Dive Brief:
- Mondelez has introduced Ritz Chips & Thins, a new snack that will appeal to consumers looking for healthier snack options, according to a company release.
- The Ritz Crisp & Thins is available in Sea Salt, Cream Cheese & Onion, Bacon and Salt & Vinegar flavors.
- The product first came out in the United Kingdom and found success there before making its way to the United States.
Dive Insight:
Mondelez has made a big move in the snack category by introducing an oven-baked Ritz cracker that offers 50% less fat than its normal crackers. With consumers looking for better-for-you snacks, it’s a move that makes sense.
Global sales of healthy food products are estimated to reach $1 trillion by 2017, according to Euromonitor. Mondelez already found success with the product in the UK before deciding to bring it to America. The crackers also are likely to succeed here with analysts pointing to the fact that Americans are becoming even more health-conscious.
The Global Healthy Snack Food Market Research Report - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast said last year there’s been an increased demand for healthy snacks. The consumers' willingness to eat a healthy convenience snack is having a huge impact on product development around the industry. With overall food growth slowing and consumers looking to eat better, manufacturers are expected to address both concerns: heather versions of older brands is one way to do that.
Other brands that have found success with making products healthier include Campbell’s with its organic soup line and Nestle's Nesquick, which has reduced sugar in its product. Kraft Heinz announced last year it switched to natural ingredients in its Kraft Macaroni & Cheese products. And countless other brands have turned to 100 calorie snack packs that let consumers enjoy their favorite chips, cookies, crackers and pretzels but in moderation.