But as consumer demand for protein and for snacks have grown exponentially over the years they have converged with each other and the better-for-you movement to create a high-value, far-reaching protein-based snack segment that holds significant opportunity for fast-moving manufacturers.
According to a white paper published by Mintel in 2014, a quarter of Americans said they were consuming more protein from food and drink products compared to the year before. This aligns with data from Natural Marketing Institute in 2015 that found 53% of the general population report looking for products with more protein – up from 39% in 2006.
At the same time, snacking evolved from being an occasional or once-a-day occurrence to something that most Americans do at least three times a day and which 14% do a whopping five or more times a day, according to data from IRI.
The blending of these two trends helped start a fire under the sales of meat snacks, yogurt, high-protein smoothies and protein-packed baked goods, just to name a few. But according to Nielsen, protein-based snacks still have significant room to grow with only 20% of Americans consuming protien as a snack between meals compared to 72% who said they consume if for dinner. It adds that new research supporting protein consumption more evenly throughout the day could fuel increased demand for high protein snack foods.
In FoodNavigator-USA’s upcoming free Protein Based Snacks webinar Oct. 25 from 11:30-12:30 ET we will take a closer look at the evolution of protein-based snacks, including who the target consumer is, how this compares to the past and what is driving their interest. We also will address what platforms are available, what sources are captivating consumers and how the health halo of protein is being woven into brands’ marketing story to help fuel additional growth.
To help shed light on these issues, we with us and excellent panel of four speakers who represent products across a range of platforms, sources and target demographics. These include Taylor Collins, the co-founder of EPIC Provisions; Rose Wang, the co-founder and CEO of insect-based chip company Chirps; Bridgette Clare, the education and engagement team lead for plant-based protein product company Vega; and Paul Nardone, the CEO of BFY Brands, which is the parent company to protein-chip maker Our Little Rebellion.
The one-hour webinar is free for attendees thanks to our sponsors Farbest Brands, Ingredion, Cargill and Barry Callebaut. To register for the webinar, simply sign up HERE.
