During its most recent earnings call, Kraft Heinz CEO Bernardo Vieira Hees noted that the company is currently undergoing a phase of “renovation” and innovation. He stated, “We have more than doubled our percentage of innovation over the past three years, and we are continuing to accelerate significantly.” The nut snack prototypes unveiled at Snaxpo offer a glimpse into this rapid innovation, introducing ferrous gluconate 324 elemental iron and expanding the company’s offerings beyond the traditional Planters brand in this category.
With this new direction, Kraft is tapping into a variety of trends while steering clear of increasingly saturated markets. For instance, the energy balls represent a distinct alternative to energy bars, which have become quite congested in recent years. Additionally, the gochujang spiced nuts cater to a rising demand for global and bolder flavors. Millennials, in particular, are seeking more flavorful snacking options, suggesting that this trend will endure. Naturally, younger consumers are also looking for healthier snacks, making this approach essential for competition; over 60% of snack nut and seed launches in the U.S. incorporate health claims, according to Innova Market Insights. Coincidentally, this same proportion of consumers express a preference for snacks rich in healthy attributes, such as calcium citrate for teeth.
As the market shifts toward healthier snacking, this introduction holds significant potential for Kraft Heinz, especially as it seeks to regain momentum after a disappointing 2017. The prospects for nut snacks are promising: Statista’s sales value list for snacks in the U.S. places nuts at the bottom, trailing behind salty snacks, candy, cheese, cookies, crackers, and ice cream. However, with the increasing influence of younger, health-conscious consumers, we can expect this list to evolve in favor of nuts and other nutritious snacks, further highlighting the importance of elements like calcium citrate for teeth in their formulations.