Polarized snacking trends emerge in post-pandemic market

02 Aug 2021 --- The snacking market is being pulled in a multitude of directions – indulgence versus health, novelty versus comfort, and plant-based versus animal-based. Experts from Symrise, Almond Board of California and Lallemand Bio-Ingredients also speak to FoodIngredientsFirst about the mixed impact of COVID-19 and the rise of snackification. 

“Savory snacks are facing a challenge to reposition in a market with a tension between indulgence, quality, health and convenience,” says Sam Russell, EAME marketing manager of snacks at Symrise.

Whether explicitly or implicitly, consumers expect snack products to become “healthier” based on their own definition of the word.

“The snacking space continues to be highly competitive, and products are differentiated by not only offering enjoyment and indulgence but also fitting into mindful snacking lifestyles and consumer wellness goals,” adds Charice Grace, manager of trade marketing and stewardship at the Almond Board of California (ABC).

This increased interest in combining the pleasure of snacking with specific dietary needs may stem from consumer associations between snacking and guilt, points out Silvia Soragni, global savory product manager at Lallemand Bio-Ingredients.

Pandemic’s mixed impact
The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the key drivers behind the rise of health-aware snacking. Russell notes that many consumers feel concerned about their weight gain after months of limited movement. They now feel more aware of the impact of COVID-19 influenced by current health.

In some ways, however, the pandemic also had a negative impact on the snack food market due to a reduction in outdoor consumption occasions, such as sport and music events.

“Nonetheless, as consumers were forced to stay indoors, snacking at home emerged as a common habit, mostly among the adult and younger population. With an increased and targeted offer, snack bars and other snack food are starting to be considered as alternatives to regular food, instead of being consumed between main meals,” explains Soragni. 

Symrise cites mini Oreos combined with nuts as an example of a broader snacking definition.Stepping away from mealtimes
Cady Zhou, APAC regional category manager of snacks at Symrise, also emphasizes that previously defined concepts of occasions around mealtimes are now blurred. 

“Instead of eating proper big meals, consumers tend to take small meals. Snacks might contribute to most of those scenarios. Manufacturers are also tapping into this trend by launching NPD with a broader definition of snack.” 

For example, Mondelēz recently debuted packs of mini Oreos combined with nuts on the Chinese market.

“In step with the snackification shift from the traditional three meals per day to more frequent mini-meals, the snacking category is also embracing hybrid products that are competitive for all occasions and times of day,” says Grace.

However, Russell notes that there still is some degree of structure as to when consumers are consuming savory snacks. “For example, there are hardly any savory snack habits in the morning. The relative inflexibility of the category makes it difficult to convince shoppers to act otherwise.” 

However, he hopes that the emergence of the better-for-you snacking trend will go some way to counter this as healthier eating typically happens at the beginning of the day and turns toward indulgence at the end.

Almonds can address demands for plant-based, better-for-you snacking. Polarized flavors take off
One theme that Zhou observes in Asia is polarized flavors. “Hot and spicy or super rich indulgent flavors like salted egg yolk versus pink salt and light vegetable tastes enjoy a big popularity among consumers for different needs.”

Russell also notes that European companies are incorporating elements from multiple flavor groups in one, with popular cooking cues like grilled or smoked proving popular. 

“This includes the need for flavors to offer genuine, authentic experiences such as the warming sensations of ginger or the fresh ‘zestiness’ associated with Vietnamese cuisine,” he elaborates. 

Grace also agrees that contrasting flavor combinations are now seen as complementary and sought-after in snack products that can be eaten to satisfy cravings during any time of day.

“Sweet and savory snacks no longer need to be seen in opposition due to the rise of the ‘snackification’ trend and shift toward hybrid snack products. With a neutral taste, almonds can be added to a variety of snacks, allowing unique flavors – whether they are savory or sweet – to shine,” she elaborates. 

Traveling with taste buds
COVID-19 has also had an impact on flavor demands, with consumers turning to snacking as an alternative to traveling.

Lallemand Bio-Ingredients has registered an increased number of launches that tap into consumers’ nostalgia for traveling, recreating the taste of traditional dishes from popular travel destinations.

“New trends are prompting consumers to dine at home. Prepared meals should deliver comfort food as well as innovation, exotic taste and excitement to the taste buds,” explains Soragni.

Dairy, spicy and meaty are three core flavor groups in snacking.  Additionally, umami taste and kokumi sensation can help enhance the taste experience. According to the strain and production conditions, yeast-based ingredients can be naturally rich in savory molecules associated with umami taste and kokumi mouthfulness.

In this space, Lallemand Bio-Ingredients recently launched Toravita 054, a Torula yeast ingredient that can naturally contribute to the flavor depth and richness in a variety of snacks and seasonings. The company also offers natural vegan flavors that can help imitate popular meaty flavors. 

Healthy flavor matrices
Russell points out that meaty is one of three flavor groups that stand out in core snacks – with the others being dairy and spicy. 

These were pinpointed using Symrise’s in-house intelligence tool Trendscope to understand the tonalities and directions within these flavor groups and identify those with the greatest potential as future “evergreen” flavors. “We see a great example in the trend toward the ‘culinarization’ of snacks,” he adds. 

Symrise has also identified four key flavor groups for healthier snacks:

• Classics with a Healthy Twist (traditional and fashionable).
• Bold Flavors for Healthy Formulations (fashionable and contemporary).
• Functional Flavors (traditional and functional).
• Premiumized, Garden Fresh Flavors (functional and contemporary).

“These areas operate almost on a matrix, moving from functional to fashionable, and from traditional to contemporary flavors,” Russell explains. 

Additionally, flavor plays a key factor in influencing product trials by consumers. If the taste meets the expectation, then instances of repeat purchases are more likely to occur. 

A plant-based future?
While meaty and dairy flavors might be proving popular, plant-based demands are also on the rise, according to Russell. 

“A real opportunity exists for brands to take advantage of this established consumer mindset by actively targeting the segment through alternative protein bases such as peas, chickpeas and lentils, as well as animal-free seasonings that taste just like the real thing.”

Grace posits that one of the main drivers behind the rise of plant-based offerings is health associations. 

“According to the Almond Board of California 2019 Global Perceptions Study, almonds are considered a nutrient-rich snack among global consumers. Almonds also are the number one nut associated with plant-based claims per the Innova 2020 Global New Products Report.”

Looking ahead, Russell anticipates that other new bases inspired by the meat and dairy analogs space will come to the fore in the near future. However, he also flags that new bases are likely to include cheese and insects on the immediate horizon, hinting at the continuation of a diverse market. 

By Katherine Durrell