Manufacturers embrace innovative snacks, unique seasonings

posted on 27 October, 2016 by David Woollard

As the snack market continues to grow, manufacturers are rolling out innovative flavour combinations and unique seasonings to entice consumers and stand out from the competition. Potato chip companies in particular are looking for ways to succeed in a field increasingly crowded with new chips and other snack options.

One of the biggest flavour trends is unexpected seasonings in classic snack form. For example, Nathan’s Famous just introduced potato chips that are flavoured like a hot dog, complete with mustard, ketchup and relish seasoning. In the UK, snack manufacturer Yumsh Snacks partnered with soft drinks brand Tango to create Poptang, popcorn seasoned with Apple Tango and Orange Tango flavours.

Meanwhile, Lay’s recently released its “Passport to Flavor” potato chips. The new flavours mirror popular dishes from around the world, including Brazilian Picanha and Chinese Szechuan Chicken. In the same spirit, PepsiCo launched limited-edition Walkers chips inspired by British sandwich recipes. Flavours include bacon & ketchup and toasted cheese & Worcester sauce.

The demand for unique flavouring is also pushing some manufacturers to get even more creative with their processing and packaging, creating additional competition for chip manufacturers. For example, RW Garcia is using pulse crops, such as lentils and chickpeas, in its new line of tortilla chips. And nut butter brand Justin’s has created a non-perishable fruit and nut butter snack pack with a goal of giving consumers healthier on-the-go snack options.

Another key trend is the rise of snack mixes, which are often marketed as a healthy, portable and convenient snacking option. Thanks to nearly limitless combinations of fruit, nuts, chocolate and other ingredients, these types of products satisfy consumer taste for new, unexpected flavour combinations. And it shows: According to market research, nutritional snacks and trail mixes are now a $1.1 billion industry, having grown at a rate of 5.6 per cent in the last year.

As competition in the snack segment continues to grow, manufacturers are turning to unique flavorings and new processing and packaging innovations to stand out among the crowd. Read our new case study to find out how Naturally Homegrown Foods is ensuring more constant seasoning in its eight flavours of Hardbite Chips, while also reducing waste and simplifying cleaning operations, using a new seasoning system from tna.