Snack foods are gaining traction as meal foods for growing numbers of consumers. Foods that have been traditionally defined as snack foods are now being consumed both between meals and at meal times. In recently released research, The NPD Group forecasts that snacks, particularly those perceived as healthy, will drive a 5% growth in snack food consumption at main meal times over the next five years.
The better-for-you snack food categories, which are perceived as both healthy and convenient, include value-add packaged fresh fruits and vegetables, refrigerated yogurt, and nutrition packed bars and beverages. Sweetened snack products and those perceived at empty-calorie snacks will likely see drops in consumer demand.
For food marketers, these trends present an opportunity to rethink product positioning and expand the definition of consumer consumption opportunities for their products. Readjusting messaging points on packaging, incorporating photography that suggests alternative eating occasions into advertising and promotional material, and using social media to expand product definition are all avenues for marketers to explore.
Gone are the days of rigid definitions of food products in terms of consumer eating occasions. One person’s snack could be another person’s meal and food marketers should consider taking steps to capture both.
