Snacking Is On The Rise

Consumers are snacking more and their love for almonds remains strong.

Technomic, a leading fact-based consulting and research firm serving the food industry, recently noted, “consumers are snacking at least twice a day.” Prompting the increase in consumer snacking trends is a heightened awareness of the caloric content in meals consumed away from home, leading some restaurants to reduce meal calorie counts. Smaller portions are cause for consumers to change their behavior and they are more inclined to snack during the day.

According to a study from Auburn University in Alabama, “people who munch on snacks between meals tend to have healthier diets than those who stick to eating only at regular mealtimes.” The study showed that frequent “snackers” were more apt to eat both healthful snacks and healthful meals.

Globally snack foods continue to drive new product activity. A study from Innova Market Insights showed almonds led the nut category for new global product launches in 2011 with over 4,200 new product introductions. According to Innova, the number of snack launches recorded has grown consistently in recent years, with the category experiencing continued double-digit gains through the end of June, 2011. Shares of nuts and seeds rose from 29% to over 31% over the 12-month period while savory and salty snack share remained flat.

In line with the tremendous growth we are seeing in Asia for almonds, the Asian region generated a significant amount of new product growth, about 40% of the global snack launches from mid-2010 to mid-2011, according to Innova.

This is good news for almonds as they continue to be a popular choice for healthy snacking!

Lu Ann Williams, (March 13, 2012). Snacking Market Far From Saturated. Prepared Foods Network, March 13, 2012 http://www.preparedfoods.com/articles/111000-snacking-market-far-from-saturated

Snacking Frequency On The Rise, Technomic Says. Food Business News, March 27, 2012. Page 10.

Lu Ann Williams, (February, 2012). Meeting New Snacking Needs, The World of Food Ingredients, February 2012. Page 38.