Styling and Photography by Laurie Mosco

Snacking has officially transitioned from an in between meal pick-me-up to the new meal for many US snackers.  Over the past year, 35% of Americans said they were snacking more often, with 70% of Millennials preferring snacks over meals, according to Food Dive. The increasing popularity of snacks will continue into next year, but customers don’t want any old snack — they demand unique experiences. Snacks offer a great opportunity to experiment with flavor because of their smaller portion sizes, according to natural flavor manufacturer, FONA. Sounds like it’s time to spice up your snack selection.

The flavors tantalizing customers’ taste buds now.

Salt

Salt is synonymous with snacking, still topping the trending snack flavors list, according to FONA. A big trend this year — blending  flavors, says the National Confectioners Association. We love a good salty snack. And, well, as you know, we love sweet – we do, after all, make candy and confections. So when you shake up the salt scene with a blend of salty AND sweet, we’re all in!

Among salty snacks, popcorn sales are really popping, reporting a 14.2% retail dollar sales growth last year (FONA). We think nothing’s “butter” than popcorn mixed with an all-time favorite sour sweet candy, Sour Patch Kids: Candy Pop Sour Patch Kids Popcorn.  Crisp, fluffy, chewy, sour, and sweet, Candy Pop Sour Patch Kids delivers big on blended flavors and textures everyone wants to munch.  For nostalgic flavors with a twist, Coney Island Classics Sweet & Sea-Salty Kettle Corn. Made in small batches with pink Himalayan sea salt, this classic snack remix is big on sweet and salty flavors.   

Chips are still king of salty snacks. While we adore those potato and corn kinds, we prefer the chocolate kind. Belgian Thins Caramel Sea Salt or Milk Popcorn really make us chipper.  Thin wisps of chocolate in a chip-like shape, sprinkled with crispy rice puffs for crunch and some salty sea salt caramel and popcorn flavoring. Packed in tubes like some other famous chips, we guarantee they won’t be able to resist.

Salty snack superstar the pretzel, gets amped up when added to chocolate chip cookies like Milk Bar Compost Cookies. Created by an award-winning New York City Chef, Milk Bar Compost Cookies are a kitchen sink of salty sweet flavors, featuring a blend of potato chips, graham crackers, coffee, oats, and butterscotch, along with the salty snap of those irresistible pretzels.

Flaming Hot and Barbeque Spice

Two sizzling flavors that continue their red hot streak are Barbeque and Spice, according to FONA .  Snacking is a way for customers to experiment with new flavors, so take them on a flavor trip to the tropics with Prime Planet Tostones.  Premium green plantain chips pounded super thin and flavored with spicy varieties like habanero and sweet chili so things really heat up. 

Popular ingredients are re-imagined in Parm Crisps Smokey BBQ Snack Mix.  Thin crisps of 100% aged parmesan cheese, mixed with almonds, pistachios, and cashews, then seasoned with smoky barbeque flavor – a totally new way to experience a classic nut mix.  Added bonus – cheese is ANOTHER of the trending flavors (more on that later), so this snack is a hit with all kinds of savory-favoring snackers.

While snacks might be replacing meals, and seen as a time for indulgence, many customers are still looking for snacks that fit the latest health trends (FONA).  Plant-based snacks are one of the biggest demands. Knock their “stalks” off with plant-based chips that pack a spicy punch like Real Food From the Ground Up Buffalo Cauliflower Chips or Snacklins Barbeque Plant Crisps made from a blend of yuca and mushroom.

For those whose fires burn for smoky classics, there’s Coney Island Classics Smokin’ BBQ Kettle Corn. A little sweet, a little smoky, and packed with a crunch, it’s craft popcorn taken to the next level.

Beef

With meat snacks reporting a  9.7% US retail dollar sales growth in 2020, its not surprising that beef is a trending flavor (FONA). Give them a new, exotic spin on the classic beef jerky they haven’t “herd” of with Kalahari Biltong. A longtime South African craft and delicacy, biltong is air dried whole beef covered in spices, sliced against the grain in super thin cuts, resulting in tender pieces that melt in the mouth. Great for a protein-packed snack on the go.  Flavors amp up the excitement. Spicy Peri Peri, or Garlic Beef will offer them a flavor punch they won’t soon forget.

Cheese

When it comes to flavor, cheese is the big cheese. Take the cheese trend to the extreme with cheese flavored parmesan chips like Parm Crisps. There ain’t nothing “cheddar” than super thin 100% parmesan crisps mixed with cheddar like in Parm Crisps Cheddar.  Except maybe 4 cheeses — parmesan, Asiago, Romano and Provolone cheeses like in Parm Crisps Four Cheese.  The cheese doesn’t need to stand alone — customers also like it blended with  organic popcorn like in Lesser Evil Classic Cheddah .

From trending flavors, to classics we have the snacks they want to savor.