Retailer Advice
The Best Healthier Snacks for Retailers
A Lowdown on What Independent Retailers Should Know
There’s a very different game in town these days. Consumers are no longer happy simply sticking with the same tried and tested brands, it’s all about differentiation. Consumers are looking for a ‘wow’ moment, a chance to discover something different and be the first on social media with a new snack – the opportunity to influence, not just follow. Consumers' pursuit for health and wellness is impacting all aspects of life, never more than through food and drink. There's no denying it's reshaping the world of snacking in particular.
Vegan snacks have hit the big time, protein snacks are in the mainstream and natural energy drinks are in everyone's fridges - a few years ago these would have all been considered niche! Healthier snacking has a sky-high penetration, but retailers need to make space for healthier options and adventurous flavours to stay on trend. Research has shown 70%+ of shoppers have changed their snacking habits with a majority wanting healthier on the go options.
Should the average c-store retailer feel nervous about the 'try something new' agenda? Maybe not, since there’s positive evidence that embracing the overall trend for health, and stocking the right selection, can actually improve category sales. It's time you should consider introducing more protein snacks, vegan sweets, and alternative savoury snacks. It's not likely retailers will be able to continue to build success if they haven’t got anything new to offer customers. This is where we'll help you.
What Should You Be Looking For?
The popularity of food-to-go and healthy snacking has never been greater. Convenience and food-to-go are increasingly intertwined, with becoming increasingly critical to the prospects of most convenience stores.
With competition increasing, it’s time to think about how you can match up to against your local competition – including the major multiples and high street coffee chains. It's no surprise you'll see healthier snack bars such as KIND and Grenade up sold alongside branded coffees, and alternative crisps becoming a mainstay in lunchtime meal deals. Busy lifestyles and less structured eating patterns mean all day offerings are also playing a big part. Mealtimes and meal formats have blurred, resulting in a surge of snacking opportunities. The fast-paced world of snacking means it is essential to stay relevant in the market, ensuring your range is fresh, fast and healthy, as well as tasty, good value and convenient.
With years of experience as a dedicated healthier snacking distributor, we have learned a thing or two about what goes in to giving our customers the insight and advice they need to know about healthier impulse snacking.
Even though a strong online presence seems important for many retailers, it’s important to not overlook the power of your brick-and-mortar store. But the challenge for some is how to increase foot traffic and boost in-store sales. As a manager or owner, you know that having more customers in your store will lead to many more opportunities to drive sales, which leads to a bigger bottom line and a healthier business.