Changing food preferences and their effects on the snacking category - ETHospitality

By Chirag Gupta

Traditionally, snacking has been strictly an in-between meals pick-me-up. But this is changing swiftly. The growing emphasis on good diets and metabolism boosts to sustain an active lifestyle. Consumers are increasingly moving from an only three-meal-a-day eating pattern to multiple small meals during the day. This gives healthy snacking a whole new currency that it didn’t previously enjoy.

Snacks are no longer just viewed as bad for you. The market offerings are replete with healthy options and support the 4 major craving preferences of Crunch, Creamy, Sweet, Savoury/Salty. And this tendency is here to stay. What differentiates snacking from a meal is also its inherent property to satisfy. Almost like hearing the pop when you press down on air pockets on a bubble wrap. This when integrated with the hybrid work-paradigm gaining popularity, takes the snacking category in only one direction: up.

In December 2020, Mondelez’s Annual State of Snacking study mentioned, ‘How two-thirds of Indians snacked more since the pandemic broke out – 77 percent of all surveyed would rather snack than eat complete meals. Kantar’s data further supported this finding with its own research, saying the volume of the category had expanded remarkably, by over 8 percent in the matter of a year till May 2020; accruing an additional 12 percent by April-May 2021.’

Nonetheless, one key change driving the snacking industry is a keener focus on clean eating. With consumers hopping onto a healthy wagon, they inspect the health meter of snacks before making purchases. Consumers have made a conscious decision to shun any product labelled as clean food that contains preservatives or artificial food colouring. An approach that adopts mindful consumption of snacks as a complement to the full meals is the strategy that one needs to adopt and incorporate. We’ve even seen a culture of replacing meals with portioned snacks, imbibed with high nutritional value being chosen over fast food.

Having set the context, here are some of the trending spotlights:

Need for health transparency– Consumption in response to health and safety concerns has emerged as an important source of concern. People are becoming more conscious and are opting for products with clean label packaging. Companies are adjusting their action plans in response to these fast-expanding consumer demands. The good news is that this healthy food craze is opening up new possibilities in snacking and related sectors.

Ready-to-eat Snacks – While most of us have started working from the office or working in a hybrid model, many of us still have perpetually embraced the working from home culture. People who work from home or are planning to travel, there might be a situation where one can’t find preferable food options. Carrying snacks that are filling and delicious is a must for such scenarios. On-the-go munching is a big challenge addressed, giving way to more snacking indulgence.

Preference for plant-based snacks – Consumers are taking a more proactive approach to their holistic well-being, which is influenced by what they want in snacks. As more people leave the house for employment, education, and social gatherings, convenience snacks and healthful food-to-go items are regaining popularity. Plant-based snacks, in particular, are gaining popularity. With many consumers now considering themselves vegan and flexitarian, these categories are proving both incredibly popular and profitable. They are now willing to replace their meat consumption with plant-based alternatives. However, the taste profile of plant-based alternatives is vital. Consumers' choice for plant-based (protein) snacks such as peas, collagen, brown rice, nuts, and seeds has shifted away from carbohydrate-based snacks. Majority of the regulars claim to eat plant-based meals for general health reasons. Therefore, the preference is tilted towards the value of these snacks that adds up to their overall health and well-being since they provide additional fibre and vitamins in addition to the protein boost.

With the emerging trends settling in, companies will also need to re-evaluate and reprioritise their target audience and consumer segments. One feature that connects many of these trends, from environmental concerns to a focus on a plant-based diet, is a de-emphasis on tastes. While flavour is still vital, modern snackers are increasingly concerned about environmental and health issues. But why does the scenario really have to be either or. Retailers will need to adapt their initiatives to the new norms as they contemplate changes in consumer behaviour. Reconstructing real-time feedback and measurement strategies, will be the need of the hour.

The author is founder, 4700BC.

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Changing food preferences and their effects on the snacking category - ETHospitality
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