Eating patterns have stabilized after complete upheaval during the pandemic. For the majority of consumers, the new normal involves snacking throughout the day. This presents a great deal of innovation opportunity to meet the needs of consumers.
“Consumers are becoming much more intentional in their snacking,” according to the Future of Snacking 2024 report from Hartman Group, Bellevue, Wash. The study shows that snacking accounts for half of all eating occasions.
“Consumers around the world turn to snacking to help fuel their busy lifestyles, to enjoy a few quiet moments of ‘me time’ and to celebrate life’s milestones with family and friends,” according to Dirk Van de Put, CEO, Mondelēz, Chicago, in Mondelēz’s State of Snacking report. “Snacking continues to grow even as the economic and geopolitical environment shifts. Today, nearly nine in 10 global consumers report they snack daily.
“In line with our last five years of data, consumers have continued to prefer snacks over traditional meals in 2023, with six in 10 consumers reporting they favor small, more frequent meals throughout the day,” according to Van de Put. “Consumers’ commitment to snacking remains steadfast even in a challenging economic climate, with two-thirds of consumers maintaining their snacking spending while being more conscious of prices.”
Melissa Abbott, vice president of syndicated studies at Hartman Group, said, “Consumers are prioritizing better-for-you options but are not eliminating indulgence. They are really hungry to find idealized snacking options.”
These are those snacks that have a healthful halo, but still taste like a treat. Almonds can do that.
“When you add almonds to snack formulations, you’re not just giving consumers flavor and texture, you’re giving them what they’re asking for, a way to eat the things they love, with some impressive added health benefits,” said Loretta Kelly, director of strategic marketing for Blue Diamond Global Ingredients. “Almonds complement both sweet and savory snacks, everything from chocolate to crackers to a seasoned dried fruit and nut mix in a cheese and cracker snack pack.”
Innova Market Insights’ 2024 Snacking Trends report indicates almond ingredients are ideal for innovation that enhances plant-based and better-for-you snacks. The report shows that almonds are an ideal key ingredient that can help broaden dietary options in snack products through their wide variety of forms that help introduce new flavor experiences and offer many health benefits.
“Looking ahead, consumer demands are changing, and almonds can be at the center of innovation.”
Lu Ann Williams
Innova Market Insights
While visible almond pieces are desirable in many snacks, there are other forms being used as behind-the-scene players. Almond butter, for example, was up 42% in 2023 in new snack launches, according to Innova data. Almond flour was up 31% and almond protein was up 16%.
“The fastest-growing subcategories in plant-based snack launches between 2018 and 2023 with almonds included chocolate, pastries and sweet goods, snack nuts and seeds, sweet biscuits and cookies, and snack mixes,” said Lu Ann Williams, co-founder and global insights director for Innova Market Insights, The Netherlands. “Keeping an eye on what’s trending in the snacking category will inspire innovation for product developers and drive growth with consumer preferences in mind.”
Snacking motivators
Snacking occasion have become a cultural phenomenon. Hartman Group research identified four reasons for snacking, with most snacks addressing one or two motivations. Almonds—in their many varied forms–make sense in all of them.
First there’s nourishment. This is the actual need to satisfy hunger and obtain sustained energy.
A 1-ounce serving of whole almonds—around 23 kernels–contains about 14 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of fiber and 9 grams of protein, all of which contribute to satiety. Regarding fat content, 13 of the 14 grams are “good” mono- and poly-unsaturated fats.
“Compared to other tree nuts, almonds come out ahead nutritionally,” said Kelly. “They have the least amount of saturated fat and contain the most protein and fiber. They also boast more calcium than any other tree nut. A serving provides 8% of the Daily Value for calcium, which is important to those with a dairy intolerance.”
Another reason for snacking, according to Hartman Group, is for optimization. This goes hand-in-hand with nourishment. It’s about the desire for quick energy, mental focus and recovery after exertion.
Almonds provide a unique and complex nutrient and polyphenol mixture that may support optimization. Almonds are a significant source of vitamin E (96% of the Daily Value, DV, per 57-gram serving), magnesium (36% DV), manganese (53% DV), copper (64% DV), the amino acid arginine (1.4 grams) and branched chain amino acids (1.75 grams).
The third snacking occasion is distraction. This is the reason of “snacking just to snack.” It’s all about taking your mind off of stressors in life or simply for entertainment.
Consumers can feel good about snacking on almonds. They are a super snack all on their own, and when combined with other favorite foods, can add flavor, texture and fun.
“That’s nutrition by addition for distraction,” said Kelly.
The fourth snacking occasion is pleasure. Abbott explained that this is about the “sensory joy of eating.” It’s the crunch and the chew, and the burst of flavor.
“Consumers are eager to try novel flavors and textures, often leveraging social media to find new snacks, especially strong in North America, where 81% seek out novelty flavor and texture combinations,” according to Van de Put. “The future of snacking is vibrant and full of potential.”
With all of the snacking occasion, convenience plays a significant role in snack selection, said Abbott. Time of day also influences the decision.
“There’s a real white space opportunity in the snacking space,” said Abbott. “Consumers are looking to eat more healthful snacks and the size of the market is growing. [Their choices increasingly] reflect the nutrition that was originally found at meal time.”
The Hartman study showed that 67% of surveyed consumers choose a healthy snack at least once weekly. Sixty-three percent opt for a high-protein snack.
Regarding innovation opportunities, Abbott explained that post-pandemic, snacking is starting earlier in the day and ending later, too. There’s a real need for snacks designed for these times.
The Hartman Group study showed that 54% of consumers have purchased yogurt for a snack in the past three months. Including a side compartment of cinnamon sugar diced almonds with oats makes it an ideal morning snack, while chocolate glazed almond slices turns it into an afternoon pick-me-up treat.
“Looking ahead, consumer demands are changing, and almonds can be at the center of innovation,” said Williams.
