Some new trends in snacks, according to a recent survey sponsored by Thomas Food Industry Register and Find/SVP/ International Snack Food Association, include:
The majority (63%) of the manufacturers interviewed say the popularity of flavored snacks is still rising. Nearly half (46%) of those companies in the sample make flavored products.
Of the new products introduced in 1993, 42 percent were flavored. Some new "taste" combos include: French vanilla popcorn, raspberry granola snacks, lime tortilla chips and cinnamon snack nuts.
An overwhelming majority (95%) of those surveyed say sales of reduced-fat products are increasing. Just under half (45%) say sales of reduced sodium products are increasing, while 38% say they are staying the same.
At the same time, 62% say regular (not low-fat, fat-free, or low sodium) product lines are their bestsellers. Moreover, 42% say sales of the new snack food products introduced by these companies last year were traditional recipes.
Pretzels are viewed as the fastest growing snack food category by 38% of manufacturers surveyed, while 25% say tortilla chips are the fastest growing snack. However, half of the manufacturers polled name potato chips as the most popular snack food today.
New snack foods abound. Two of three respondents introduced a new product last year or are intending to do so this year.
Snack nuts seem to be on the rise. In 1994 nearly as many snack nut products were introduced as pretzels, and more than tortilla chip products.