Snacking, the ideal food trend for bakers!

Snacking, eating between meals, is gaining importance in out-of-home food consumption. The traditional times when people only go out for lunch around noon or eat at a restaurant in the evening are increasingly not the norm. Of all the food people buy to eat immediately, 32% is a snack. This can be in the morning between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. or in the afternoon between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

How do people buy a snack?

When people buy a snack, there are three factors that influence the purchasing decision. First of all, there are customers who want to enjoy a snack in a convivial location with good service. They carefully decide on their destination. Enjoyment is their main motivation. About 57% of people who snack are driven by enjoyment.

The second largest group of people opt for speed. These customers don’t have much time and make their purchase at a place along their route or where they know they can consume something quickly. People who buy a snack based on speed represent 32%.

The final group concerns those driven by hunger. This group is the smallest at 10% because they may have skipped a meal. They respond more instinctively and attach the least importance to location.

What do people expect from a snack?

According to research by Foodservice Barometer, people mainly wish to buy fresh (91%) and healthy (90%) snacks. Traditional products (76%) and local products (76%) share third place. Products on promotion (73%) can also provide an additional purchasing motivation.

One important point of interest is that while the number of times people eat something increases, the total amount they eat remains stable. In other words, the portions we eat are smaller and we are moving more towards a series of smaller meals. Snacks are no longer represented by traditional unhealthy snacks but are evolving towards varied food products.

Opportunities for bakeries?

Bakers can reap many benefits from the snacking trend. By expanding the range with healthy traditional products that are easy to consume, a lot of customers will be able to find their favourite snack in the bakery. A traditional sandwich with a delicious filling is an ideal snack. Two slices of a crunchy sourdough sandwich with bacon and fried onions and a tasty omelette in between, is sure to make your customers' mouths water.

Pay attention to the sugar and calorie content of your snack and work with spelt, rye and oats. These ancient cereals represent authenticity and are gaining popularity. You can easily incorporate them in biscuits, cakes and cereal bars. Why not add ancient grain chocolate chip cookies to your range? Sales of muesli are still on the rise too. This recipe for a Liege muesli waffle is highly recommended!

Cakes and pastries continue to be an ideal snack for the growing elderly population. An increasing number of bakers are organising part of their bakery as a tea room. Where macarons used to be trendsetters as a luxury dessert, eclairs are now taking over. Their wide choice of fillings and toppings means they are incredibly versatile to work with. A final notable trend is the wider focus on health and natural products. Butter, sugar and flour are being increasingly replaced by almond flour and coconut icing sugar. Today’s desserts are often lighter and more sophisticated than in the past. Gluten-free products are also gaining popularity. Buckwheat pancakes or gluten-free eclairs are a good alternative to traditional treats.