Connecting Snack Foods Brands to Celebrations
Snack food brands encompass about 500 companies and make up a $27 billion industry, one that naturally overlaps with the $38 billion celebrations industry.
Throughout the year there are numerous occasions to celebrate - and food is always a huge part of the event. For many events, the menu is comprised of hors d’oeuvres and finger foods, rather than a sit-down meal. When it comes to what to serve at a party, certain events lend themselves to particular snack foods. The Super Bowl, for example, is one of the more popular single-day occasions for the snack foods industry. Americans consume nearly 23.7 million pounds of potato chips, tortilla chips and pretzels during the Big Game. Super Bowl parties tend to have larger guests lists, hence the staggering numbers.
Another time of year that’s big for snack foods is the winter holiday season. Consumers purchase chips, crackers and nuts for holiday events. Flavored popcorns are also popular to serve and give as gifts.
Kids birthday parties represent the largest segment of the celebrations industry. In an effort to please picky young eaters, parents turn to popular snack foods like chips, popcorn and pretzels to round out a simple meal (i.e. pizza). Potato chips, tortilla chips and string cheese are among the top 10 favorite snacks for kids, according to the NPD.
Adults have more experienced palates so there’s more flexibility when serving snacks at adult birthdays, cookouts, housewarmings, etc. Snacks at these parties range from wild flavors like Lay’s Wavy Hickory Barbecue flavored potato chips to gourmet cheese served with Triscuit crackers.
Party hosts naturally consider popular snacks and new trends when planning out the menu. Here is a look at a few of the top snack food trends:
- Chips and dip are a classic snack food duo but many brands have developed healthier and creative options that continually recreate this option. One new trend is Greek yogurt-based dips that offer a healthier version of traditional French onion or spinach dips.
- Bold flavors emerged in an effort to appeal to a wide variety of taste buds. Snack brands combine sweet with salty like in Kettle Cooked Potato Chips, and sweet with heat, found in Doritos Spicy Sweet Chili-Flavored Chips.
- Health-conscious snackers are everywhere. Snack food brands offer healthier versions like reduced-salt popcorn and chips, baked varieties, and 100-calorie packs. All-natural snacks like Pirate’s Booty Popcorn have evolved as a tasty alternative for these snackers as well.
It seems that almost every reason to celebrate lends itself to one type of snack food or another. With the celebrations industry, the opportunity for snack food companies to enhance their revenue is huge.
Download the free white paper to learn more about current consumer trends in the snack food industry and what the industry can do to better reach consumers who spend billions on snack foods every year.
Posted by Chelsea Amaral