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What I learned at Snaxpo
By Keith Shaw
Senior Reviews Editor, Taquitos.net
ORLANDO — Even for a snack connoisseur, the Snack Food Association's 2001 Snaxpo convention was an amazing experience. Here are some of the key facts I learned:
- From John Stossel, keynote speaker: "Freedom works."
- Lima, Ohio, is the pork rind capital of the world.
- Snacks and chocolate are recession proof.
- 60 percent of snack food growth (revenue-wise) comes from new products.
- It costs a company around $35 million on average to introduce a new product nationwide, and you get about 12 weeks for it to succeed before grocery stores give up on it.
One of the conference sessions was called "Consumer Snacking 2001: Profiles and Trends." Here are some highlights that I could remember:
- Convenience in foods will continue. Anything that takes the steps out of a process will become successful. Witness the "chip/dip" combo packs that Frito Lay is now selling. Open the package, you have chips and dip right there. No need to go to the fridge! At the testing area, Jays demonstrated a combo pack that had mini pretzels and honey mustard that was extremely tasty. Other examples included a pre-cooked baked potato that includes the sour cream, butter and salt and pepper inside the package. All you have to do is nuke the potato for a few minutes and you've got instant lunch.
- The "play with your food" syndrome will continue. For example, Heinz introduced ketchup in fun squeezable packaging, as well as "green" ketchup around the holidays. In the snacking arena, Hershey launched a "Candy factory" product. Sold by the case (12 kits) as a birthday party activity, the kits include a 1.2-oz. Custom-molded Hershey's chocolate bar that includes cavities that the user would fill with one of four different fillings (Reese's peanut butter, white frosting, chocolate cookie bits or rainbow sprinkles).
- The definition of snacking continues to change, as does the definition of mealtime. For example, expect to see more products like Kellogg's Snack-ums products, where Kellogg's took some of their more popular cereals and turned them into "snacks." Beverages will also be promoted as snacks, such as protein drinks, etc.
- Smaller, bite-size portions will be introduced. Things like mini-Oreos and Sara Lee cheesecake bites prove this point. People on diets think that it's OK to take little bites instead of eating large portions, and the companies are recognizing this.
- Upscale snacks made with exotic ingredients (olive oil, sweet potato chips) will continue.
- No longer do people eat "three square meals" per day. Meals can occur at any time of the day, and products will reflect this. For example, look at "IncrEdibles." Like those old "push up" ice cream treats that came on a stick, IncrEdibles have macaroni and cheese, or scrambled eggs, that you would heat up and "push up" in order to eat.
2001 predictions for snacks, as well as other consumer products: You read it here first — don't blame me if they don't come true. This was from the session:
- More transdermal patches that help kick habits will be introduced, such as a "pain relief" patch or an "aromatherapy patch."
- Single-portion sizes, both in food and non-food items, will explode.
- The household / cosmetic scent of the year: Green tea
- Packaging will begin to get with the times and the aging population — expect easier-to-read and easier-to-open packages.
- Hemp becomes the new soy. No, not that kind of hemp. You'll see more snack products cooked with hemp oil.
- Specialty meats will make inroads. Expect to see products made with buffalo or emu. A caveat on this prediction, depends on how the mad cow issue plays out.
Flavors of the year
- Artichoke (expect to see in dips/spreads)
- Mediterranean (eggplant)
- Cuisine of the year: Spanish (paella, tapas, olives and olive oil)
- Olives, olives, olives.
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