SNACK PRODUCTS
Standing out from the crowd
In the competitive snack sector, it is important to stand out from the crowd with innovative and colourful product offerings. However, consumers are still demanding healthy options with clean labels. Suzanne Callander reports.
H
ealthy snacking is a well know ongoing trend, as consumers become increasingly aware of the implications of the nutritional profiles of their food. However, a more immediate motivation for developing healthier snacking products might be
the implementation of legislation, such as the HFSS (High in Fat, Sugar and Salt) legislation introduced in the UK in October, which places restrictions on positioning in retail outlets for products high in fat, sugar, and salt. Similar leg- islation is also being planned by Governments across Eu- rope.
With restrictions on location placements for unhealthy
products already in place, further restrictions are also expected on volume promotions as of October 2023 – a move which is likely to have a further significant impact on many ‘healthy’ snack products. According to Robert Lambert , Marketing Manager at Ulrick
& Short, there are many ways that snack bar manufacturers can go about reformulating their products, but this should not come at the expense of the clean label that consumers are also demanding. He says: “Ulrick & Short can help manufacturers reformulate to avoid falling foul of HFSS regulations, while also ensuring a clean-label as all of our ingredients are plant based and non-GM. The company can, for example, offer a solution that enables
functional sugar reductions of up to 50%, replacing the adhesion or textural properties traditionally provided by sugar. A solution that helps reduce fat content by up to 50% is also available with a product that acts as a fat mimetic – replacing the indulgence, body and mouthfeel traditionally provided by fats. “If compliance with HFSS legislation is the target, fat reduction is typically a very effective solution, as it can both considerably reduce saturated fat and calorie content,” advises Robert. Ulrick & Short can also offer a range of fibres and proteins
that provide emulsification and binding properties in snack bars, as well as improving fibre and protein contents without impacting flavour and meeting the need for ‘High in…’ claims, such as protein, which is starting to gain interest outside of its traditional niche audience of exercise enthusiasts.
32 Kennedy’s Confection May 2023
Protein takes centre stage Christian Jonassen, Senior Application Specialist at Arla Foods Ingredients also commented on the growing con- sumer interest in protein. “One of the biggest trends cur- rently is an increasing enthusiasm for protein as a key ma- cronutrient,” he says. This argument is backed up by a 2020 global trend study from HealthFocus International, which points to an increased interest in protein rising from 69% in 2014 to 80% in 2020.
FMCG Gurus Top Ten trends for 2022 found that over
half of global consumers switched to high protein/low sugar snacks between 2020 and 2021, reflecting a growing awareness of protein’s health benefits, including satiety, weight management and muscle growth. The impact of this has been a blurring of category boundaries, with protein bars replacing confectionery bars in the retail sector. As a result, Mordor Intelligence has forecast that the global protein bar market will register a CAGR of 5.34% over the next five years. The mainstreaming of protein snack bars also appears
to have resulted in a subtle shift towards slightly smaller, lower protein content products – compared to those on the market in 2021. Today protein bars are 6% smaller and 8% lower in protein. While protein bars used to be marketed to exercise enthusiasts and provide at least 20g of protein, 51% of today’s bars only contain around 8-15g per bar. New- generation protein bars are being positioned as better-for- you chocolate bars that are high in protein, rather than as indulgent protein bars. Although consumers want healthier options, an FMCG
Gurus trend report found that 69% still perceive snacking as an indulgence and are not willing to compromise on the flavour and texture of their favourite confectionery bars. “As a case in point, indulgent confectionery bars typically provide a variety of textured layers, which protein bars, with their largely uniform mass, often struggle to emulate,” says Christian. “When on-pack promises don’t match consumer experience, a repeat purchase is unlikely, especially with so many alternatives available in a competitive market, so it is vital that manufacturers find better ways of incorporating sufficient protein to meet consumer needs, and in smaller
KennedysConfection.com
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