The days of the traditional three meals a day have gone and snacking occasions are on the rise.
Many people are back in the office at least 2 or 3 times a week now which means they are on the move more due to their busy lifestyles and they need their food habits to move with them.
However, just because they are reaching more for snacks, it doesn’t mean that they are willing to sacrifice on quality or taste. Consumers are reaching for snacks that are better for them and are more conscious about what they eat – this is especially true of young working adults who drive this sector. These consumers want to eat ‘better for you’ versions of mainstream food to go offerings, and it’s vital the sector moves with them to cater for this need.
Jamie McCloskey, Co-founder, LOVE CORN, comments: “Convenience, taste and price must also all work hand in hand together to offer the consumer incentive to buy. In the current economic climate, affordability has never been more important. We are working to debunk the perception that better for you snacks are more expensive and so we’ve created a better for you snack that is affordable, tastes delicious and easy to eat wherever you are.
“LOVE CORN has been a big hit in the food to go aisle as we make real efforts towards hitting these trends on multiple levels – great taste, affordable, 50% less fat than crisps, low sugar and gluten free.”
Consumer trends in snacking are evolving to reflect a blend of health consciousness, convenience, taste preferences, and affordability. With a heightened focus on healthier eating habits, consumers are increasingly mindful of the nutritional value of their snacks, seeking alternatives that align with their wellness goals.
Added to these choices is taste, and foods to go that are delicious, whilst being better for you, will do well. This is also seen across families, who actively seek alternatives for lunchboxes, choosing snacks that will satisfy hunger, but without compromising on taste and quality.
Amidst busy schedules, time-poor workers are gravitating towards convenient, food to go snacks that not only offer simplicity and make them feel good but also contribute positively to their lifestyle choices. LOVE CORN is a snack for every occasion, whether at lunchtime with a sandwich, the 3pm slump, post gym work out or en route for a night out with friends. For consumers looking for a healthier alternative to crisps and an allergen free solution to nuts, LOVE CORN is the new go to snack.
“Most companies are now back into the office 2 or 3 days a week, so we’re seeing a rise in our impulse business, which is really positive. But we are seeing more and more that consumers want more choice when it comes to the food to go sector – hence the recent renaissance of retailers offering more varied Meal Deals. Gone are the days when someone simply wants a sandwich with crisps,” adds McCloskey.
“Ranges need to factor in the better for you trends, hot & cold options and also offer flexitarian and plant based options. Making sure these options are affordable and taste great is still key which is why we’ve seen such success at LOVE CORN.”
Wholesalers have definitely evolved and ranges now reflect the growing trend towards better for you foods. Plant-based and organic are still important as well and we are seeing that category grow more and more as consumers prioritise their health within their diets.
LOVE CORN Sea Salt 115g Sharing bags continue to be the brand’s best seller and is now one of the best selling snacks in the category (source: Circana 2024). This has been driven by bringing new consumers into the category and being a point of difference on shelf.
The brand has just launched its first multipack which offers individual portioned mini bags that are lunchbox friendly, perfect on the go, for sports or a quick crunch in between meals. For retailers, the multipacks opens up a new snacking occasion for families and recent shopper data shows that consumers are hungry for this type of offering.
LOVE CORN is now one of the fastest growing snack brands in the UK, helping drive incremental growth by appealing to a wide range of customers looking for a better for you alternative to crisps as well as an allergen free alternative to nuts.
“Brands have to bring something different to the category, so they stand out on shelf and help drive incremental growth by having a unique proposition. Having mainstream attributes that appeal to as many people as possible is key – great brand, great taste, accessible price point are the top 3 factors for purchase,” says McCloskey.
“The best thing wholesalers can do to maximise sales is to work collaboratively with their suppliers to get retailers to bring in the range. It is imperative that this is done with a partnership mindset, utilising resource at the wholesaler as well as at the brand to educate buyers about the benefits of bringing in their range.”
Matt Collins, Trading Director, KP Snacks, comments: “Food to Go remains an important mission and scalable channel, serving a transient population and on the go society. We are confident about the future of the category and our portfolio is well-placed to capitalise on and drive singles recovery.
