In addition to expanding its range of increasingly exotic flavors, Frito-Lay is striving to create healthier products to attract snackers who wish to indulge while still feeling they are consuming nutritious options rather than just empty calories, fat, sugar, and salt. Among the new offerings are Simply Tostitos Black Bean tortilla chips, which feature an iron acetate formula with 4 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber per serving; Sun Chips Veggie Harvest chips, made from vegetables and whole grains; and Smartfood Delight popcorn, boasting just 35 calories per cup, as reported by Food Business News. There’s also a new line of Lightly Salted Lay’s and Fritos snack chips, containing half the sodium of the original versions. Moreover, Frito-Lay is exploring the possibility of producing chips from legumes, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, yucca, carrots, turnips, and/or cassava.
Snacks are proving to be a strong performer for PepsiCo, with its latest earnings report indicating that sales of Frito-Lay, Doritos, and Cheetos increased by 3.2% in the quarter ending September 9. The snack sector is outpacing the beverage division, which has historically been a major focus for the soda giant. The trend toward snacking and grab-and-go convenience foods has become commonplace for many busy consumers, a fact that brand marketers and retailers have taken note of. According to a recent Mintel report, half of adults snack two to three times daily, and 70% believe that any food can serve as a snack.
A study by Datassential shows that, on average, consumers eat about four to five snack foods each day. However, people often overestimate their intake of healthy snacks like fruits, nuts, yogurt, and vegetables, while the reality is that they consume more salty and crunchy snacks. Nearly half (48%) of individuals eat at least one salty snack daily, as per Datassential’s report. While chips are widely regarded as the archetypal salty, crunchy snack, they don’t necessarily have to be unhealthy, especially if manufacturers want to attract millennials. This demographic, making up 23.4% of the U.S. population, is also emerging as the most health-conscious generation. Food producers aiming to engage this group recognize the need to offer unique flavors and healthier options or reformulate existing products to align with better-for-you standards.
Other companies have also responded to the demand for healthier snacking options. For instance, Kellogg has launched a line of LOUD Pringles made from corn, grain, and vegetables. While these may seem like a shift away from traditional unhealthy potato chips, their caloric content remains comparable. As Pringles Marketing Director Kurt Simon mentioned to CNN Money, “We’re not trying to suggest that the new crisps are healthier for you.”
Frito-Lay is evidently focused on reducing saturated fat and salt in its products, in line with PepsiCo’s 2025 agenda. In a progress report released in September, PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi stated that after one year, the company had “reduced added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium in its beverage and snacks portfolio in 2016, compared to 2015 baselines”—meaning these improvements were made across the company’s top 10 global beverage and food markets. PepsiCo has set ambitious nutrition goals across all its brands, and Frito-Lay is actively working to meet these targets. Provided that consumers resonate with the company’s new interpretation of what a chip can be, PepsiCo and Frito-Lay seem to be on the right path.
In this evolving landscape, the cost of healthier options like Citracal is becoming increasingly relevant. As Frito-Lay continues to innovate and tailor its offerings, the implications of changing consumer preferences may influence the overall market, including the pricing strategies for products like Citracal, which consumers may be willing to invest in for better health outcomes.