Category Analysis Natural Snacking

Natural snacking remains a dependable, go-to category for busy consumers with the best intentions when it comes to eating healthier. Companies are connecting with shoppers who value convenience, ease of use and above all tempting and delectable flavors when selecting snacks. Consumers have access to snacking options that help ward off hunger pangs and blood sugar swings between mealtimes, through options packed with a balanced amount of nourishing carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

“Natural Delights is invested in growing the Medjool date category by creating natural, wholesome snacks that incorporate Medjool dates instead of artificial sweeteners,” said Bridgette Weber, Trade Marketing Manager at Natural Delights. “Our research and development team is hyper-focused on category trends, so the innovation pipeline will be inundated with winning items in 2023 and beyond.”

“Not only does NatureSweet have the freshest and best-tasting tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers, but our innovation in packaging has made snacking more convenient for consumers,” said Sergio Trujillo, Brand Manager. “We launched our Cherubs and Constellation To Go Snack Packs in August of last year and they quickly became the No. 1 snack in the category. The To Go container fits in the palm of your hand and contains washed-and-ready-toeat grape tomatoes, perfect for a quick snack. They are delicious, and we’ve made it convenient for consumers to include them in a lunch box, backpack, or gym bag. Consumers e-mail us all the time and share how their kids are finally eating tomatoes because ours are so sweet! We will continue to provide consumers with tasty snacking alternatives that are healthy and hassle-free.”

“We’re also encouraging the snacking theme through our partnerships,” Trujillo continued. “In January we launched a fun campaign called 'Snack Like a Champ' in advance of the Super Bowl. We’re encouraging consumers to include our healthy vegetables in their Big Game spread. When they purchase NatureSweet products, they can enter for a chance to win a Fanatics gift card and buy sports collectibles. To make it even more fun, we created a digital tomato flick football game where you flick Cherub tomatoes between the goal post, share your high score, and win fresh tomatoes for a year!”

“The key to driving growth in the natural snacking category is innovation,” said Steve Ware, VP and General Manager of Value-Added Fresh for Naturipe Farms. “Innovation requires investment and consumer understanding, which is what Naturipe brings to the table. Natural snacking is growing as we see a shift amongst consumers—especially in the Millennial and Gen-Z age groups —towards a focus on fresh food. Naturipe Farms is always tracking consumer trends to see what will be the next most sought after snack. We’re also constantly creating and thinking of ways to level up our value-added line. By the time a product has launched, we’re already brainstorming the next one. Along with innovation and creation, we also work to ensure that our products are the freshest, best-tasting option in the grocery aisle. As long as consumers keep getting great quality fruit, they’ll continue to snack on our products.”

“In the crowded natural snacking category, it’s imperative that we continue to listen to consumers and create innovative products that meet customer desires,” said Steve Loftus, President and COO of Sun-Maid Growers. “We have some very exciting company and product innovations that we have in the works, with a large focus on continuing to outpace our growth goals. We are a leader in fruit forward snacks that attract consumers of all ages, particularly young families with increasingly growing buying power. As a brand, we will continue to strive to produce better-for-you snacks that don’t sacrifice taste, while meeting consumers where they are."

Weber said a necessary conversation to have with retailers would be about merchandising and how essential it is to provide shoppers with a consistent and convenient place to find Medjool dates and date products in the store. “We offer many merchandising options to re- tailers and are uniquely positioned to help them overcome the biggest hurdle for dates—placement!" she said. "When it comes to consumers, it’s introducing them to new products, like Truffles and Mini Medjools, and inspiring them with ways to use Medjool dates in their everyday snacking and meal planning.”

Naturesweet is poised to converse with retailers and shoppers about Naturesweet’s role in elevating the category. “Our brand is creating a movement. NatureSweet delivers an outstanding product but more importantly, we’re transforming the industry by empowering agricultural workers,” Trujillo said. “We believe our work is moving the category and industry forward, and we’re sharing our many successes and giving retailers a peek behind the curtain. NatureSweet created an education program for our associates that has had a positive impact on more than 1,500 of them. Some have learned to read and write, and many of them have earned their high school diplomas. Our associates are paid above the minimum wage and they also have the opportunity to earn a transformational wage. We will continue to share what our brand stands for with our retailers. We’re improving lives and communities, which have led to Equitable Food Initiative and Fair-Trade certifications. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished but also believe there’s more work to do.”

The key takeaway Naturipe wants from conversations with retailers and shoppers is how to best fill the gaps in their demands. “The biggest conversation that we have with both retailers and consumers is finding out what other products we can provide that fulfill unmet needs,” Ware said. “One of the reasons that consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is stagnant is that we have not provided consumers with enough solutions. They say they want to eat healthy on the go, but what they don’t tell you is they want their snacks to taste great as well. You will continue to see us find solutions that have not really existed previously—like our fresh Berry Parfait, which combines fresh fruit, creamy yogurt and crunchy granola for an all-around balanced snack.”

We hope you had an exciting and productive time at SuperZoo catching up with your fellow pet professionals, making connections with suppliers, sampling a host of new products and discovering strategies to drive success for your business. We don’t know about you, but we’re already hyped to see what next year’s SuperZoo will have in store – catch you there!