sticks or breaded shrimp are gaining momentum as appetizers and meal solutions,” Powers explains.

While enviromental and animal welfare-related concerns are also motivating factors driving the popularity of plant-based diets.ADM also sees consumer interest in versatile and convenient formats like alternatives to pork, poultry and beef shreds and grounds that expedite meal prep for home cooks who have practiced their culinary skills during the pandemic.

Snacking beyond the pandemic 
Consumers are more willing to replace their meat consumption with plant-based alternatives. However, the taste profile of plant-based alternatives is vital.

“As technology is improving to develop meat alternatives, the expectations of consumers are continuously rising. High quality and value-added ingredients and processing are a must-have to meet consumer demand. Therefore, business-to-business ingredient suppliers have a crucial role in the plant-based transition,” Wagemans at Bösch Boden Spies explains. 

The pandemic raised the attention of consumers toward their health. In combination with the concerns about global warming and animal welfare, vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian lifestyles are becoming more popular. 

In order to provide consumers with options to replace normal-day products containing animal ingredients, the industry should look into plant-based solutions, Wagemans notes. 

“Snack packs and on-the-go convenience snacks are set to grow as people venture out of the house as work, school, shops, restaurants and travel begin to open back up,” adds Powers at ADM. 

“Plant-forward snack options, including meat analogs like alternative jerky or sticks, have a unique opportunity as they tick the boxes for convenient flavor-packed snacks while also delivering on consumers’ perceptions for healthier options.”

Moreover, emerging plant-based snacks that incorporate exotic flavor combinations are poised for continued growth as they entice people to travel through their tastebuds, forecasts Powers.

By Elizabeth Green