Snac World - May 2017 - 14

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

"Millennials tend to be open
to new, fun trending 'fashion
flavors' which are a way to
bring them to a brand, but
they are less comfortable
with big business due in part
to sagging economy, layoffs,
and a lack of trust,"
Kelly McGolrick, Shearer's Snacks
Snyder's-Lance embraced the healthier inclusion
trend introducing better-for-you options, like Lance
Gluten-Free Snack Crackers; Cape Cod Infused Oil
Kettle Cooked Potato Chips; and Snack Factory Veggie
Sticks. Snyder's of Hanover recently introduced Wholey
Cheese! Crackers.
"Each year, our team keeps putting out some
amazing innovation that is not only on-trend, but
also on-strategy for our retail partners," Mr. Troni said.
"Leveraging the brand's century old legacy of high
quality snacks, Wholey Cheese! is a light and crispy
cracker made with real cheese. Gluten-free and peanut-free, it strikes the perfect balance of real cheese
taste and a light indulgent snack."
14

SNAC World

May 2017 www.snacintl.org

Snyder's-Lance recently acquired Emerald Nuts,
Pop Secret Popcorn, and Kettle Brand Potato Chips,
and in late 2016 and early 2017, these brands also
rolled out some new innovations.
"These brands were a great addition to our family,
and they all bring strong snacking credentials that
complement our overall portfolio and strategy," Mr.
Troni said.
Over the years, low carb and other health trends have
come and gone, but what has never changed is that
people will keep eating what they think tastes good.
"The bottom line is that consumers are tired of betterfor-you products that taste bad and will not stay loyal
to a brand that doesn't deliver on great taste," said Mark
Singleton, vice-president of sales and marketing, Rudolph Foods, Lima, OH. "Kettle chips started this trend
providing a delicious chip with unique flavors using
premium ingredients. At Rudolph, we will only innovate
with our products if the outcome is a consistently tasty
snack. We are not trying to change who we are, but
we are listening to our customers. They are looking for
brands they can trust, and we want to give them a great
eating experience."
Efforts with social media and strategic packaging
that impart product information simply and clearly
will enhance communication with customers. Consumers are more informed than ever and they want
to know what they are eating, what ingredients are
included, who is selling it and why they should buy it.
"Millennials tend to be open to new, fun trending
'fashion flavors' which are a way to bring them to a
brand, but they are less comfortable with big business due in part to sagging economy, layoffs, and a
lack of trust," Ms. McGolrick said. "They like to support
the 'little guy.' The smaller start-up companies also
tend to offer better-for-you alternatives that are less
processed, fresher and closer to home."
The good news for bigger producers is that 67% of
better-for-you snackers say they trust the quality of
snacks produced by mainstream companies as much as
specialty brands. In addition, 69% trust the level of quality of specialty brands even after they have been acquired
by larger companies, according to Mintel's "Better For You
Snacks" report. Opportunities still abound.
"Every week we in the snack industry make millions
of people smile for just a couple of bucks," Mr. Singleton said. "It's a great opportunity."
*

http://www.snacintl.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Snac World - May 2017