“At KP Snacks, we are continuing to excite and interrupt with flavoursome innovation, having the right brands in the right formats, meeting changing shopper missions as needs adapt, and building brand equity by doing the right thing. This means that we are focused on acting in a more socially responsible way in every part of the business, whether it be through packaging reductions, healthier products, and promoting healthier lifestyles.”
Weekday lunchtimes are the most popular time for eating on the go, with 62% of consumers saying they enjoy picking meal deal combos (Mintel).
53% of shoppers look for meal deals when buying food to go (IGD) and 34% of shoppers say they would pay more than £5 for meal deals if the products were high quality (Harris Interactive).
Many office workers have not gone back to the office full time. Hybrid workers may view food-to-go as more of a treat if purchasing less frequently and will likely be willing to spend more, meaning there is opportunity to create premium lunch deals catered to part-time office workers.
KP Snacks’ portfolio delivers the top three selling meal deal SKUs. Hula Hoops Big Hoops BBQ Beef is the top selling PMP in the convenience channel, worth £12.2m, and takes the No.1 spot for best-selling Meal Deal choice (NielsenIQ). The Hula Hoops brand is worth £186.6m and growing at +20.1% (NielsenIQ). McCoy’s Salt & Vinegar and Flame Grilled Steak are the No.2 and No.3 best-selling meal deal choices, perfect for livening up lunch.
Meanwhile Tyrrells is perfect for customers seeking a more premium snack – this award-winning hand cooked English crisp brand, has 91 Great Taste awards, more than any other crisp brand on the market.
“As recessionary conditions prevail, operators need to stock trusted and familiar brands and offer the right product and price mix to deliver and demonstrate great value,” adds Collins.
PMPs have seen significant growth in the last number of years, with the format expected to continue increasing in both relevance and popularity. There has been a recent increase in grab bag and large PMP sales as people are tempted by the bigger packs. Not only do PMPs offer consumers great value for money, but the clear pricing also gives them assurance that they are not being over charged. PMPs are a hugely versatile format that caters for multiple missions and occasions, whether that be hunger fill or sharing. 70% of shoppers purchase items on impulse and PMPs drive these sales through clear messaging and displays (Lumina).
Worth £120.3m and growing in value at +36.7%, the KP Snacks portfolio of large format PMPs is extensive, designed to excite shoppers and drive impulse purchases (NielsenIQ). KP Snacks also offers a range of snacks in smaller PMP formats.
‘Tide me over’ is an increasingly important on-the-go snacking opportunity. Whether it be during the school run, evening commute, or the lunchtime zoom call, 64% of consumers eat snacks to keep their energy up throughout the day, and 53% eat snacks to satisfy hunger between meals (MMR).
While tasty snacks are a hugely important part of this mission, we’re seeing an uplift in healthy snacking sales as shoppers look for a permissible energy boost throughout the day.
Exempt from HFSS legislation, nuts, with their natural and functional benefits, are seeing huge growth. Packed with protein and fibre which is highlighted through its labelling, KP Nuts is the number one brand in nuts, nearly five times bigger than the nearest branded competitor, worth £98.1M RSV and growing at +12.6% (NielsenIQ).
Coming in at under 100 calories per serving, suitable for vegetarians and vegans, and with a third less fat than the market leader, popchips also provides a more permissible snack option without compromising on big flavour. The popchips core range is worth £46.5m RSV and is growing in value at +7.7% (NielsenIQ). In 2022, the entire popchips range was reformulated to be non-HFSS.
Mike Chapman, Head of Wholesale at PepsiCo, comments: “There’s no denying that Brits are firmly on the move again and when they are, they are looking for snacks to enjoy. Out of home snacking makes up 19% (+5pp) share of all snacking occasions (Bolt), highlighting the significant opportunity for wholesalers to help retailers to capitalise on lunchtime and on-the-go occasions through stocking products that will ensure retailers can encourage spend in store.”
