Snack World - May 1, 2011 - (Page 20)

S TA T E O F T H E I N D U S T R Y R E P O R T tortilla chips are generally whole-grain, and many people want to increase whole-grain consumption, as was recommended in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Tortilla chip manufacturers also continue to introduce new flavor varieties, which also helps attract new purchases. Shearer’s Foods, Inc., Brewster, OH, launched allnatural tortilla chip products under its Tangos brand this past year, which spurred growth of the company’s tortilla chips, according to Jeff Binczyk, the company’s vicepresident of marketing. Tangos’ chips have some healthier attributes such as being lower in sodium, and depending on the flavor, the brand’s tortilla chips include items such as flaxseed, blue corn and fire-roasted vegetables, he said. “I think that healthier halo around the Tangos brand has helped [increase sales],” Mr. Binczyk added. And according to SymphonyIRI data, dollar and unit sales of Tangos tortilla chips both increased more than 11% this past year. CoPak Solutions, Conover, NC, also focused on making healthier tortilla chips, and although it is mostly a co-packer, the company developed the Mother’s Farms brand of corn tortilla chips that are made of premium organic yellow, white or blue corn. Other organic ingredients such as sesame, flaxseed, quinoa, sunflower seeds, honey and sea salt are also used to help fortify and flavor the chips. Herr Foods, Inc., Nottingham, PA, also launched another tortilla chip product, promoting the better-for-you attributes. Herr’s Sesame Rice tortillas chips feature high-fiber brown rice and sesame seeds that are naturally rich in copper, calcium, magnesium and iron, according to the company. It’s evident that consumers are looking for natural products when looking at the SymphonyIRI data. The fastest-growing top brand this past year was Tostitos Natural, which is available in both yellow and blue corn varieties. After declining dollar sales (2.2%) in last year’s State of the Industry Report, Tostitos Natural sales grew by nearly 500% this past year as Plano, TX-based Frito-Lay North America began offering more all-natural snacks. In November, Frito-Lay introduced Tostitos Artisan Recipes tortilla chips in Roasted Garlic & Black Bean and Fire-Roasted Chipotle varieties. The all-natural products “put a new spin on the classic tortilla chip,” said Justin Lambeth, vice-president, marketing, Frito-Lay. It’s clear in the SymphonyIRI data that Frito-Lay is the major vendor in the tortilla chip segment. The company produces all of the Top 5 brands, which account for more than 70% of tortilla chip sales. In fact, its bestselling brand, Doritos, represents more than 30% of sales in the entire category. — Shane Whitaker PRETZELS Healthy and Beyond Responding to increasing consumer awareness about the need to eat healthier, pretzel manufacturers now offer plenty of new options. Yet they have not forgetten the importance of indulgence and the desire of many shoppers to just eat what they like. At The Bachman Co., Wyomissing, PA, company president Scott Carpenter said several trends such as better-for-you options, the desire for locally sourced products, functional and even indulgent foods are driving the category. To respond, the company introduced a gluten-free pretzel, a chocolate pita pretzel and sweet potato tortilla chips. The Bachman Co. uses “simple ingredients that consumers understand and are comfortable with,” Mr. Carpenter said. “We want moms to feel good about the ingredients in our products and still give consumers a great fun flavor experience. We created Honey BBQ Jax with this in mind.” While the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans draw attention to the need for healthy diets, Mr. Carpenter said he believes The Bachman Co.’s products effectively respond. “We think our product line is already well positioned to give consumers better alternatives than other categories are,” he said. 20 Snack World May 2011 www.sfa.org BROUGHT TO YOU BY HEAT AND CONTROL, MANE, PRINTPACK, INC., AND J.R. SHORT http://www.sfa.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Snack World - May 1, 2011

Snack World - May 1, 2011
Contents
Letter from SFA - Progress and Advocacy
Supplier’s Corner - Onward and Upward
Government Affairs - SFA on the March
Government Affairs - Change Ahead
State of the Industry Report - Brands are Back
For More Research on Snacks
Natural Chips Reign Supreme
Top Potato Chip Brands
TORTILLA CHIPS - Tackling Hot Trends
PRETZELS - Healthy and Beyond
SNACK CRACKERS - The More Healthful Snack
Top Pretzel Brands
Top Snack Cracker Brands
COOKIES - Decadently Healthy
CORN SNACKS - The Scoop on Corn Chips
Top Corn Snack Brands
SNACK NUTS & SEEDS - Investing in Innovation
Top Nut, Seed and Corn Nut Brands
CHEESE SNACKS - Say Cheese to New Snacks
Top Cheese Snack Brands
PORK RINDS - Still on a Fast Track
Top Pork Rind Brands
MEAT SNACKS - Meating High Expectations
Top Meat Snack Brands
READY-TO-EAT POPCORN - Expanding Indulgence
Top RTE Popc orn/Caramel C orn Brands
MICROWAVE POPCORN - Convenience and Health
OTHER SALTED SNACKS - Catch-all Segment Builds With Variety
Top Microwave Popcorn Brands
Top Other Salted Snack Brands
SALSA AND DIPS - Salsa Dips, Dips Rise
Top Salsa and Dip Brands
Innovative and Educational …
Earl Wise Sr. Enters Circle of Honor
Overheard at SnaxPro
Get Ready for SNAXPO 2012: Celebrating 75 Years
New Snacks
Products & Services
Ad Index

Snack World - May 1, 2011