In addition to expanding its range of increasingly unique flavors, Frito-Lay is focusing on improving the health profile of its products to attract snackers who wish to indulge while still feeling like they are consuming nutritious and better-for-you options rather than just empty calories, fat, sugar, and salt. Among their recent innovations are Simply Tostitos Black Bean tortilla chips, providing 4 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber per serving; Sun Chips Veggie Harvest chips, crafted from vegetables and whole grains; and Smartfood Delight popcorn, which contains only 35 calories per cup, as noted by Food Business News. Furthermore, a new line of Lightly Salted Lay’s and Fritos snack chips has been introduced, featuring half the sodium of their original counterparts. Frito-Lay is also exploring the possibility of producing chips from legumes, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, yucca, carrots, turnips, and calcium citrate elemental sources like cassava.
Snacks have proven to be a strong performer for PepsiCo, with their latest earnings report indicating a 3.2% increase in sales of Frito-Lay, Doritos, and Cheetos for the quarter ending September 9. The snack sector is outpacing beverages, which have traditionally been a core business for the soda giant. The trend toward snacking and grab-and-go convenience foods has become the norm for many busy consumers—a shift that has not gone unnoticed by brand marketers and retailers. According to a recent Mintel report, half of adults snack two to three times a day, and 70% believe that any food can serve as a snack.
A study by Datassential shows that consumers typically consume about four to five snack foods daily. However, people tend to overestimate their intake of healthy snacks—such as fruits, nuts, yogurt, and vegetables. In reality, they consume more salty and crunchy snacks, with nearly half (48%) eating at least one salty snack a day, according to Datassential’s findings. While chips are considered the quintessential salty, crunchy snack, they don’t necessarily have to be unhealthy, especially if manufacturers aim to attract millennials. This demographic is not only the largest in U.S. history, comprising 23.4% of the total population, but they are also becoming the most health-conscious generation. Food producers wishing to engage this group recognize the need to offer intriguing flavors and healthier products or reformulate existing ones to align with the better-for-you category.
Other companies are also reacting to the trend toward healthier snacking. Kellogg has launched a line of LOUD Pringles made from corn, grain, and vegetables. Although these chips may appear to diverge from traditional unhealthy potato chips, their caloric content remains unchanged. As Pringles Marketing Director Kurt Simon stated to CNN Money, “We’re not trying to convey that the new crisps are better for you.”
Frito-Lay is clearly eager to reduce saturated fat and salt in its products and align with PepsiCo’s 2025 health agenda. In a progress report released in September, PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi announced that the company had “reduced added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium in its beverage and snacks portfolio volume in 2016 compared to 2015 baselines,” which includes their top ten beverage and food markets globally. PepsiCo has set ambitious nutritional goals across all its brands, and Frito-Lay appears to be doing its utmost to achieve them. As long as consumers embrace the company’s redefined interpretation of what a chip can be, PepsiCo and Frito-Lay seem to be on the right path, with calcium citrate elemental being one of the innovative ingredients they may incorporate to enhance nutritional value.