Our team at Glanbia Nutritionals reveal 2023 healthy savoury snack trends and describe how brands can use formats, flavours, functional ingredients—even sustainability—to develop the savoury snacks consumers want.
Healthy snacking on the rise
Consumers today want healthy snack options throughout the day, reports Innova Market Insights. Nearly one in three global consumers say it’s important for a snack eaten at lunch or as an afternoon or evening snack to be healthy, while even more think so for a snack eaten at breakfast or dinner (1). A quarter of consumers say they would replace their current savoury or sweet snack with a healthier version (2).
What consumers look for in a healthy snack
In developing a healthy snack, taste and protein are key. For example, for savoury protein and other protein snacks (which are popular for satiety, weight management, and workout support), “great tasting” (53%) and “high protein” (50%) are the two leading attributes US consumers say are important (3). “Gluten-free” and “natural” are also important snack claims, with these claims increasing more than other claims in recent US snack launches (4).
At the same time, more consumers are looking to reduce their sugar, sodium, and fat intake. When purchasing a healthy snack, one in four global consumers says a claim of low, less, or no sugar is important, while about one in five feels this way about fat and salt (5).
Format and ingredient trends in healthy savoury snacks
Consumers have more options than ever to satisfy their cravings for healthier savoury snacks. Chips, crisps, puffs, pretzels, and jerky are popular healthy savoury snack formats in the market, with attributes that range from high protein to whole grain to made from beans or vegetables.
An emerging format to watch is the savoury bar—a convenient, on-the-go format that comes in flavours such as sesame, everything, chili, pesto, curry, and bacon. Savoury bars can be made from ancient grains, beans, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, dried meats, and more. Functional ingredients are also trending, with consumers globally reporting they’ve bought foods or beverages for immunity (23%), digestive health (21%), and improving sleep (20%) in recent months (6).
Top savoury snack flavours
Novel flavours may grab consumers’ attention (particularly in the snack aisle), but tried and true flavours may be the best bet for appealing to the majority of snacking consumers. In looking at the top flavours for recent North American savoury and salty snack launches, chilli ranks first, followed by barbeque, sea salt, cheddar cheese, and cheese (7).Chilli, barbecue, and cheese are the top growth flavours (8).
Ingredient and packaging sustainability for snacks
Sustainability is another way to appeal to consumers and make a healthy snack stand out. Plant-based and natural claims, which continue to be important to consumers, are examples of environmentally friendly claims. Grain-free and low-carb are emerging claims that may also have sustainability associations.
Sustainable packaging is also becoming a key factor for consumers, with more than one in ten US consumers saying a sustainable packaging claim influences their purchasing decision for snacks (9).The upcycling trend offers a particularly compelling approach to sustainable snacks, as we’ve seen with bars that contain dried kale and other imperfect produce that would otherwise go to waste.
Healthy savoury snacks that satisfy
With more consumers trying to adopt healthier lifestyles—including healthier snacking—brands have an opportunity to address this need by formulating with functional ingredients, healthy nutrients like protein, and delicious, savoury flavours that meet the taste expectations of consumers.
Smart formulation is key to developing a truly healthy savoury snack, with attention to salt, sugar, and fat, while fun formats and an eye toward sustainability can help win loyal consumers. Glanbia Nutritionals provides the ingredients and support to help businesses succeed in the healthy snacks market, from savoury snack solutions to bar development services. We designed our Innovation & Collaboration Centres so businesses can work side-by-side or virtually with our scientists, ensuring ideas flow faster and solutions get stronger. Find out more here.
References
- (1-2) Innova, Snacking & Healthy Snacking Survey, 2022.
- (3) Glanbia Nutritionals, Healthy Snacking U&A Study – US, 2022.
- (4) Innova, Category Survey, Salty Snack Trends in the US, 2023.
- (5-6) Innova, Snacking & Healthy Snacking Survey, 2022.
- (7-9) Innova, Category Survey, Salty Snack Trends in the US, 2023.
Register for email alerts
