Sales of Snacks are on the Rise

48 percent of consumers polled said they’re now snacking at least twice a day, compared to 25 percent in 2010.
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Consumers are snacking significantly more now than they were just two years ago, which is good news for the nation’s truckstops and travel plazas and their suppliers. Operators have reported increases in the grab-and-go segment of their businesses, which is right on track with a recent consumer survey by the research firm Technomic. In fact, there may be even more room for operators to expand their snacking options. 

According to Technomic, 48 percent of consumers polled said they’re now snacking at least twice a day, compared to 25 percent in 2010. Restaurants are capitalizing on the growing snacking occasion by offering quick, portable, smaller-portioned, low-priced food and drink to continue gaining share of snack purchases. Restaurants now claim 22 percent of consumers’ snacking occasions, up from 17 percent in 2010.

Staying ahead of industry trends allows suppliers to bring new and innovative solutions to their truckstop and travel plaza customers. Industry suppliers may want to share results of Technomic’s recent research with their customers when promoting new and varied snack offerings. 

In its Snacking Occasion Consumer Trend Report, Technomic said impulse purchases of snacks are up from two years ago with 62 percent of respondents reporting that most of the snacks they purchased for away-from-home consumption were impulse purchases. More than 33 percent of consumers expect to eat more healthful snacks in the coming year, indicating greater importance for operators to offer and promote better-for-you snacks.

“Recent consumer research indicates that snacking is becoming a larger part of consumers’ daily lives,” says Technomic Executive Vice President Darren Tristano. “Pressure from the nutritional disclosure legislation has prompted the foodservice industry to reduce calorie counts in meals. As a result, Americans are now more inclined to ‘graze’ throughout the day, seeking snacks that provide fuel between traditional meal parts.”

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