Baking&Snack - February 2013 - 59

Snack producers turn to nutritional guidelines and
consumer attitudes to inform healthy snack innovation.
by Charlotte Atchley

S

Snack foods are evolving from simply getting consumers to the next
meal to replacing meals that people
eat on the go. Although consumers
still dig into conventional snacks
when watching television, the most
popular activity for both regular
and healthy snacking, they are more
likely to reach for a healthier snack
when replacing a meal altogether,
according to Mintel, Chicago. In its
July 2012 study, “Healthy Snacking,”
Mintel reported that taste is still the
No. 1 concern of consumers when
choosing a snack, but 65% of survey respondents said they were interested in healthy snacks, and 49%
were interested in snacks that target
health issues.
Brooks Brown, national sales
manager, Wyandot, Inc., Marion,
OH, predicted that healthy snacks
will only make more inroads in the
conventional snack aisle. “Betterfor-you snacks have been around
for some time, and we expect additional growth as consumers become
more educated, and their desire for
healthier options drive industry innovation,” he said.

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Beyond fresh fruits and vegetables,
however, what constitutes as a healthy
snack is still very much up for debate
and is different for every consumer.
“Everyone defines healthy snacking differently and very personally,”
said Kristin Walsh, director, influencer and consumer engagement,
Frito-Lay North America, Plano,
TX. “For some it’s less calories, for
some it’s less fat, and for some it’s really focusing on positive nutrition.”
To determine what health issues
to focus on, snack companies can
turn to research into attitudes that
drive consumers as well as the
public health findings that support
the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for
Americans (DGA).
“I think consumers are looking
for a healthier alternative, and to
a lot of consumers nowadays, that
also means all-natural,” said Cara
Figgins, vice-president, Partners
Crackers, Kent, WA. “Consumers
are looking for a simple ingredient listing, ingredients they know
and ingredients they have recently
learned about but know to be
healthier and all-natural.”

By focusing flavor development on spices instead of salt,
snack producers can create flavorful products with less sodium.
Frito-Lay

While the call for natural products comes from consumer demand,
factors pushing sodium reduction
and whole grains can be found in
DGA’s recommendations. With
Americans consuming too much
sodium and nutritionists pushing
whole grains, snack manufacturers
are looking for ways to incorporate
these trends in their products and
still maintain delicious taste.

Passing the salt
Because DGA strongly suggests
the average American consume
less than 2,300 mg of sodium a
day, snack producers such as FritoLay North America have made
sodium reduction a part of their
agenda when it comes to making
snacks healthier. “We know that
Americans are consuming more
sodium than they need to be, so in
2011 we did reduce sodium in our
flavored potato chips by an average

February 2013 / Baking & Snack / 59
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Baking&Snack - February 2013

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