Nuts, fruits, and other common inclusions deliver many attributes consumers seek, including elevated taste, texture, and nutrition. In addition, these ingredients address consumer increasing interest in plant-based foods and proteins, and often fit clean-label criteria.
Salty snacks like chips, popcorn, pretzels, and snack crackers have long been a staple in the home, and have become even more essential now during the coronavirus pandemic.
This year's IFT show was very different because of the coronavirus pandemic: it was virtual-only, and was renamed SHIFT20. All events took place online, from July 12-15.
The popcorn category has enjoyed a very strong past year, with a particularly strong jump early in the year after the COVID-19 pandemic hit U.S. shores.
One of the fascinating aspects of today's snack industry is the supreme flexibility of the term "snack." Almost anything can constitute a snack, given the right portion size, its relative convenience, and requisite craveability.
Flavor trends across the snack and bakery market can gain inspiration from any number of directions, including prevailing currents in foodservice, ethnic items gaining more-widespread appeal, interest in better-for-you foods, and more.