Automatic Merchandiser - 18

COVID'S SILVER LINING

Snack and confection powerhouse
Mondelēz reported that it has seen a
significant increase in demand and
sales across its retail channels (grocery,
mass, drug, value and club) as a result
of the COVID-19 crisis. The majority
of its cookie, cracker and confection
brands have been outperforming the
same period prior year, according to
Malcolm McAlpine, Mondelēz business manager for branded snacks and
confections. One reason for the surge
in demand for sweet and salty treats is
that consumers have been stocking up
on these items, which are shelf-stable
with a relatively long shelf life.
"The most significant trend is that
consumers want and demand the
brands they know, love and trust -
the 'comfort' factor," he observed. "As
a result, retail sales have spiked during
the current crisis. Prepackaged snacks
are also perceived to be 'safer' than
those items that are not."
New from Mondelēz, piggybacking on the successful
launch of its TRIDENT VIBES
gum in bottles,
are Spearmint
Rush and
Tropical Beat
varieties in
a 12-piece
peggable

73174293 | Sommai Sommai | Dreamstime

18

Automatic Merchandiser * September 2020

pouch that are ideal for both vending
machines and micro markets. And
expanding the iconic RITZ Cracker
brand are Cheese Crispers Original
Cheddar and Four Cheese and Herb,
available in 2-oz. bags.
"It's all about the comfort factor
and the perception of trust in major
brands," McAlpine concluded. "As
people slowly return to their places
of study and workplaces, they will
demand these types of snack offerings."
PROTEIN POWER

Jack Link's®, based in Minong, Wis.,
is another popular snack brand with
a prominent presence in vending
machines and micro markets. Meat
snacks appeal widely to consumers as
a healthier, protein-rich meal replacement on the go. Continued shifts in
behavior amid COVID-19 could bring
convenience service operators more
opportunity in this category as the
sites they serve reopen for business.
"We are seeing COVID-19 shaping the state of snacking in c-stores
and micro markets in an interesting
way - easy-to-grab snacks," said Jack
Link's® brand senior director Stephanie
Leibke. "The micro market customer
is looking for compact and delicious
options that keep them full in lieu
of eating three meals a day, such as
Jack Link's Beef Jerky, Beef Sticks and
our Jack Link's Cold Crafted® line of
products. As some stores have reduced
their prepared foods, and pre-packaged refrigerated items such as meat
and cheese snacks have benefitted
from people seeking chilled options."
Jack Link's recently expanded its
Jack Link's Cold Crafted products
with the introduction of Linkwich®
fully refrigerated snacks that pair
sliced hard or genoa salami and Wisconsin-made cheese. "Our customers
were looking for convenient, portable
protein and these offerings are like a
breadless sandwich that will fill you
up on the go," Leibke explained.

61694572 | Svitlana Zakharevich | Dreamstime

The most willing groups to try a
new snack in the "new normal" skew
younger. Gen Z and millennials tend
to be the most adventurous with nearly
four in 10 surveyed (36%) saying they
are likely to try a new snack option.
When choosing snacks to enjoy
during the summer, Americans
consider several important factors,
according to the survey. The top
deciding factor is convenience (86%),
and staying true to favorites (83%),
with only 22% of respondents taking
budget into account.

She added that Jack Link's products appeal to consumers as they
continue to seek ways to incorporate better-for-you snacks into their
on-the-go lifestyles because most
are made with 100% beef, are a good
source of protein, and have no MSG,
nitrates or preservatives.
When consumers seek new flavors,
heat is one of the main players, Leibke
observed. Jack Link's Sweet Habanero
Beef Bars and Spicy Chicken Bars are
among the newer surefire favorites of
consumers looking to spice up their
snacking. Jack Link's also continues to
expand its Beef Bar lineup, made with
slow-smoked, dried and seasoned beef
in Original, Teriyaki and Cracked Pepper flavors. It recently unveiled a pair
of new Beef Bar flavors - Sweet Habanero and Blackberry Barbecue - and a
new Chicken Bar in Rotisserie flavor.
PACKAGED APPEAL

Cookie maker Biscomerica Corp.,
based in Bloomington, Calif., has
seen sales climb in grocery, club
store and online office supply since
the start of the pandemic, according to Biscomerica vice president of
sales and marketing for vending and
foodservice Kathy O'Brien.
"Biscomerica's sales are down in
vending during the pandemic, but only
about half of the industry standard
numbers for decrease that have been
reported," O'Brien said. "One of our
largest customers confirmed that their
cookies sales were not down as much
as the rest of the mix. I think playing
in is the sanitization factor in light of
the pandemic, with sealed single-serve
packages in more demand, along with
a shift from a healthy focus to comfort
and indulgence."
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