Millennials Drive Better-for-You Snacking Trend

A new national study by Amplify Snack Brands, Inc. (“Amplify”) and the Center for Generational Kinetics discovered that Millennials have been the driving force behind the growth of the better-for-you snack category. Thanks to these health conscious and influential consumers defining both how we snack and our expectations of those snacks, better-for-you choices are now sought after by a mainstream audience. The national research revealed that healthier snacks have become widely available across the country, break the income barrier, and are being held to the same standards of universal taste appeal as their conventional products. The result: healthy is the new normal.

The study’s white paper, available for download at amplifysnackbrands.com/research, uncovers research-based insights into better-for-you snacking trends and how to engage Millennials by understanding their perceptions, motivations, and behaviors when it comes to snacking. For example:

•     Millennials Expect Great Taste: Gone are the days when health was an acceptable trade-off for taste. 78% of Millennials describe better-for-you snacks as tasting the same or better than traditional packaged snacks.
•     Less is More: 64% of Millennials, more than any other generation, believe that fewer ingredients mean a snack is healthier. In addition, 79% of Millennials said that understanding all the ingredients increases their level of trust in a packaged snack.
•     Social Media is the Messenger: More than any other generation, Millennials will try a better-for-you snack based solely on an online rating, review, or social media post.
•     Motivated by the Kids: Millennial moms are not just eating healthy for themselves, they’re also setting an example. The majority (69%) of Millennial moms say their kids understand that some snacks are healthier than others and 55% say their kids are more likely to choose a better-you-snack over another packaged snack.

“This study is such a fantastic example of how powerful the Millennial generation can be for businesses,” said Jason Dorsey, Millennial researcher, a.k.a. the Gen Y Guy. “Their passion for healthy eating helped to turn a niche snacking category into a thriving industry, and it’s only just the beginning! Millennial parents are instilling these values into their kids and setting the stage for the next generation of better-for-you snackers. For those seeking to attract and retain this influential customer segment, our national research sheds valuable insight into their behavior and how to make an impact.”

Added Tom Ennis, Amplify Snack Brands’ CEO, “Millennials have set the quality bar high for better-for-you snacks, and consumers deserve nothing less. At Amplify, we attribute our success to meeting and exceeding those standards. For our brands, quality is the first and foremost priority in our product development. We always use premium, clean and simple ingredients – nothing artificial, always great tasting, and that will never be sacrificed.”