With the total Salty Snacks category in independent and symbol stores now being worth £631.6m and growing at +18.0% (NielsenIQ), there is evidence to show that snacking remains a huge part of day-to-day UK life, a portion of which will be enjoyed on the go or through lunch. The Crisps, Snacks and Nuts segment accounts for 94.1% value sales of Total Savoury Snacks (NielsenIQ), reflecting the huge opportunity for wholesalers to grow their savoury snacking sales through ensuring their offering appeals to retailers looking to cater to lunch and on the go missions.
“A crucial way for retailers to leverage the full potential of the lunch and on the go missions is through meal deals, which can offer both value and convenience to shoppers, as well as act as a treat for hybrid workers,” adds Chapman. “As a result, wholesalers should ensure they have an extensive savoury snacks offering that is varied in flavour and format. This will encourage sales from retailers who are looking to capture shopper attention and increase basket spend, through catering to all tastes within these missions.”
Enjoyment is the number one driver of choice when buying crisps and snacks (Kantar), so wholesalers should ensure they are stocking popular brands and flavours in formats suited to lunch and on the go, as well as offering the latest NPD in bold and exciting flavours to cater to this need for enjoyment. Well-loved core brands such as Quavers, Wotsits and Monster Munch continue to drive sales in the channel and work alongside a wide range of taste-led NPD, helping to maximise sales.
To cater to this demand, PepsiCo has launched a number of taste-led NPD over the last year.
Walkers launched three limited-edition flavours to drive excitement within the category by delivering authentic meat and cheese flavours, whilst being vegan. Verified by The Vegan Society, the new Flame Grilled Steak, Cheese Toastie, and BBQ Pork Ribs flavours will be available for a limited time only and will help the brand appeal to an even wider range of consumers as shoppers look to explore alternative, vegan snacking options over the new year.
In August 2023, PepsiCo teamed up with Pizza Hut to launch two new permanent, non-HFSS flavours into the Walkers MAX portfolio: Pepperoni Feast and Texan BBQ, both available in PMP formats. The new additions tap into the growing demand amongst younger consumers for pizza flavours within the savoury snacking space.
Tapping into demand for ‘Sweevory’ flavours, PopWorks’ newest Salted Toffee flavour allows consumers to experience both Sweet and Savoury tastes in one. The NPD was supported by PopWorks’ first-ever marketing campaign in March 2023 which aimed to drive awareness of the brand’s taste credentials and appeal to its target audience of Gen-Z and Millennials.
Gareth Roberts, UK Country Manager at Dole Sunshine Company, comments: “There’s no doubt that an increasing number of consumers are looking for a healthier diet, and that includes on the go options. However, a recent survey on attitudes to healthy eating revealed that 32% of people admit that money concerns cause them to eat less healthily (Mintel).”
For many consumers who are shopping on a budget, fresh fruit and vegetables can be one of the first things to come off the shopping list, which really highlights the importance of retailers and brands who are committed to supporting healthier choices for their customers, and specifically helping people to eat healthily on a budget. However, healthier choices don’t have to be more expensive, as consumers can buy a four pack of Dole’s fruit in juice cups for just £2.29 which offers them a great tasting and healthy product at a price most can afford which are perfect as a lunch or food to go option. In general, shoppers now understand that ambient goods increasingly have a role to play as they not only offer good value and have longer shelf lives, but in the case of the Dole packaged fruit range, can also be one of your five-a-day and a healthy part of their overall diet.
The cost-of-living crisis is impacting the food to go sector like any other, as consumers are increasingly either going for cheaper options or opting for bringing a packed lunch from home. However, this could present some opportunities for wholesalers and convenience retailers as they can offer cheaper options compared to some larger foodservice operators. This particularly brings into focus the appeal of lunch ‘deals’ which offer genuine value to the consumer, with a recent Mintel report highlighting that this would appeal to nearly 60% of consumers.
“There’s no doubt the pandemic made consumers more aware of their health and more conscious of what they put in their bodies, meaning healthy food and drink products will only continue to grow in importance, so wholesalers should take this into account in their ranging decisions,” adds Roberts.
“Food to go is definitely a growing opportunity for wholesalers and independent retailers and packaged fruit is certainly one of the key sub-categories that they should be offering their customers, because we know that consumers are increasingly looking for healthy food options which are easy on the pocket.”
