Cricket One, a Vietnamese startup producing edible insects, has opened a new cricket processing facility it claims is the largest in Asia. It has also closed a “seven-figure” series A funding round. The new plant is in Binh Phuoc, north of Saigon, and will be able to process 1,000 metric tons a year initially, rising to ten times that volume within a few years. It will supply human, petfood and animal feed markets, offering supplements, protein powders, textured cricket meat and cricket snacks. Nearly half the crickets are farmed nearby in cricket sheds, operated under the company’s guidance by local farmers. Cricket One also farms some of its own crickets. The production line for 1,000 tonnes of crickets a year requires only five workers. Insect consumption is becoming popular in Asia, but Asia lags Europe in terms of product innovation, even though Europe has higher cultural barriers to insect consumption. Cricket One’s first consumer launch, earlier this year, was seasoned whole crickets under the Rec Rec brand on e-commerce platforms and also cross-sold by beer brands. It will launch a cricket chip – including ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat formats –in October.

David Walsh, vice president of membership and communication for SNAC International, highlighted snack trends he noticed at Pack Expo 2023, held in Las Vegas. Almost half of consumers snack over three times daily, with younger consumers driving growth, and there is a trend towards night-time snacking, when cravings peak for calorie-dense food. Flavor trends include spicy options as well as sweet flavors like berries, cinnamon and chocolate nut flavors, as well as tangy snacks. There is a growing interest in flavors from around the world, elevating experiences as consumers stay at home. Better-for-you snacks have seen some growth, but indulgence dominates. Mintel says 54 percent of consumers look to snacks as a treat; only 22 percent are more motivated by health. BFY trends include prebiotics and probiotics, as well as antioxidants, allergen-friendly and plant-based protein. Also, and especially among the younger consumers, there is a growing demand for snacks to reflect their sentiments on social, environmental and other areas of awareness.

A report by Alpha-Diver, a neuroscience-based market research firm, says Gen Z has distinctive snacking habits, revealing three macro differences. ‘Choosing Chewy’. Fruity/chewy candy and meat snacks/jerky have significantly increased in popularity among Gen Z. Chewy snacks hold emotional importance for Gen Z, possibly due to chewing’s stress-reducing benefits, relevant given Gen Z’s high stress levels. ‘Better-for-you May Not Be Better For Business’. Surprisingly, snack categories typically associated with BFY options, such as nuts, snack bars, and pretzels, aren't popular with Gen Z. Alpha-Diver says Gen Z’s snacking decisions are primarily driven by emotional satisfaction and escape rather than solely health considerations, so marketers are encouraged to offer "better-to-you" emotional experiences. ‘Name Brands Matter’. While economic uncertainty often leads to concerns about consumers shifting to store brands, Gen Z prioritizes individual experiences over social conformity when it comes to snacking. Store brands are less appealing to this generation, emphasizing the importance of meeting the core emotional needs of Gen Z consumers for brand success. Despite economic uncertainty, Gen Z prefers known brands that offer reassurance and better meets their emotional needs compared to store brands. The report, "Introducing The Snack 50 Psych Pulse Gen Z Edition: Surprising WHYs Behind Gen Z's Snack Decisions," suggests brands should focus on addressing emotional needs and experiences to cater to Gen Z's distinctive snacking preferences.

Unison, a Romanian healthy snacks startup, seeks EUR 225,000 through a public fundraising campaign on SeedBlink. It aims to use the funds to diversify its range of snacks and spreads, expand production and list its products in major chain stores. The brand’s products are based on seeds, fruit and nuts, and these are foods which Romanians consume little of. Unison is looking to increase awareness for the benefits of its granolas, natural nut butters and raw bars, which are available online and in over 60 Romanian physical stores and distributors.

Beginning September 2023, KP Snacks is running a £1 million marketing campaign in the UK for its better-for-you Popchips brand. It will include a return to cinema, in partnerships with DCM and Pearl & Dean, supported by out-of-home advertising. Alex Callender, brand manager for Popchips, said: “The popchips brand is growing strongly and the new media investment will help to further propel brand awareness.”

KIND Snacks has launched #myKINDhero, a search for the UK’s kindest person, someone who has “gone above and beyond in their bid to have a positive impact on the world”. They will be nominated by people in their community. Following last year’s campaign, which saw 500 nominated, this year's #myKINDhero will win a statue to celebrate their generosity to be displayed in an “iconic British location on World Kindness Day”. Jo Newby won last year for fostering 92 children over two decades and establishing three pan-disability soccer teams.

