“Snackification” has created new product segments; fortunately, the right packaging can create new opportunities for your brand.
Not so long ago, people sat down to eat three regular meals a day, drank beverages to satisfy thirst and snacked only in between meals. It was a time of tidy, predictable eating behaviors. Recent data now suggest that because of taste and lifestyle changes, sitdown products are seeing stagnation, while snacks are seeing steady growth. In fact, global snack sales reached $374 billion in 2014, and today, snacks represent 40% of the $370 billion U.S. packaged foods market. A survey by the research firm IRC found that 46% of people surveyed snacked 3+ times a day. With the boundaries between snacks and meals becoming increasingly blurred, the pantry and refrigerator doors have been kicked wide open for food manufacturers to develop and market almost any conceivable snack form, even those outside the traditional snack food aisles.