Dole Sunshine Company is the UK category leader in packaged fruit snacks, with its entire product range containing 100% real fruit, with no added sugar in any of its fruit in juice range.
Its products are enjoyed by consumers, not only because of their taste and health benefits, but also due to their versatility as they can be consumed at breakfast, as a mid-morning snack, as a dessert, at home, in the office, at the gym, on the train or literally anywhere and whenever you like.
Its best-selling products are the Pineapple, Mandarin, Mixed Fruit and Peach variants of its fruit in juice range and come in convenient and recyclable packs which can be eaten at home or on the go.
Neil Stewart, Head of Marketing for Cheese at Saputo Dairy UK, comments: “The cost-of-living crisis affects the whole industry, and food-to-go is no exception. However, it’s critical wholesalers and retailers consider how they can demonstrate the overall value proposition their choice of products brings – just stocking the cheapest options won’t cut it. Consumers are seeking out small indulgences and treats to uplift their spirits during challenging economic times and look to affordable, yet tasty treats as a reward (BBC). Cheese can deliver an indulgent and sensory eating experience and is a great savoury snacking option to include as part of a food-to-go offering.”
Health continues to be a key driver in purchase decisions within the category. More than 6 in 10 shoppers want to see healthy snacking options at their local convenience store (Harris Interactive) and 55% of consumers check nutrition labels before purchasing. We’re increasingly seeing shoppers demand functional on-the-go options to optimise their wellbeing while out and about.
Cathedral City’s cheese snacking range is a great option for those seeking to support a balanced diet thanks to its high protein content. Naturally rich in nutrients, including calcium, cheddar provides a range of vitamins and minerals, standing out in a crowd of ultra-high processed foods commonly found in food-to-go.
In addition to protein and micronutrients, calories have also been a long-standing marker of what constitutes a healthy snack. Products that support this, such as Cathedral City Minis and Cathedral City Nibbles, which offer a 100% natural snack that is high in protein, a source of calcium and contains fewer than 100kcals per portion, have a real opportunity to capitalise on this momentum.
For wholesalers and their food-to-go offering, Stewart says: “Dedicate shelf space to healthier chilled snacking options making it easy for retailers to identify healthy choices. Within chilled there is an opportunity for retailers to create a dedicated space in fixture for snacking products carrying a ‘healthier’ positioning to help shoppers make a rapid product choice. This could for example include grab and go cheese snacks such as Cathedral City’s adult snacking range, meat snacks, hardboiled eggs, olives and veggies and dip packs.
“Stock a core range of best sellers. Product quality and brand familiarity remain important drivers of choice and can help instill consumer confidence and drive conversion – top brands should be a key inclusion in core ranges.”
“A perennial favourite, cheese occupies a unique position in consumers’ hearts and minds when it comes to snacking. The adult cheese snacking sector has achieved +6.7% value growth in Symbols & Independents in the latest year IRI).
Saputo Dairy UK’s Cathedral City brand has continued to dominate the pre-packed cheese category. Cathedral City is valued at almost £292.8m in Total Market (IRI) and bought by 42% of all UK households (Kantar).
The #1 Adult Cheese Snacking SKU in Total Market (IRI), Cathedral City Minis offer perfectly bite-sized 20g portions of the Nation’s favourite cheese brand, in a netted multipack format.
Cathedral City Snack Bar is a convenient 24g cheese snack bar range containing 100kcal or less, offering a portion controlled, grab and go savoury snacking alternative. Cathedral City Original Snack Bar is the #2 performing single serve Adult Cheese Snack SKU in Convenience (IRI).
Cathedral City’s Lunch Pack partners four slices of Cathedral City Mature cheddar with four Jacob’s cream crackers and a Branston Pickle dip for a substantial snack or lunch option. The SKU is #1 single serve Adult Cheese Snacking SKU in Traditional Convenience (IRI).
Cathedral City with Pickle is the #3 single serve adult cheese snack SKU in Traditional Convenience (IRI). Cathedral City with Pickle offers a perfect snack, comprising five sticks of Cathedral City Mature Cheddar and a Branston pickle dip.
