Consumers Rank Important Components of the 'Perfect' Snack
PLANO, Texas — When it comes to the preferences and behaviors of consumers for holiday snacking and beyond, the "crunch" factor was on top of the list as an important component of the perfect snack, according to the latest Frito-Lay U.S. Trend Index.
The index, which polled consumers on their snacking preferences, found that more than 70 percent of snackers would reach for a food with a crunch when considering their perfect snack.
Beyond crunch, other important snack factors included sweet (66 percent), salty (61 percent) and filling (53 percent). Additionally, almost half of those surveyed expressed that, when thinking of a perfect snack, that snack is also nostalgic and reminds them of a specific moment in time (49 percent).
"Consumers are at the heart of all we do, so considering every component of a snack — including the crunch factor — is very important to us," said Denise Lefebvre, senior vice president of R&D for Frito-Lay and Quaker Foods North America. "We know the perfect snack is different for everyone, which is why we constantly listen to consumers and then engage our chefs and our Culinary Center to provide variety, deliver on flavor and explore new recipes consumers love."
Frito-Lay predicts that all adults will continue to look for crunchy snacks in 2023, and generational differences and end-of-year snacking behaviors also contribute to trends to watch:
Generational Snacking Gap
Snacking habits vary by generation and snacking is not one size fits all. The latest Snack Index showed that nearly 50 percent of Generation Z believes snacking is most satisfying after dark. They are also twice as likely as other generations to order delivery when a snack craving hits.
On the other hand, 50 percent of millennials satisfy their late-night snack cravings by visiting grocery or convenience stores, while GenXers (64 percent) and baby boomers (62 percent) are most likely to prepare a comfort food recipe at home.
The Joy of Holiday Snacking
Heading into the holiday season, snacking is associated with good feelings. While 65 percent of adults crave snacks the most when they want to treat themselves, 61 percent are unlikely to crave snacks when they are feeling down during the holidays, according to the Snack Index.
Snacking is also a sensory experience, with 55 percent of those surveyed indicating they crave snacks most when they smell them and 52 percent crave snacks when they see them.
For 45 percent of respondents looking for a flavor that is available during a limited time and 49 percent looking forward to variety and party packs this holiday, specialty offerings will be a key factor. Americans are also looking to share their treats — 55 percent most look forward to sharing snacks with friends and family this season. According to the Snack Index, 62 percent of GenZers and 52 percent of millennials will be turning to social media for holiday recipes to try.
While Americans are more likely to try a recipe made with Lay's Potato Chips (46 percent), they also responded that they’ll most likely try out a recipe with Rold Gold Pretzels (40 percent) than Cheetos Original (37 percent).
"As people of all ages experiment with recipes and enjoy snacks this holiday season, we're excited to bring them new limited time products such as Lay's Clusters, Cheetos Snowflakes, PopCorners Cinnamon Sugar and more, as well as fun new recipes made by our very own consumers that include your favorite snacks," said Lefebvre.
The U.S. Snack Index was conducted by Morning Consult between Nov. 4-7 among 2,212 adults.
Frito-Lay North America is the $19 billion convenient foods division of Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo Inc. Frito-Lay snacks include Lay's and Ruffles potato chips, Doritos tortilla chips, Cheetos snacks, Tostitos tortilla chips and branded dips, SunChips multigrain snacks and Fritos corn chips. The company operates 30-plus manufacturing facilities across the United States and Canada, more than 200 distribution centers and services 315,000 retail customers per week through its direct-store-delivery model.