Healthy options are top of mind for Gen Z students with brands following the environmentally friendly trend.
Stocking brands that are socially and environmentally responsible, while also touting healthy credentials, should be top of the agenda for retailers wishing to woo returning students.
“High protein leguminous crops such as chickpeas, lentils and yellow split peas are not only a source of plant-based protein but also have sustainability credentials i.e. their ability to fix nitrogen levels improving soil health,” Kevin Butterworth, Marketing Director at Symington’s explains.
“In recent research, we’ve found that 78% of consumers were motivated by a claim of high fibre and protein. With this in mind, we developed Blooming Good Food Co products with ingredients such as lentils and sweet potatoes to name a few.
“Popular products within the healthier foods category are those with worldly flavours. Now more than ever, consumers are desiring a taste of the exotic with exposure of foods from across the globe at all-time high.”
The Symington’s snack brand Naked is one such example, while the company also focuses on attracting meat-eaters looking for plant-based options.
“Our brand-new launch, Naked Ultimate Noodles, meets the demand for interesting flavours while tapping into the trend of vegan products,” Butterworth adds. “The convenient product is MSG free and is made with natural south-east Asian flavours. Catering to the growing demand for authentic vegan friendly snacks, both the Chinese Style Duck and Korean Style Beef are vegan friendly, while the Japanese Style Chicken is suitable for vegetarians.”
Meanwhile, KP Snacks is looking to turn trends into trade, tapping into demand for plant-based products. “Plant-based eating trends are here to stay, with more consumers actively choosing diets which incorporate more veg and plant-based foods. 46% of 25–44-year-olds believe it’s healthier and 38% believe it’s better for the environment,” Matt Collins, Trading Director at KP Snacks notes.
Ahead of the upcoming English HFSS regulations, the company is reformulating popchips, the Hula Hoops Puft range, and the Penn State flavour Sour Cream & Chive Pretzels.
“Today, positive health within the snacking category is seen to be more about ‘managed health’, e.g. things that we can take out of our diet. This means that offering products with lower calories, as well as less saturated fat, salt, sugar, and additives, is becoming increasingly more important for snack brands,” he adds.
Looking at younger children’s snacking needs, offering products supporting their development is an obvious area of high focus. “Research by Public Health England found that 19% of children aged 4-10 are at risk of Vitamin D deficiency and 37% of children aged 11-18 are at risk of Vitamin D deficiency,” Ewa Moxham, Yoplait Head of Marketing, says.
“Over the past five years, we’ve renovated our core Petits Filous Pots Mixed Fruit range with an improved recipe. In the process, we’ve reduced the sugar in our products by 18%, even launching our very first No Added Sugar variant.”
Healthier offers are also central to Dole’s strategy; all the brand’s variants have “zero added sugar, artificial sweeteners, or flavourings, are less than 100 calories per serving, and come in convenient and recyclable packs which can be eaten at home or on the go”, says Andrew Bradshaw, the company’s UK Sales Director.