LesserEvil LLC has secured funding from several investors to fuel expansion in capacity and distribution. It makes organic popcorn and salty snacks at its two factories, in Danbury and New Milford, Connecticut, and sells them across the US, in some Canadian retailers, at Ritchies Supermarket in Australia and also in the UAE. Founded in 2015, it has built a strong following for its organic and better-for-you “mindful snacking” products. The brand started out in the natural grocery channel and has now reached mass market and conventional grocery retailers, including Target, Walmart, Whole Foods Market and Safeway Albertson’s. Co-founder Charles Coristine says “2024 is the year of the multipack and we are making big investments in our production capabilities…to ensure we can get on-the-go packs in the hands of all of our consumers”. 

Mike Gilligan, owner of 12 Gilligan’s Retail stores across Arizona and Montana, said that snacks sales, and especially salty ones, are growing strongly at c-stores, and added that the convenience channel is adding healthier options to address that consumer trend. With concerns over the cost of living, Gilligan’s is seeing price-conscious customers choosing snacks that are healthier and can bridge the gap between meals. This insight aligns with that of Nathan Arnold, director of marketing at Englefield Inc., which has 120 stores in West Virginia and Ohio, who says customers are increasingly looking for snacks that align with their diets: “keto, paleo and low sodium or sugar.” At 31 locations in Ohio, FriendShip Stores are seeing more customers looking for gluten free, high protein, low sugar or with better-for-you profiles. Heat & spice is another trend the channel is seeing, including a mix of citrus or fruit with heat. 

Pipcorn is a mini-popcorn brand that appeared on Shark Tank in 2014 and attracted an investment deal offered by Barbara Corcoran. It uses kernels about half the size of normal popcorn, cooked using olive oil. Shark Tank Season 7 featured an update that said Pipcorn had won an award for outstanding sweet snack at the 2015 Summer Fancy Food Show and was being sold in 75 different stores. Some investment difficulties followed, but in 2019 the brand secured $6 million from Factory LLC and branched out with new heirloom-based snacks, including cheese puffs. Pipcorn continues to grow, based on its flagship popcorn product, and is sold on its own website, as well as on Amazon, and at Whole Foods, Target, Walmart and Ralphs. Estimated revenues are around $5 million; market value is around $10 million. The founders continue to support marginalized entrepreneurs, including those from the BIPOC community. 

Epicurium, a UK snacks wholesaler, is distributing nine additional crisps brands, including Shore, Fairfields Farm and Two Farmers, taking the range it offers to over 35 brands and more than 200 lines. Its research led it to explore four core areas for crisps: sustainable and independent brands; exotic, bolder flavors; innovation in protein snacks; and healthier options. 

Nutri-Grain Vanilla Malt with 25% Less Sugar is a healthier take on an Australian favorite. Clara McMullin, product development manager and chief taste tester at Kellogg’s Australia, said Australians are becoming more health-aware and that the new product has been developed secretly for two years. It will be sold nationally at Coles and Woolworths, and in independent stores.

In 2005, Camilla Barnard's dissatisfaction with the salt content in her breakfast cereal sparked the idea for Rude Health, a food business aimed at providing truly healthy options. Based in the south-west of England, Rude Health has evolved from a kitchen-table venture into a thriving brand with a £30 million annual turnover and some 60 products. The original mission was to make “the world’s best muesli, with 23 real ingredients.” A commitment to transparency and real ingredients in products like the "ultimate granola" and dairy-free milks has resonated with health-conscious consumers. 

The Board of Directors has approved the split of Kellogg Company into Kellanova and WK Kellogg Co., to be effective October 2, 2023. Kellanova will focus on snacks and emerging markets and is expected to generate annual revenue of around $13.5 billion and with long-term annual organic sales growth of 3-5 percent. WK Kellogg will build on iconic brands and a market leading position in North American cereal. It expects annual net sales of around $2.7 billion. 

Maine Crisp has been rebranded to become Better With Buckwheat, as a precursor to launching its buckwheat products in more snacking categories. CEO Lewis Goldstein said: “As consumers embrace buckwheat as an ingredient that delivers taste, nutrition, and sustainability benefits, we see enormous potential to bring buckwheat to multiple snack categories”, appealing to those that want products that are gluten-free, grain-free, non-GMO or vegan. The Maine Crisp line will be retained and Better With Buckwheat is launching a new range of crackers in three flavors: Sea Salt, Everything, and Rosemary & Herb. 