Susan Nash, Trade Communications Manager at Mondelez International, comments: “Food to Go is certainly a growing opportunity within the sector. We are seeing consumers looking for a range of snacks, with a trend, amongst some consumers, of replacing meals with snacks as they take advantage of being ‘out and about’ more frequently. The ability to offer drinks and snacks together has the potential to help drive value and usage, with many consumers looking for a drink and consequently deciding to trade up to a drink and snack, for instance.”
Having specific ‘morning’ based snacks like belVita breakfast biscuits as well as biscuits for elevenses and sweet snacks for that ‘afternoon’ treat will help ensure different consumption needs are met through the day. A focus on lifestyle, consumer profiling and location is also important to tap into more specific sectors such as the opportunity for protein bars and drinks.
Even if shoppers have brought lunch from home, many still look for a quick treat while out and about during the day. Chocolate and sugar confectionery in single formats cater for this impulse occasion, with shoppers enjoying Cadbury Twirl Caramel or Cadbury Caramilk single bars, for example.
Mints and gum are also purchased by shoppers whilst on the go, particularly after meals. Trebor is the number one (Nielsen) mint brand in the UK and offers single packs in refreshing Peppermint and Spearmint flavours.
Busy shoppers often look for functional benefits from their on-the-go snacks, such as an ability to keep hunger at bay on long days between meals. belVita biscuits can see consumers through their busy mornings with their trademark recipe.
Though shoppers continue to feel the pinch of pennies, treats remain a ‘must’ that consumers do not wish to compromise on. Moments of indulgence continue to be important, particularly for younger adult consumers (Mintel), as a way of destressing, while many consumers associate snacks with connecting with others (Mintel). Research supports this, finding that the ‘special treat’ category in particular has seen strong growth of 15% from 2022 to 2023 (Nielsen). Value has different meanings to different consumers. Whilst price remains important, with 71% of shoppers claiming total price has become more important to them in the last six months (IGD), value is more than just price.
Recent circumstances have increased sales of confectionery multipacks. Multipacks offer shoppers a convenient and cost-effective way to purchase their treats in advance; they’re most often bought as part of a scheduled shopping trip by consumers looking ahead, rather than those buying on impulse when out and about. Additionally, we’ve seen that shoppers are increasingly looking to enjoy evenings at home as a more cost-effective way to spend time together. This subsequent increase in the Big Night In occasion can be catered to with gifting and sharing formats.
Consumers turn to OREO as an ‘everyday’ treat they can enjoy at any time, whether for a special occasion or simply “just because”. The brand is growing at 18.9% (Nielsen) and continues to progress with several exciting launches, promotions and engaging partnerships that build further on the brand’s equity of playfulness (Nielsen).
Shaun Whelan, LSI Convenience/Wholesale and OOH Controller, comments: “Whether part of a lunch deal or a more impulsive buy, Peperami remains the number one food-to-go and snacking option for independent convenience retailers.
“It continues to be necessary for convenience stores to offer value when considering shoppers’ spending priorities.”
There are a number of food-to-go trends appearing in the marketplace. We see building engagement and loyalty through branded merchandise as an important way to increase visibility which is key in high traffic locations. Peperami’s instantly recognisable packs stand out on the shelf through distinctive brand-blocking.
“Convenience retailers still need to ensure their range can cater to consumers managing tight budgets,” adds Whelan. “Meal Deals offering value and promotions are a great way to do this along with offering a range of PMPs. Siting Peperami next to sandwiches are a key anchor in increasing sales as this is where shoppers expect to find Peperami.”
Customers with a lower income will look for low price points in stores. Peperami PMPs are very effective at generating food-to-go and snacking sales. New PMP £1.25 flashed 2 for £2 on Peperami sticks offer best value, driving sales and return on space.
“Convenience retailers can use PMPs to bolster their margins and increase footfall as it shows how a store is offering shoppers good value,” says Whelan. “We ensure our Peperami PMP products are affordable for convenience retailers by supporting them with promotions and case sizes to keep the price points at the correct levels.”
