In its latest report Healthy-Ingredient Snacks in the US, Packaged Facts said the small, boutique snack manufacturers are communicating best and succeeding the most in the healthy snacks category.
Why? Because the products marketed by these firms appear safer, healthier and more authentic, the research firm said. “Their founders have a deeply personal story to tell about why they got into the snacks business. These entrepreneurs are passionate about their products and are able to leverage their enthusiasm with consumers.”
These firms frequently source local ingredients and almost always highlight concerns for the global environment in addition to the health and well-being of their customers, it added.
How can the mega-firms match up?
Competing against these niche and personalized snack companies is a challenge for the mega players, the research firm said.
The biggest challenge for snack majors in the market is to find ways that consumers trust healthy-ingredient products marketed by multinationals, it said. They need to make consumers feel confident in the products to the same extent, it explained.
Labels that appeal
David Sprinkle, research director for Packaged Facts, said that one thing smaller companies are doing right for healthy snacks is labeling.
“Consumers often perceive that food products with certain claims, such as ‘organic’ and ‘natural’, are healthier or safer for them. In addition, to set them apart from the fray, healthy-ingredient snacks commonly carry labeling such as non-GMO or organic. They also often are labeled more subjectively as being ‘local, ‘pure’, ‘real’, ‘natural’, ‘safe’, ‘clean’, ‘minimally processed’ and ‘allergy-friendly’.”