MASA tortilla chips are finding a niche and are the best seller in the Erewhon neighbourhood of Los Angeles. Unlike most chips that are made with seed oil, MASA chips are made by hand and fried in beef tallow. The company, Ancient Crunch, emphasises research that claims seed oils are toxic, pointing to high concentrations of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), including linoleic acid, which has been linked to obesity and diabetes. Mice studies have shown linoleic acid can lead to increased food consumption, larger fat cells, and disrupted hormone levels. Founder Steven Arena says there is growing awareness about the dangers of seed oil and demand for MASA chips is rising with the company selling ‘upwards of mid-tens of thousands of bags each month’. 

Dick's Potato Chips unveiled a new "Sweet And Smoky Barbecue" flavor to complement its existing "Salty" option. The brand aims to make snacking an "experiential" and humorous activity, associating it with gatherings like backyard parties and movie nights. Both flavors are produced by the Midwest family-owned chip manufacturer with almost a century of experience. The chips are sold in 2.75-ounce bags priced at $2.99 and can be purchased online at dickspotatochips.com and in select retail outlets and breweries across the country.

To promote its "Highly Thoughtful Snacks" brand platform, MadeGood initiated the "Share Some Good Fund," offering $200,000 to 1,000 teachers across Canada to alleviate out-of-pocket expenses for school supplies. The brand is encouraging nominations of deserving teachers through its microsite as well as in-store promotions, and ads are currently running nationally in Canada, and in the top 20 markets in the U.S.

A new range of Caribbean-inspired snacks is being sold at Tesco and Morrisons supermarkets in the UK. Grace Foods UK has launched Grace Exotic Chips in three flavors: Cassava Chips, Purple Sweet Potato and Tostones. They are cooked in kettles in small batches to achieve the “crunch” and maintain natural flavors. They are vegan and gluten-free and contain cholesterol or trans-fats, and priced at £1.60 for a 75g bag.

ONE Brands, known for its protein bars, has expanded into the salty protein snacks market with the introduction of ONE Puffs. These protein-packed snacks provide a cheesy and crunchy flavor experience with 14 grams of protein, 3-4 net carbs, and 150 calories per serving. Available in two flavors, Shreddin' Cheddar and Spicy Nacho, ONE Puffs are designed for mid-afternoon and evening snacking and seek to tap consumers who enjoy savory cheese puffs and want added protein. The snacks are now available at Walmart, sold in individual bags and cases of 10 bags. 

ONE Brands is adding to its range of salty protein snacks with ONE Puffs!, now available at Walmart. They contain 14g of protein and 150 calories, as well as 3-4g of net carbs. There are two flavors: Shreddin' Cheddar and Spicy Nacho. They are sold in individual bags or in 10-bag packs.

Florida-based food tech company Superlatus Inc. has developed protein snacks based on pulses. The twists are produced using advanced extrusion systems from Superlatus subsidiary Sapientia Technology, LLC. The protein twists contain 25 percent less calories than traditional snacks, as well as 8g of more protein, 3g of fiber, 40 percent less fat, 67 percent less saturated fat and 20 percent less sodium, and are currently sold 300 federated cooperatives in Canada under private labels and will launch through Brave Robot, a Superlatus brand.

Habanero Nacho Sweet Potato Chips with Avocado Oil offers kettle-cooked sweet potato chips with flavor and heat. They are produced by Jackson’s and have a vegan seasoning dusting containing habanero chiles, as well as cheddar and Romano cheeses. Scott Reamer, co-founder and innovation lead, said Jackson’s uses “top-quality, unadulterated avocado oil with low inflammation properties” to produce premium and healthy oil snacks. The chips are made from heirloom and non-GMO sweet potatoes, high in fiber and antioxidants. They are also free from artificial flavors and ingredients, and the top nine allergens, as well as being consistent with diets like vegan, Keto, Paleo, Kosher, gluten-free and grain-free. Suggested retail prices are $1.79 for the 1.5oz bags and $4.49 for the 5oz bags.  

Denise Woodard, founder and CEO of Partake Foods, talks about how the brand aims to help people with food allergies by making gluten-free vegan snacks without nuts, GMOs, artificial flavors or preservatives. The brand was established in 2006 and, with the help of a Kickstarter campaign, started with gluten-free cookies and graham crackers that are now available in almost 12,000 retail outlets in the US. Woodward is also keen to give back. A partnership with No Kid Hungry has seen them donate more than a million meals, and they also donate snacks through the Birthday Party Project to support birthday parties for children who experience homelessness.

A study reported in the European Journal of Nutrition found that around a quarter of health-conscious frequent snackers in the UK were also snacking unhealthily. It found that “the act of snacking, in terms of both frequency and quantity of energy from snacks, was not associated with unfavourable cardiometabolic blood or anthropometric markers…we observed that snack quality matters and is associated with favourable lipemic and insulinemic responses, as well as decreased hunger.” However, those eating “high quality” snacks, like fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, were healthier than those eating low-quality snacks, which were associated with higher BMI, visceral fat mass and postprandial triglycerides concentrations, all of which are linked to metabolic disease. The study also found that healthiest snacking was typically earlier in the day.  