Shoppers are always keen to see new NPD and based on demand, Peperami has just launched a new BBQ Lunchbox mini pack. Made with 100% pork and a delectable mix of smoky spices, they are packed with protein and just 50 calories per 10g mini stick – making them a perfect food-to-go item in larger convenience stores.
Peperami continues to successfully innovate to meet the fast-growing demand for protein meat snacks by stretching into Chicken. Peperami Chicken Bites come in single 50g packs ideal for convenience retailers meeting their shoppers’ needs for convenient, on-the-go tasty snacks to pep them up. Containing just 95kcal per 50g bag, Peperami Chicken Bites are available in two flavours – roasted and tikka.
Peperami’s Pizza Bun is a perfect afternoon snack for children. A more filling snack, and ready to eat, it is ideal for on-the-go occasions and tastes great if served warm like a toastie.
Peperami, the category brand leader, will continue to drive category growth with heavyweight TV advertising featuring its iconic, instantly recognisable ‘Animal’ which shoppers will not miss.
“The return to the workplace continues to be a theme in 2024 food-to-go and snacking opportunities. Food-to-go will impact sales in different areas as more people return to offices or travel to work. A good food-to-go offering increases sales in outlets meeting demand for snacks and lunch. However, with more people working from home, having a food-to-go offering also attracts those who want to walk to their local store for lunch and snacks. For locations near travel hubs, it is especially important to offer a good food-to-go range as consumers will pick up food for the journey,” suggests Whelan.
“Health, grazing and protein are trends retailers need to be aware of. Peperami competes in the ready to eat / food-to-go, savoury meat snacking category providing a tasty protein kick to pep up snacking. Our Cheese Snack Box is also ideal as a convenient, grazing and eating on the go snack.”
Shaun Whelan, Jack Link’s Convenience/Wholesale and OOH Controller, comments: “The jerky and biltong meat snacks category is one of the fastest growing categories in convenience. Jack Link’s is a high protein, high growth, high retailer profit opportunity.”
Total sales for the jerky and biltong meat snacks category are growing strongly in the convenience sector over the last 12 months with Jack Link’s driving the growth (Nielsen).
This high growth may surprise many, but it is driven by more shoppers buying into the category who are willing to pay for the high protein benefits from brands they trust.
The category has more than doubled in value over the last five years, growing in both value and volume, and has the headroom to double again as still less than one in ten households buy it.
The jerky and biltong meat snacks category is becoming more popular in the convenience sector as we see more and more shoppers search out high protein, tasty convenient snacks that are seen to be healthier alternatives to traditional snacks. The opportunity to meet shopper demand and unlock additional sales is huge.
Jack Link’s Beef Jerky Original 25g has the highest unit rate of sale of any product in the category, providing shoppers with an accessible opportunity to enter into the category. The Beef Jerky is available in two other flavours – Sweet & Hot and Teriyaki. Great tasting Biltong is also available.
“We believe that making a permanent home for jerky and biltong meat snacks on the main fixture with other bagged snacks, especially next to crisps and nuts, will drive sales,” adds Whelan.
“Visibility in store is central to prompt purchase. Dual merchandising of Jack Link’s is key to ensure shoppers can easily find their favourite brand on the main fixture, ideally alongside crisps, nuts and bagged snacks to offer customers a healthier option and encourage them to trade-up, and also on clip strips to prompt unplanned incremental purchase.”
Merchandising with other bagged snacks, crisps and nuts is fundamental, as ambient protein meat snacks offer a healthier alternative snack for shoppers, who have become more health conscious and are seeking out a high protein, low calorie brand that tastes great.
The brand recommends double facing both of these packs to stand out on shelf and avoid out of stocks for these highest demand SKUs.
Secondary merchandising of Jack Link’s Beef Jerky on clip strips drives high levels of incremental sales, building visibility across a store and prompting incremental purchases. Clip strips are available in shelf ready boxes for ease which quickly aid merchandising.
Jack Link’s Jerky and Biltong do not need to be refrigerated. Their long shelf life of 9 months minimises wastage, making them particularly good meat protein products to stock. Jack Link’s is a high protein, high growth, high retailer profit opportunity.
