In this era, snacks have gradually become an indispensable part of modern people’s eating habits. People like to snack during work or leisure activities and when they are bored or stressed. Basically, a snack is a small portion of food usually eaten between meals with the purpose of supplementing nutrition, facilitating relaxation, and fostering a pleasant mood¹.

However, a recent survey found that more than one in five consumers globally (21%) snack throughout the day, no longer restricted to between meals or late at night². In addition to this, more and more consumers worldwide are using snacks to replace meals². At the same time, as public health awareness increases, people begin to question whether snacks are good or bad for the overall health of the body.

Image by <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/breakfast-with-various-sweets-wafers-corn-flakes-cup-coffee_7608600.htm#query=snacks&position=8&from_view=search&track=sph&uuid=189d2493-0349-42ca-8a4e-6ab7eb6cf5e1″>Image by azerbaijan_stockers</a> on Freepik

Before answering the question, let’s first look at the benefits of snacks. Generally, snacks are high in calories and can provide energy to the body immediately after consumption. Therefore, they are considered a good source of energy and hunger relief³. Besides, healthy snacks such as dried fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts and seeds are also great nutritional providers³. This is because these foods contain fiber, vitamins, and minerals that meet the body’s daily nutritional needs.

Nevertheless, processed snacks are high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats³. This may result in excessive caloric intake and low nutritional value³, which lead to a variety of health problems including tooth decay and obesity.

Apart from that, snacking too much can reduce hunger at mealtimes, thus increasing the risk of losing important nutrients³. In short, by controlling portion sizes and choosing snacks with high nutritional value, snacking will not bring much negative impact on body’s health.

Market Trend

In the new consumption era, snacks must not only be nutritious and delicious, but also attractive and have selling points. According to statistics, the global snacks market revenue will reach USD $539.31 billion in 2023, with an expected annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.34% from 2023 to 2028⁴. By 2028, the valuation is expected to reach USD $733.50 billion.

Remarkably, when considering the total population, each person contributed an average of USD $70.21 to this market’s revenue in 2023⁴. All in all, this market is expected to be a significant catalyst for growth within the broader snacks industry.

Challenges Faced by Snacks Manufacturers

In a bustling food industry, snack manufacturers stand out as providers of convenience, taste, and innovation. Yet behind the enticing assortment of snacks that line shop shelves, manufacturers face a wide range of difficulties that have an impact on their business operations, expansion, and sustainability. Here are some of the issues snack companies face in today’s competitive market.

First, during the pandemic, many consumers began to change their eating behaviors⁵. In this case, they prefer snack foods that satisfy their health needs. As a result, traditional “unhealthy” snacks such as chocolate and chips have been replaced by snacks that are fast, portable, and convenient snacks that provide both nutrition and functionality⁵.

 

Next, is plant-based snacking challenges⁵. Research shows that the plant-based market has seen significant growth over the past few years, with the snacking industry playing an important role⁵. This growing demand has led to increased competition and the launch of a variety of new plant-based snack foods. Moreover, plant-based snacks tend to target more health-conscious consumers, hence many companies are working to produce such snacks to meet their needs⁵.

Solutions To Solve Issues Faced by Snacks Companies

To fortify the nutritional value of snacks, Hexagon Nutrition, a differentiated and research-orientated pure nutrition manufacturer has offered a wide range of micronutrients products to address this issue. One of their products, Vitamins and Minerals Premixes can be incorporated into snack formulations to enhance their vitamin and mineral content, which is beneficial for snacks targeting a higher nutrition value. Additionally, Beneo’s Palatinose^TM also can be used in place of sucrose in the production of snacks. This product has been recognized as a natural sucrose alternative derived from pure beet sugar. It has about half the sweetness but brings out sweetness levels that are almost equal to sucrose.

On the other hand, Beneo’s rice ingredient is used in a variety of culinary applications due to its neutral flavour and beneficial effect on texture. This company has launched a plant-based rice flour called Remypro, a concentrated rice protein with higher biological value. It can be used to meet the growing demand for vegan and gluten-free snack foods. Besides, Beneo’s Remy Rice Starch also can also be introduced into snack formulations as it can help increase the crunch and crispness of fried snacks.

DPO International, a full-suite market enabler, collaborates with the world’s premier specialised food ingredient producers, Hexagon and Beneo. Equipped to help you transform these trends into innovative brand concepts, we are with you from ideation to the manufacturing stage, providing solutions and support throughout each phase.

References

1. 1. Shanshan, F. (2023, July 18). Business opportunities in the children’s snacks industry in China. China Briefing News. https://www.china-briefing.com/news/business-opportunities-in-the-childrens-snacks-industry-in-china/
   2. Lokman, F. (2016, July 1). Snack society: Munching at anytime, anywhere. MyForesight. https://www.myforesight.my/snack-society-munching-at-anytime-anywhere/
   3. The Science of Snacking. The Nutrition Source. (2023, February 2). https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/snacking/
   4. Snack Food – worldwide: Statista market forecast. Statista. (n.d.). https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/food/confectionery-snacks/snack-food/worldwide
   5. Burrell, H. (2020, July 9). Top Five factors impacting the snacking industry in 2020. FoodBev Media. https://www.foodbev.com/news/top-five-factors-impacting-the-snacking-industry-in-2020/