Where chips and other salty snacks are number one among men, younger Millennials, Gen-Xers, and Baby Boomers…
When the “munchies” hit, where do on-the-go consumers love to go for their favorite “snack fix” – and what exactly are they buying? Are they grabbing crunchy and salty, fresh and organic, or both? For a glimpse at valuable marketplace intel, check out this review of “Top Spots to Shop for Snack Foods On the Go,” put together by the folks at Prime Planet, maker of popular and all-natural green plantain chips – called Tostones.
They’ve learned a lot over the years, successfully growing the market for their unique line of better-for-you chips. Important lessons like paying heed to the ever-growing demand for healthier options in the snack-food sector; and packaging a product that’s not only great tasting, but also fits on the shelf! Prime Planet knows well that package design is key to getting grab-and-go product into the hands of consumers. That’s why its brightly colored resealable bags are right-sized for retail positioning on the major grocers’ shelves as well as inside a tightly configured convenience store – where snacks rule.
Here We Go …
Did you know that the “on-the-go” snacking sub-category of sales represents at least $1.1 billion in annual business and has experienced double-digit annual growth over the past several years? And that older Millennials and Gen Xers are the “snackiest” generations with 74.4 percent and 72.2 percent, respectively, snacking at least once per day. In addition, according to a consumer survey completed by Progressive Grocer along with sister company EIQ Research Solutions, those generations are the most likely to replace a meal with a snack. Something our moms would never let us do — but hey, we’re all grown up now.
So, for those of us in the business of supplying bulk snack products to these busiest of retail points, let’s start our “top-spots” tour with a review of mom-and-pops and convenience stores. Then stay tuned as we continue our series with Part 2, coming to a Prime Planet email near you.
Quick and Convenient
Among the top spots for snacks on the go is the trusty old neighborhood corner store. But before they were popularized by the likes of 7-11 and Circle K, the go-to places for snacks were “mom-and-pop” corner stores, typically owned by a local individual or family (not a corporation or chain) and catering mostly to pedestrians. Today, it’s nice to know the concept is still alive and well – and growing in many downtown areas. The Business Research Company projects that the mom-and-pop stores market segment will gain $219.4 billion of global annual sales by 2025. One reason? “The term ‘mom and pop’ has become, kind of a catch-all category that includes many more differing store types than the original neighborhood corner/convenience stores for which the name was first coined,” according to CSDecision.com, an online site covering the convenience store industry.
Today, some of these walk-in, single-location stores are upscale urban markets that serve office workers and city slickers, while others are in rural, small-town downtowns, where they often serve as a lifeline for a local community. Most are still owned by entrepreneurs or families, aren’t franchises, and lack the buying “muscle” of larger corporate ventures. But these quick-stop stores have other stellar pluses. Their owners and employees are deeply entrenched in the community. Translation? They call customers by name and can provide highly personalized service. And that inspires strong brand loyalty.
Another plus is that while they still sell the typical range of crunchy snacks, peanuts, and energy bars, many offer the absolute freshest of farm-to-table food or snacks. After all, healthier food – yes, even better-for-you snack chips – are in super high demand these days – which is exactly why Prime Planet boasts that its 100% all-natural tostones are gluten-free, have zero trans-fats, they’re reduced-sodium, non-GMO, and certified vegan – and the list goes on! Did we also mention they’re Kosher?
So, customers can pop in to grab an apple or berries, grown by local farms and at times, the produce is even harvested the same day. In addition, they can offer freshly baked cookies or muffins, again perhaps delivered each morning by a local baker whom they know. But never fear, because increasingly, the mom-and-pop convenience stores are also offering more “grab and go” snacks. It seems that will never change.
A Few New Twists
Knowing the market for snack chips is especially hot these days, Prime Planet is now making moves to make its multi-flavor line of crunchy green plantain chips jump out even more to shoppers on the go – by shifting its packaging design. Be it the bright lime green package, the sharp red habanero, the vibrant pink sweet chili, or the original flavor (sea salt) in our classic orange bag, our tostones already come in colorful bags designed to reflect the natural essence of the tasty all-natural product within. But now, with a few new twists to the bag’s appearance introduced in late 2021, Prime Planet is betting its popular snack chip will look even more appealing on the retail shelf. The new design features plantain leaf veins fading across the entire line of tostones bags, a slightly modified bold yellow typography, and an updated logo that more clearly shows a banana leaf wrapping around the Earth.
A Bright and Crunchy Future
Over the past few years, snacking has steadily worked its way into the food choices that consumers make on a daily basis What’s tops for a snack? In Progressive Grocer/EIQ Research, chips were the number one snack for men, younger Millennials, Generation Xers, and Baby Boomers, cheese was tops for mature travelers, but the fruit has become the number one snack food for women and older Millennials. With increasing grab-and-go options and places that sell those, we believe the business of snack production and distribution and sales has a bright future. Fortunately, it’s an appetizing equation for those of us in grocery supply and transport, and one that should bode well for future sales.
About Our International Food Company
An innovative international food company based in Miami, Prime Planet’s corporate mission is to bring to market the best gluten-free snacks – that are delicious, nutritious, and healthier for you. For more information, or to become a distributor yourself for our green plantain chips contact Business Development Manager Marie Gonzales at 305-592-2044, or via email at bdm@primefreshproducts.com.