Stephanie Brillouet, Marketing Director, Délifrance, comments: “We recently took a deep dive into the UK bread market, surveying 1,000 adults who regularly eat bread. As well as being able to examine consumer attitudes towards bread and what is driving their purchasing decisions, our research revealed how consumption differs in and out-of-home (OOH) as well as the impact of consumers’ environmental and economic concerns.”
Lunch is one of the biggest mealtimes for bread, with sandwiches offering consumers simple and familiar options. Unsurprisingly, 62% of respondents revealed that they eat bread regularly at lunch, compared to 28% who do so occasionally and just 10% who never do. In the OOH market, 23% of consumers are eating more bread which highlights a growth opportunity for wholesalers and retailers, as long as the format is convenient, inspiring and relevant to their needs. For example, we know that price and a tempting meal deal top the list of factors for shoppers when buying sandwiches OOH from supermarkets, bakery chains, cafés and sandwich and coffee shops. Almost two thirds (61%) say price or deal is the biggest reason for making their choice, a major shift on 2019, when just 34% said price was the biggest reason.
While price is ultimately a driving factor, as consumers feel the squeeze of the cost-of-living crisis, people are not willing to compromise on quality (45%) or freshness (43%). Therefore, those increasing their OOH bread consumption are more likely to be buying speciality breads such as sourdough, rye and brown and wholemeal varieties, as well as breads of the world including much-loved staples from Italy like focaccia, ciabatta and panini.
Délifrance’s research also reveals that consumer health concerns – both positive and negative – have a big impact on bread consumption. Almost a quarter (24%) of consumers who are eating more bread OOH are doing so for health reasons. OOH health-conscious consumers are more likely to be buying things like wraps, tortillas and ciabattas. Functional loaves with added benefits also offer a big opportunity to attract these consumers.
Mohammed Essa, Commercial Director, Aviko UK & Ireland, comments: “Described as a ‘taste explosion’, Aviko’s new and innovative Plant-Based Chilli Cheezz Nuggets are made entirely from potato and are the perfect addition to on-the-go offerings. The new, award-winning Nuggets are part of Aviko’s expansive Snackables portfolio, and serve up a tasty and creamy ‘cheese’ filling that is gently spiced with green jalapeno peppers, giving flexitarian diners the ultimate plant-based experience.”
In addition, the all-new Jalapeno Nacho Cheese Bites are perfect for on the move. They’re crispy on the outside, and ooze with gooey nacho cheese on the inside, with chopped jalapeno peppers throughout.
Both additions to the Snackables range have been developed with a range of operators in mind looking to appeal to vegan and flexitarian consumers. They have an excellent holding ability thanks to their crispy crumb coating and will remain hot, tasty and crisp long after leaving the kitchen, making them perfect for on-the-go.
Fairfields Farm Commercial Director, Tash Jones, comments: “The cost-of-living crisis is absolutely having an effect on the category, but it’s a mixed bag for wholesalers. For example, in retail environments, hand-cooked crisps are thriving. They are a little luxury treat for shoppers during a time when other more expensive luxuries may seem out of reach. For retail trade customers who have a meal deal, hand-cooked crisps are attractive to shoppers maximising the value of those deals. On the other hand, hospitality trade customers have seen a slower autumn and winter. As consumer confidence increases and the impact of inflation begins to ease, I think we will see a balance out towards the summer months.”
Fairfields Farm’s best-selling products are Lightly Sea Salted, Cheese & Onion, and Salt & Vinegar flavours. However, there is a surge of interest in its meat-flavoured SKUs, which are – like all Fairfields Farm products – suitable for vegans. Bacon & Tomato is particularly popular in convenience and offers those customers something a little bit different. Roast Rib of Beef, on the other hand, is a winner in pubs and cafés. The brand’s sales are up 70% year on year on an already very solid base (net sales year ending December 2023).
Fairfields Farm offer display solutions for customers as well as sampling and have increased B2B spend fourfold to ensure that they are properly supporting stockists. On the consumer side, they are advertising through radio and digital.
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