Salted snacks grow in diversity

Related tags Savoury snacks Flavor Euromonitor

Growing income levels and less time for eating are contributing to
the growth of the snacking industry in central and eastern Europe.
And savoury snacks have played a major part of this growth, as the
latest product launches from Mintel testify.

As market advice specialists Euromonitor​ points out, many of the packaged food markets in the region are starting to reach maturation, which has meant that growth has started to level off. In order to maintain market share this situation is leading many manufacturers of savoury snacks to offer increasingly diverse and tailor-made solutions for the snacking sector.

According to Euromonitor data the total market for sweet and savoury snacks was valued at $1.94 billion (€1.56bn), a figure that has almost doubled in size since 1999, when the market was valued at $1 billion. The market for savoury snacks has been one of the main driving forces behind this growth and is currently by far the largest segment. In 1999 the market for savoury snacks was valued at $530 million, which by 2003 had grown to $988 million.

The growth and consequential saturation of the market means that more and more salted and savoury snacks are appearing with an increasing array of flavours, ingredients and product combinations. Healthy snack offerings are also a growing segment, with an increasing amount of products offering lower fat, reduced-salt and fortified properties.

The product launches this week start off in the Czech Republic where Canto has unveiled Alpska Sul Rraff Extra Chips. Available in 160 gram flexible packaging, the crinkle cut potato crisps are lightly sprinkled with Alpine salt. This is a completely new product launch for the market and will retail at €0.69.

Also in the Czech Republic Proctor and Gamble's world famous Pringle brand is being launched in a new flavour. The bacon variety will be on shop shelves from this month in the traditional 200 gram boarded tube packs. It will retail at €2.07 and is flavoured with paprika extract, garlic powder as well as a variety of flavour enhancers.

Moving over to Poland the Barilla-owned Wasabrod company is launching individually wrapped Sandwich Rye portions. Retailing at €0.38 for a 28 gram pack, the snack features two rye crackers with a cream cheese, ham and bacon filling that is an extension to an existing product line that features a variety of fillings.

Staying in Poland Granex is launching Fitness Ryzowe Rice Wafers, which is another product line extension. This product is aimed at the healthy eating market - the rice and sunflower seed cakes containing just 3 per cent fat. The 160 gram pack contains eight individually wrapped portions, each containing two cakes and will retail at €0.57.

Finally Chio Chips is launching Flips Peanut Flavoured Maize Snacks in the Hungarian market. Retailing at €0.53 for 85 grams, this launch targets the more adventurous with an exotic spicy peanut flavouring. The ingredients include 29 per cent peanuts and a variety of flavourings including soya sauce, celery and monosodium glutamate.

This range of snack products is part of a selection from Mintel's Global New Product Database​.

Related topics Processing & Packaging

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