The Growing Place Of Snacks

It should come as no surprise that we at Simpalo Snacks love a good snack every now and then, and likely you do too. But it is surprising to learn that the place of snacks is changing the United States and the rest of the world! Yes, the world is snacking now more than ever, and snacks are a growing part of most people’s day. But just how big has snacking become? Read on to find out more.

Snacking By The Numbers

First, it’s important to recognize that snacking is a growing industry, and these small portions of food are making big bucks. Nielsen, a leading consumer research firm, reported that in 2014, snack sales totaled $374 billion dollars. They estimate that snack sales increase nearly two percent every year, and snack sales in developing regions are growing nearly two times faster than in developed areas.

Who’s Buying What?

One of the most interesting parts of the Nielsen survey is its insights as to who is buying what kinds of snacks and where. In the United States, we spent nearly $28 billion dollars on salty snacks in 2014, meaning that we love chips above all other snacks. But in Europe, and Africa and the Middle East, confections, like chocolates and candy reign supreme, with the two regions spending almost $50 billion on these sweet treats. Latin America loves their cookies and cakes, making it a $9 billion industry, while Asian and Pacific states enjoyed $14 billion worth of refrigerated snacks.

Why The Growth In Sales?

The increasing growth in snack sales is likely due to our changing view of what a snack is and what purpose it serves. As the pace of life around the world becomes increasingly faster, people rely on snacks as meal replacements. Most commonly, people replace breakfast with a snack bar or with fruit or candy. Nearly 45 percent of consumer admitted that they used snacks as a meal replacement. This isn’t surprising, as 91 percent of those surveyed reported that they snacked at least once a day.

What Does All Of This Mean?

This is the sign that there is a global shift in what is considered a meal, and what people expect out of their meal. Snacks, and now meals, are expected to satisfying and quick, even if they aren’t as healthy for us as they should be. With more and more people eating more snacks, it’s important that they snacks we consume have some health value to them.

It’s with all of these changing mores and norms behind snacking that we offer our Variety Snack Box healthy snack subscription service. With so many people using snacks as a meal replacement, it’s likely that some of your employees are doing the same. Offering them a healthy snack ensures that they are eating foods that keep them happy and productive.

While we at Simpalo Snacks don’t suggest replacing meals with a snack, if you have to do it, you should at least enjoy some of our GMO-free options. While chowing down on one of our tasty treats, you can review the Nielsen snack study, and then sign up for our monthly snack subscription!