Snack smart: The surge in nutritious nibbles

Snacking is an entrenched habit in our modern lifestyles, with most generations succumbing to the urge to nibble in-between meals. However, how we snack is changing as consumers become increasingly mindful of what they’re eating.

In fact, snacking is no longer considered a bad dietary habit but a way of boosting nutrition, health and wellbeing. It’s not just a case of out with corn chips and in with the kale chips. The world of healthy snacking has become incredibly sophisticated. No longer seen as empty calories, snacks are packed with healthy natural ingredients that can add protein and fiber to the diet, boost gut health and even improve moods.

As informed consumers increasingly seek out products that benefit them, the global healthy snacking category is growing – forecast at a 6.6% CAGR between 2022 and 2030 to reach $152.3bn.

According to a report from Innova Market Insights, health was among the top three most important trend factors for lunch snacks, afternoon snacks, evening snacks and snacks on the go.

“Around 60% of consumers always look for healthier snack options, with half choosing healthier alternatives instead of indulgent ones,” wrote the authors.

“Sweet snacks often highlight reduced negative claims, influencing around 20% of consumers when purchasing snacks. While savory snacks with high fiber or protein influence nearly 15% of consumers.”

It also identified the growing movement for functional snacking.

“About 20% of individuals desire foods with functional benefits that support body functions such as gut health, sleep-aid and immunity, with one-quarter consuming more healthy fats.”

And snack brands are looking to attract this health-conscious snacker.

“We’re definitely seeing snack manufacturers reformulating their products to make them healthier, from more lentil and vegetable-based snacks to lower salt and fat ranges,” Joanne Burns, Reformulation for Health manager for Food and Drink Federation Scotland, told Bakery&Snacks​.

“We’ve worked with a range of snack manufacturers who have made their products healthier. The main area of reformulation seems to have been on sodium reduction and fiber enrichment.”

High protein snacks pack a punch

Protein-rich snacks are growing in popularity due to protein’s ability to keep you fuller for longer and to stop sugar cravings. 

“We’re also seeing a sway from younger consumers for snacks that are higher in protein,” said Burns.

Nuts, seeds and trail mix products are one boom category, opening huge opportunities for companies like UK snack brand Graze, which relaunched its monthly subscription service earlier this year, a personalized and convenient service that particularly appeals to Millennials.

High-protein yogurt is also a growth area and established brands have seen the opportunities for business growth. Scotland’s largest independent dairy, Graham’s The Family Dairy, is one, having witnessed sales of its protein and Skyr products overtake sales of its conventional milk in major supermarkets last year. Protein sales – which now equate to 25% of its total sales – have undergone a 67% growth over the past year, while sales of its protein pouches increased by 800%, pinpointing the growing demand for on-the-go, high-protein, fat-free and low-sugar natural snacks.

“We first realized there was a huge demand for protein yogurts when we launched our Skyr pots in 2018, followed by pouches in January 2020,” MD Robert Graham told this site.

“The development and launch of Protein 25 Pots yogurt followed suit, and they quickly became some of our top-selling products. This led us to create an exciting extension to the line, our dessert-inspired Confectionery Protein 22 pots.

“Consumers are realizing the natural benefits of dairy; this includes how healthy and clean dairy is. The introduction of pouches to the market allows consumers to eat on the move, increasing accessibility.”

Gut health boom

Digestive wellness is another boom business area, as consumers are increasingly aware of the role that gut microbiomes play in boosting moods and overall health.

Fermented foods like kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut and pickles have become trendy and are popular with Gen Z and Millennials, thanks to their low calories and probiotic benefits. High-fiber ingredients (whole grains and legumes) and seaweed, too, are being sought out by gut-focused customers.

On the back of this demand, Boundless Activated Snacking, which sells itself as the world’s first gut health snacking range, recently secured a £1.5m investment to take its growth further, while Bio&Me expanded its portfolio with a range of gut-friendly flapjack bars, packed full with whole grain oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds and seaweed.

“Now more than ever, consumers are looking at what’s actually in the food they’re eating and for us, as a science-backed brand, it was important for these bars to be the absolute best,” said Bio&Me co-founder and CEO Jon Walsh.

“As well as being requested by consumers, we actually had several retailers ask for Bio&Me bars, too.”

Personalized nutrition

Other trends fueling the rise of nutritious snacks include the personalized diet movement, spurred on by tech like the continuous glucose monitor (CGM), a wearable device that allows people to see how their blood sugar responds to food, exercise, stress and sleep. Originally developed for people with diabetes, the wearable monitor has been found to influence people’s food decisions and is certain to play a larger role in snack innovations going forward.

Labels are becoming increasingly important, which is driving a need for producers to be clear about the nutritional profile of their snack products, said FDF Scotland’s Burns.

And the trend towards natural ingredients shows no tapering off.

“We have seen a shift in consumers and manufacturers alike looking for more clean label ingredients – products that have been made using as few ingredients as possible – so it’s important to make sure those ingredients are items that consumers can easily recognize and are not just a list of letters and numbers,” said Burns.

Steve Monk, founder of Good Guys Bakehouse, said his motivation is filling the gap for healthier, snackable savory biscuits as younger consumers increasingly look for real ingredients on packaging.

“Right now, the category is ripe for rejuvenation,” he told us, pointing to 2023 Mintel research that shows 69% of savory biscuit shoppers snack every day.

“It’s an aging category that hasn’t seen much focus or investment from the market leaders for years, which is a shame, because it’s a half a billion pound category with great potential to deliver against consumers’ desire for healthier snacks.

“A new generation is heading to the aisle looking for wholesome and healthy options, yet they’re currently presented with little choice as most savory biscuits on the market are high in fat and calories.

“We’re embracing this opportunity head-on. Over the past year, we’ve secured major listings with Sainsbury’s and Ocado, attracting younger, healthier shoppers to the aisle in the process. In fact, we’re one of the very few brands over-indexing on younger, health-conscious shoppers.”