Noisy Snacks, based in Tyrone, Northern Ireland, has signed a supply deal with Tesco reportedly worth around £500,000. Formed five years ago, it produces and sells pulse-based snacks. The deal to supply almost 700 Tesco Stores in the UK and another 100 in the Republic of Ireland will double the brand’s sales of chickpeas, peanuts and broad beans. All the products are gluten free, high in protein and fiber, and vegan, and come in 25g, 100g and 150g bags.

Aquascot, a Scotland-based seafood processor committed to sustainability, has acquired SHORE: The Scottish Seaweed Co., a seaweed snack company from the same region. The collaboration aims to accelerate growth of SHORE Seaweed and promote healthy snack alternatives. SHORE Seaweed products include seaweed chips in flavors like Sweet Sriracha, Lightly Salted, Peking Duck and Barbecue. In Australia, biotech research company Fremantle Seaweed received an AUD 4 million grant to expand its seaweed farming operations, contributing to eco-friendly solutions for greenhouse gas emissions, potentially encompassing a multisite commercial operation with a focus on various seaweed species and products. Finally, Oregon Seaweed, an aquaculture farm based in Garibaldi, Oregon, is collaborating with HAB Sauce to introduce the world's first seaweed chili crisp. Oregon Seaweed is an investment backed by private equity principal and venture capital company Katapult Ocean. 

A federal judge allowed a consumer class action to advance against Mondelez International relating to its label for Enjoy Life lentil chips. The plaintiff alleges that the label, which mentions “high protein” and “protein packed”, is misleading. US District Judge Jeffrey White said that the “plaintiff has plausibly alleged his claim that the ‘high protein’ and ‘protein-packed’ statements on the product labels are unlawful based on the omission of the corrected amount of protein per serving.” After an earlier complaint from the same plaintiff was dismissed, this new one is omission-based and argues that the label is unlawful and deceptive because it omits “the corrected amount of protein in the nutrition facts panel.” Mondelez did, however, get one of the plaintiff’s complaints dismissed: “the court is not persuaded by plaintiff’s allegations that the statements 'better-for-you' and 'one of the best sources of plant-based protein' would mislead a reasonable consumer”. 

Chinese snack brand San Chun shares its insights on achieving success in China's competitive snacking industry. It produces chip-like snacks from milk crust – formed when milk is boiled – that is then dried. The tradition originated in Tibet and Inner Mongolia. San Chun commercialized it and now holds 90 percent of the category nationally. CEO Yuanhang Zhang said innovation from thinking out of the box is key in China rather than operating in busy categories and relying on competitive pricing. Instead, San Chun focuses on the unique and unexpected, but it still needs to align with consumer demands and trends. With new categories, consumer education is often required, and Zhang stressed the need to assess whether such an investment would pay off. 

Subscription snacking is emerging as a significant trend, driven by the convenience and tailored experiences it offers consumers. Instead of making impromptu trips to physical stores, consumers increasingly opt for subscription-based services, where they receive curated products regularly at their doorsteps.  The primary factor driving the popularity of subscription snacking is convenience. Over 30% of consumers prefer ordering groceries online due to its convenience (McKinsey, 2022). And a Statista study found 57% of respondents subscribed to a subscription box service because it saved them time. Key success factors for D2C subscription services include ease of use, risk free ordering with easy cancellation, speedy delivery, and rising reliance on data-driven personalization.

At its recent earnings call, Hain Celestial teased a “reimagined” go-to-market strategy announcement at the upcoming investor day in mid-September. Broadly, it will cover SKU rationalization and initiatives aimed at expanding its number of distribution points. Wendy P. Davidson, president and CEO, said the SKU assortment must work hard, and that innovation has to be “truly incremental” for the brand. Ms. Davidson also said that immediate consumption opportunities, for example at c-stores, airports, offices and universities, “drive brand reach and visibility and are both price and margin accretive, that shoppers are willing to pay more for convenience.” 

In the UK, Somerset-based Mr Filbert’s, a fine foods producer, is now an official supplier for Bath Rugby. It makes a range protein-rich and better-for-you snacks at its plant near Glastonbury and will supply the team matchday snacks, which spectators can also buy in the stadium’s bars. Mr Filbert’s has for years been an official supplier for Somerset County Cricket Club. 

