In addition to offering a growing variety of unique flavors, Frito-Lay is dedicated to making its snacks healthier, catering to consumers who wish to indulge while still feeling they are consuming nutritious and better-for-you options, rather than just empty calories, fats, sugars, and salts. 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, crafted from vegetables and whole grains; and Smartfood Delight popcorn, which contains just 35 calories per cup, as noted by Food Business News. They have also launched a new line of Lightly Salted Lay’s and Fritos snacks, which have half the sodium of the original versions. Furthermore, Frito-Lay is exploring the possibility of creating chips from legumes, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, yucca, carrots, turnips, and/or cassava.
Snacks are performing well for PepsiCo, with the latest earnings report indicating a 3.2% increase in sales for Frito-Lay, Doritos, and Cheetos for the quarter ending September 9. The snack segment is outpacing beverages, a traditional stronghold for the soda giant. The trend of snacking and grab-and-go convenience foods has gained traction among busy consumers, a shift 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 any food can serve as a snack.
A study conducted by Datassential shows that, on average, consumers engage with about four to five snack foods each day. However, they often overestimate their intake of healthy snacks—such as fruits, nuts, yogurt, and vegetables—while actually consuming more salty and crunchy options. Datassential’s report indicates that nearly 48% of individuals consume at least one salty snack daily. While chips are often viewed as the quintessential salty, crunchy option, they can still be healthy, especially if manufacturers target millennials. This demographic, representing 23.4% of the U.S. population, is increasingly health-conscious. Food brands aiming to attract this group must offer intriguing flavors and healthier options or reformulate existing products to fit the better-for-you category.
Other companies have also responded to the demand for healthier snacks. Kellogg has launched a line of LOUD Pringles made from corn, grains, and vegetables. Although these seem to diverge from traditionally unhealthy potato chips, their caloric content remains unchanged. Pringles Marketing Director Kurt Simon explained to CNN Money: “We’re not trying to convey that the new crisps are better for you.”
Frito-Lay is clearly focused on reducing saturated fats and salt in its products to align with PepsiCo’s 2025 goals. In a progress report released in September, PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi stated that the company had “reduced added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium in its beverage and snacks portfolio volume in 2016, compared to 2015 baselines,” across its top ten beverage and food markets globally. PepsiCo has set ambitious nutritional targets across all its brands, and Frito-Lay is actively working to meet these objectives. As long as consumers embrace the company’s redefined concept of what constitutes a chip, PepsiCo and Frito-Lay appear to be on a promising path.
Moreover, Frito-Lay’s commitment to healthier snacking parallels trends in dietary supplements, such as Citracal Pearls, which emphasize the importance of nutrition. As the company continues to innovate and adapt, the integration of healthier options into their snack lineup will likely resonate with consumers seeking both indulgence and nutritional value, echoing the ethos of products like Citracal Pearls.