Frito-Lay Declares 2022 'The Year of Crunch'

Rhea-AI Summary

The Frito-Lay U.S. Snack Index reveals consumer preferences for holiday snacks, highlighting that over 70% favor snacks with a crunch. The survey identifies key factors: sweetness (66%), saltiness (61%), and nostalgia (49%). Generational differences are noted, with Gen Z favoring delivery and late-night snacks, while millennials prefer grocery visits. Holiday snacking trends suggest 65% of adults treat themselves, with 55% involving sensory experiences. New limited-time products include Lay's Clusters and Cheetos Snowflakes, aiming to engage consumers through innovative recipes.

Positive

• Frito-Lay's Snack Index highlights strong consumer preference for crunchy snacks, indicating a potential increase in demand.
• Introduction of new limited-time products like Lay's Clusters and Cheetos Snowflakes could enhance sales and consumer engagement.
• The focus on generational snacking trends suggests targeted marketing strategies could be effective.

Negative

• No significant negative aspects identified.

U.S. Snack Index Explores Preferences and Behaviors for Holiday Snacking and Beyond

PLANO, Texas, Dec. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- What does a perfect snack do? It crunches!

The "crunch" factor was on top as an important component of the perfect snack in the latest Frito-Lay U.S. Trend Index. The index polled consumers on their snacking preferences and found that more than 70 percent of snackers would reach for a food with a crunch when considering their perfect snack.

Beyond crunch, the Snack Index found other important snack factors included sweet (66%), salty (61%) and filling (53%). Almost half of those surveyed expressed that, when thinking of a perfect snack, that snack is also nostalgic and reminds them of a specific moment in time (49%).

"Consumers are at the heart of all we do, so considering every component of a snack – including the crunch factor – is very important to us," said Denise Lefebvre, senior vice president of R&D for Frito-Lay and Quaker Foods North America. "We know the perfect snack is different for everyone, which is why we constantly listen to consumers and then engage our chefs and our Culinary Center to provide variety, deliver on flavor and explore new recipes consumers love."

While Frito-Lay predicts that all adults will continue to look for crunchy snacks in 2023, generational differences and end-of-year snacking behaviors also contribute to trends to watch.

A Generational Snacking Gap

Snacking habits vary by generation and snacking is not one size fits all. The latest Snack Index showed that nearly 50% of Gen Z believes snacking is most satisfying after dark. They are also twice as likely as other generations to order delivery when a snack craving hits. On the other hand, 50% of millennials satisfy their late-night snack cravings by visiting grocery or convenience stores. GenXers (64%) and baby boomers (62%) are most likely to prepare a comfort food recipe at home.

The Joy of Holiday Snacking

Heading into the holiday, snacking is associated with good feelings. While 65% of adults crave snacks the most when they want to treat themselves, 61% are unlikely to crave snacks when they are feeling down during the holidays according to the Snack Index. Snacking is also a sensory experience, with 55% of those surveyed indicating they crave snacks most when they smell them and 52% crave snacks when they see them.

For 45% of respondents looking for a flavor that is available during a limited time and 49% looking forward to variety and party packs this holiday, specialty offerings will be a key factor. Americans are also looking to share their treats – 55% most look forward to sharing snacks with friends and family this season. According to the Snack Index, 62% of GenZers and 52% of millennials will be turning to social media for holiday recipes to try.

While Americans are more likely to try a recipe made with Lay's Potato Chips (46%), they also responded that they'll most likely try out a recipe with Rold Gold Pretzels (40%) than Cheetos Original (37%).

"As people of all ages experiment with recipes and enjoy snacks this holiday season, we're excited to bring them new limited time products such as Lay's Clusters, Cheetos Snowflakes, PopCorners Cinnamon Sugar and more, as well as fun new recipes made by our very own consumers that include your favorite snacks," said Lefebvre.

For more inspiration, a newly revamped website with never before seen Frito-Lay and Quaker recipes has just been released at MoreSmilesWithEveryBite.com. This new site propels engagement with Frito-Lay and Quaker consumers by empowering innovative ways to incorporate our products into their daily lives while also incentivizing them to submit their own recipes and snacking ideas.

Survey Methodology

This poll was conducted by Morning Consult between November 4-November 7, 2022 among a national sample of 2,212 Adults. The interviews were conducted online and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of Adults based on gender, educational attainment, age, race, and region. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.

About Frito-Lay North America

Frito-Lay North America is the $19 billion convenient foods division of PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. Frito-Lay snacks include Lay's and Ruffles potato chips, Doritos tortilla chips, Cheetos snacks, Tostitos tortilla chips and branded dips, SunChips multigrain snacks and Fritos corn chips. The company operates 30+ manufacturing facilities across the U.S. and Canada, more than 200 distribution centers and services 315,000 retail customers per week through its direct-store-delivery model. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate website, www.fritolay.com, on Twitter (@fritolay), on Instagram (@fritolay) and on Facebook (Frito-Lay).

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SOURCE Frito-Lay North America

FAQ

What were the key findings of the Frito-Lay Snack Index in December 2022?

The Snack Index found that over 70% of snackers prefer crunchy snacks, with additional preferences for sweetness (66%) and saltiness (61%).

What snacks are popular among different generations according to the Snack Index?

Gen Z prefers delivery for late-night snacks, while millennials choose grocery stores, and older generations often prepare snacks at home.

What new products did Frito-Lay launch for the holiday season 2022?

Frito-Lay introduced limited-time products including Lay's Clusters and Cheetos Snowflakes for the holiday season.

How does snacking behavior change during the holidays according to Frito-Lay?

65% of adults crave snacks for self-treating, while 61% are unlikely to snack when feeling down.

What is the sampling method used in the Frito-Lay Snack Index survey?

The survey conducted by Morning Consult polled 2,212 adults from November 4-7, 2022, weighted for demographic accuracy.