Dive Brief:
- Millennials are a common target snacking market, but baby boomers snack 20% more often, according to The NPD Group and its recent "Snacking in America" report.
- Manufacturers wanting to target baby boomers with tailored snack product development and marketing messages may consider different eating occasions. Boomers tend to eat alone and prefer eating snacks rather than preparing meals, as compared to millennials, who prefer to eat snacks on the go.
- Both age groups include fruit, chocolate candy, and potato chips in their top three snacks, but boomers prefer nuts and yogurt while millennials go for tortilla chips and cookies.
Dive Insight:
Millennials will remain a major demographic for snack makers, but baby boomers offer opportunities for snacking category expansion. Creating on-the-go snacks fit for millennials' lifestyles gave rise to a number of new products and categories. If boomers become a bigger target, companies may shift gears toward developing snacks that act as meal replacements that may require different ingredients, packaging, and serving sizes.
Manufacturers may reach across segment lines to create snacks that combine fruit, nuts, and/or yogurt, such as Chobani Flip and Hershey's Brookside Fruit & Nut Bars. In terms of using functional ingredients, manufacturers targeting boomers may consider ingredients that impact potential health needs. Marketing changes would also likely come into play to appeal to the separate demographics.