Supermarket Perimeter - August 2021 - 24

Healthy Snacking:
Glanbia Nutritionals'
five trends for 2021
That means that instore delis, for instance, should be
able to increasingly compete with the center-store snack
aisle to capture on-the-go, busy consumers.
As snacking habits evolve, they're also becoming
FRESH
In a survey by Mintel of U.S.
adults who snack, 68% report
fresh ingredients as the most
important snack claim, followed
by low/no sugar at 61% and high
protein at 60%. In addition,
FMCG Gurus reports that U.S.
consumers are most likely to
choose fruit as a snack (72%),
followed by yogurt (65%)-
another fresh snack choice.
From ready-to-drink protein
juice smoothies to snacking
cheeses to refrigerated bars,
expect the appeal of fresh
perimeter snacking to grow as
more consumers embrace a
healthy eating lifestyle.
LESS SUGAR
The less sugar trend is showing
up across multiple food
categories with claims that
include reduced sugar, low sugar,
no sugar, and no added sugars.
While savory snacks-such
as roasted chickpea snacks,
ancient grain crackers, and
veggie chips-have an inherent
advantage here, great strides are
being made in creating delicious,
low and no sugar nutrition and
snack bars, as well as sports
nutrition and meal replacement
beverages. Consumer
preference for clean label has
made stevia a go-to ingredient
for manufacturers working to
meet the growing demand for
lower sugar snacks.
HIGH PROTEIN
The popularity of high-protein
snacks is another top trend, with
51% of global consumers stating
they've switched from traditional
snack products like chocolate
and confections to high
24 - AUGUST 2021
protein/low sugar alternatives.
Millennials are driving this
interest in high-protein snacks
which provide satiety and work
well as meal replacements.
The bar category continues
to be strongly affected by this
trend, with protein bars leading
category growth. Of global
snack bar launches in 2019, 1 in 3
featured a high protein claim.
MINIS/BITES
Another key aspect of today's
healthy snacking is portion
control. Miniature, bite-sized
portions of traditional snacks
represent a fun and innovative
approach to this. From mini
flaxseed crisps to seed cubes
to superfood bites, tiny snacks
offer consumers a new way to
experience some of their favorite
foods. Snack bite offerings
continue to expand with options
such as energy bites, paleo bites,
breakfast bites, and of course,
protein bites. With their high
protein, indulgent flavors, and
built-in portion control, protein
bites are checking all the boxes.
FUNCTIONAL NUTRITION
Snacks that offer functional
nutrition represent the next
frontier in healthy snacking.
Leading functional snack trends
include energy, focus, and
calming/relaxation. Functional
foods and beverages especially
popular as snacks include bars
and ready-to-drink beverages.
Clear messaging around the
product's benefits is key as
consumers may not always
be familiar with the individual
ingredients.
Source: Glanbia Nutritionals
more premium in nature, especially as consumers seek
out genuine meal substitutes. This means, Cowling
said, that fresh snacks from the deli and other perimeter
departments will attract more and more consumers.
" Fresh products appeal to consumers because
they're associated with benefits such as products being
healthier, tastier, more sustainable, and local, all traits
that have become more important to consumers over
the last 12 months, " he said. " Freshness is something that
will be synonymous with value, which will encourage
consumers to trade up when
purchasing snacks. "
Demographically speaking,
meal-skipping has historically
been more tied to younger
consumers, who say they're
more likely to be short on
time and more reliant on
convenience products.
New twists on bars
are among the top
snacking trends.
supermarketperimeter.com
ROMAN SAMOKHIN - STOCK.ADOBE.COM
http://www.supermarketperimeter.com
Supermarket Perimeter - August 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Supermarket Perimeter - August 2021
