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With Europeans shifting toward healthier snacks, high-protein savory snacks offer the energy, wellness benefits, and permissive indulgence they want.
Among new food and beverage launches globally, high/added protein claims have been steadily increasing. Protein is proving to be particularly important in snacks due to consumers’ growing interest in healthy snacking. Protein-rich snacks also offer satiety and sustained energy—key benefits in a snack that are especially important for the many consumers who use snacks in place of meals.
In fact, energy and wellness factors have become the main reasons consumers choose protein, representing a shift away from protein as primarily a tool for muscle building and sports performance/recovery.1
Globally, consumers report they ensure they eat protein for energy and stamina (30%), followed by weight management (27%).2 The next most common reasons are boosting immunity, healthy aging, and building muscle (each at 23%).3
| Reasons for consuming protein | & consumers (global) |
|---|---|
| Energy and stamina | 30% |
| Weight management | 27% |
| Boosting immunity | 23% |
| Healthy aging | 23% |
| Building muscle | 23% |
| Brain health | 22% |
| Improving bone or joint health | 21% |
| Improving heart health | 21% |
| Healing the body | 20% |
While momentum has been growing for sweet indulgent snacks with added protein—from protein bars to ice cream to cookies—interest in high-protein savory snacks is also picking up. Protein is now one of the top three claims most influencing consumers’ savory snack choices in all global regions.4 In Europe, it’s the second most influential claim, just after fiber.5
High-protein savory snacks can play an important role in providing essential nutrition, supporting a balanced diet, and helping consumers stay on track with their weight management goals. Savory snacks with protein also help consumers keep their carb intake in check.
Lower carb ways of eating (like the keto diet) continue to influence consumers’ food choices, with some consumers cutting back on savory snacks specifically to reduce carb intake. Among European consumers who have decreased their savory snack consumption, perceived unhealthiness of the snacks is the leading reason (43%),6 indicating a tremendous opportunity for brands in developing savory snack options that are healthier.
In the UK, where consumers have a savory snack on most days of the week (5.6 times per week on average), Gen Z and Millennial consumers (especially Gen Z females) are driving the consumption of better-for-you/functional savory snacks.7 This suggests brands can do well by focusing on younger consumers.
| Demographic | % consumers (UK) |
|---|---|
| Female Gen Z | 37% |
| Female Millennials | 26% |
| Female Gen X | 22% |
| Female Boomers | 12% |
| Male Gen Z | 35% |
| Male Millennials | 36% |
| Male Gen X | 20% |
| Male Boomers | 16% |
In addition, better-for-you/functional savory snacks are being consumed at a higher frequency than traditional snacks, indicating healthier options drive permissibility, with 27% consuming 2-3 times per week (vs. 21% for traditional savory snacks) and 17% consuming at least 4 times per week (vs. 15%).8
A number of better-for-you/functional savory snacks are gaining momentum—most notably those that are low carb/keto friendly and those with protein. Compared to the prior year, UK consumers report they’ve started eating or are eating more low carb/keto crackers (49%), protein crackers (46%), low carb/keto crisps or chips (43%), protein popcorn (42%), and protein crisps or chips (36%).9
| Type of snack | % consumers who started using (UK) | % consumers using more often (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Low carb/keto crackers | 12% | 37% |
| Protein crackers | 13% | 33% |
| Low carb/keto crisps/chips | 1% | 42% |
| Protein popcorn | 11% | 31% |
| Protein crisps/chips | 6% | 30% |
| Chickpea snacks | 6% | 27% |
| Lentil snacks | 6% | 26% |
| Protein cheese puffs or chips/crisps | 4% | 23% |
Protein savory snacks have a bright future ahead as more consumers shift toward healthier snacks and seek out added protein for energy and wellness benefits. Offering delicious and satisfying savory snack options that are healthier will also keep younger consumers engaged and incentivize former savory snack users to return to the category.
For brands seeking protein solutions to meet today’s trending snacks, Glanbia Nutritionals offers functional protein ingredients optimized to provide processing and stability benefits, along with application-specific textures.
These include our CrunchieTM Extruded Protein Bites and Crisps (available in milk protein) for use as a crunchy snack, cereal, or bar inclusion.
Our protein ingredients can be used to boost the nutrition of any snack while supporting an uncompromising sensory experience thanks to their optimized textures and clean flavor profile. Contact us to learn more about our protein and other ingredient solutions to develop your next healthy savory snack.
