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Snacking at home grew rapidly during COVID, with consumers seeking comfort and nutrition in a convenient format. See how the next trending snacking product of 2022 can meet these needs.
Whether sweet or salty, healthy or indulgent, snack products play an important role in the daily diet of most Americans. Consumers reach for snacks as a treat, as an energy boost between meals, and even as an on-the-go meal replacement. Since COVID began, snacks have become especially valued for their comfort and convenience.
Market research firm Datassential did a deep dive to identify which snacks are the most loved by US consumers. For sweet snacks, research shows the top three favorites are ice cream, chocolate candy bars, and chocolate donuts.1 The favorites for salty snacks are potato chips, popcorn, and tortilla chips.2 Explore the latest healthy innovations in salty and savory snacks.
| Type of Snack | Proportion of Consumers Who Like or Love |
|---|---|
| Ice cream | 88% |
| Chocolate candy bar | 83% |
| Chocolate donuts | 71% |
| Fudge | 69% |
| Graham crackers | 69% |
| Caramels | 65% |
| Mints | 65% |
| Chocolate sandwich cookies | 64% |
| Fruit snacks | 64% |
| Vanilla wafers | 64% |
| Type of Snack | Proportion of Consumers Who Like or Love |
|---|---|
| Potato chips | 84% |
| Popcorn | 80% |
| Tortilla chips | 77% |
| Cheese puffs | 69% |
| Pretzels | 69% |
| Cheese crackers | 68% |
| Corn chips | 66% |
| Saltine crackers | 65% |
| Trail mix | 64% |
| Baked chips | 57% |
To understand what’s ahead for snacks, Datassential offers a useful framework that shows how food trends tend to move through different stages. The stages of fogod adoption are identified as inception, adoption, proliferation, and ubiquity. Here’s a look at four snacks still in the inception stage—the earliest stage in the trajectory.
Datassential reports 83% of US consumers like or love chocolate candy bars,3 while The Hartman Group notes 66% purchased chocolate candy for snacking in previous three months, in their January 2021 study.4 Research by FMCG Gurus shows consumers express great interest in chocolate/confections containing protein, with 73% saying a high in protein claim is important.5 The combination of a beloved sweet treat with today’s top trending nutrient makes protein chocolate a snack trend to watch for 2022.
Chips that deliver health benefits through functional ingredients can satisfy snackers on multiple levels. Chips hold the number one and number three spots as America’s favorite salty snacks, with 84% of US consumers saying they like or love potato chips and 77% liking or loving tortilla chips.6 Adding a functional premix that supports immune health or weight management can hold strong appeal to consumers as a better-for-you salty snack. 65% of consumers have purchased chips for snacking in the past three months.7
More than half (55%) of US consumers say they like or love beef jerky, according to Datassential’s research.8 At the same time, alternative proteins are trending as healthier and better for the environment. Alternative jerky and bars made with plant proteins, fungal proteins, or even insect proteins offer a savory, hearty snack option that consumers can feel good about. Bars, in particular, are a format that’s seen high growth recently.
The traditional Icelandic yogurt skyr is well-positioned to be the next Greek yogurt. Skyr contains up to twice the protein of Greek yogurt, has a thick and creamy texture, and contains probiotic cultures that so many consumers are seeking for healthy immunity during the pandemic. Choosing skyr as a snack also taps into consumers’ interest in global culinary exploration.
Our top picks for the next trendy snack product offer consumers an indulgent sensory experience with health benefits beyond those of traditional snacks. Look for this to become a growing expectation as more consumers seek out the best of both worlds in their food and beverage choices.
Our snack solutions can help you boost the health profile of consumers’ favorite snacks—including confections, bakery products, chips, crackers, extruded snacks, ice cream, and more. Choose from our dairy and plant proteins, vitamins and minerals, bioactive ingredients, or custom premix solutions for a blend unique to your product. We also offer sweet and savory flavors that will keep your consumers coming back for more.