CRAVE, a UK-based snack producer and winner of TV’s Aldi’s Next Big Thing, announced that it had secured a listing at select Sainsbury’s stores for its recently-relaunched Pickled Onion Noughties and Hot & Spicy Hot Dawgs snacks. The free-from brand recently renamed some of its products after cease-and-desist letters accused it of using names too similar to other products. CRAVE’s products are aimed at everyone, including those following vegan diets and food allergy sufferers. 198 Sainsbury’s stores will stock the snacks from this month, and they will be available online too at Sainsburys.co.uk. 

Nightfood, Inc. has signed a deal that makes its products available at some US Best Western hotels, owned by BWH Hotels. Nightfood makes sleep-friendly snacks to cater to the over 80 percent of Americans that snack at night on a regular basis. Its products use ingredients that it says sleep and nutrition experts claim contain fewer sleep-disruptive and more sleep-inducing ingredients. It produces Nightfood ice cream, cookies, and other snacks, with hotels a key focus. 

Planet A Foods is teaming up with Peter Kölln, another German company, to launch a trio of oat muesli flavors under the Kölln brand, using Planet A’s cocoa-free chocolate alternative, ChoViva. The flavors are Crunchy Waffle, Crunchy Hazel and Crunchy Berry. ChoViva helps address some of the challenges faced in the cocoa supply chain, such as climate change and limited land availability. It uses regional oats and sunflower seeds to replace cocoa beans, reducing water use by up to 94 percent and CO2 emissions by as much as 90 percent versus conventional chocolate production. Manfred Vondran, CEO of Peter Kölln, said: “Our three new oat muesli varieties, #VeganChocstars, made with the chocolate alternative ChoViva, are a real innovation on the cereal shelf and support our goal to drive the nutritional turnaround with plant-based products.”

KP Snacks, through its Popchips brand, is launching a new line of non-HFSS popcorn in two flavors: salted and sweet & salty. The move is aimed at expanding the Popchips portfolio and attracting new adult consumers to the popcorn category and reflects the brand's efforts to tap into the growing demand for healthier snack options. The Popchips popcorn will be available in a sharing bag format at an initial price of £2. 

Lekh Raj Juneja, a CEO with Indian roots, is leading Japan's Kameda Seika, a renowned senbei (rice cracker) manufacturer to sell traditional Japanese rice crackers to the world. The company seeks to tap rising demand for plant based foods and launched vegan-labeled products. Additionally, in July 2023, it established a department dedicated to developing globally appealing products and aim to have them in foreign markets within three years. Juneja's vision is to have international sales account for 50 percent of the company's revenue by 2030, and his efforts have already resulted in a 150 percent increase in overseas sales in the past year.

Blanco Niño is a fried tortilla chip brand produced in Clonmel in the Republic of Ireland and established by Philip Nolan, inspired by his time living in California. He wanted to produce the chip by starting from the seed, but the Irish climate proved unsuitable for high-quality dried corn, and so the brand imports organically grown corn from Illinois. Each chip goes through a three-day process: the dried corn is cooked and soaked overnight in water containing calcium hydroxide, mined from the earth, using an Aztec technique. It’s then rinsed, the hulls removed and the corn ground. It’s then kneaded into a thick masa dough, thinly rolled and stretched, cut into circles and baked. About half are sold to restaurants as fresh tortillas; the rest are left overnight before being cut up and fried. Blanco Niño tortilla chips are available across Europe and are launching in Marks and Spencer and the Co-op in the UK in the Fall.

WILDE, a meat-based protein bar brand that pivoted into flavored chicken-based protein chips, has recently expanded distribution beyond Whole Foods, Sprouts and Costco to Target and Walmart. CEO and founder Jason Wright said “we take what works well on classic chicken dishes and turn that into a healthy snack.” The chips span categories between natural and grocery to sports nutrition aisles. At Target, they can be found in the sports nutrition section, but in salty snack aisle at Walmart. Barbecue Chicken launched earlier this year, and the next flavor, Spicy Queso, is scheduled for launch in September. WILDE is also adding a second production at its Winchester, Kentucky facility. WILDE uses chicken breasts from Coleman Naturals, and adds chicken bone broth and egg white, both of which contribute to the chips’ texture and crunch. The brand operates in a sparse meat-based chip category, which includes pork rinds. 

Data from GlobalData show how health and wellness is still a dominant driver for patent applications for savory snacks around the world, even though the numbers are down year-on-year. In the year to the end of June 2022, 259 bakery applications were filed. In the 12 months to end-June this year, that number had fallen to 208. In both years, health and wellness was the most common classification, with 95 and 65 filings respectively.