Innovations in Chips
Snacks are staples in consumer diets and probably will be for a long time to come. What is changing, however, is our approach to the ingredients and nutritional value of the snacks that consumers enjoy. As snacks become healthier, there is increased pressure on food enterprises to balance flavor and nutrition. People want to enjoy eating snacks while knowing that they are not hurting their health in the process.
Indulge, but Be Healthy
As consumer behavior becomes more health-conscious, chips are following suit. People want high-quality foods that incorporate top-quality ingredients. High-oleic soybean oils add zero grams of trans fat, and low levels of saturated fat are now a demand for any oil that produces chips.
Especially for children, healthy trends don’t negate the desire for the convenience of chips, but it does mean that most parents want a higher nutritional value in their snack options. While the potato will always be a favorite, raw flavors such as kale, parsnip, beet, and spinach are becoming more popular. Superfoods such as fruits, bananas, kiwi, and mangos are entering the fray along with chickpeas and lentils. Healthier alternatives in chips are here to stay.
Set the Mouth on Fire
Demand is increasing fast for bold, spicy flavors. Ghost pepper, Thai chili, horseradish, habanero, and wasabi chip flavors are certainly not for the faint of heart. Younger generations came of age and experienced a spectrum of flavors from the diverse cultures and cuisines that entered the mainstream as they grew. A chip packed with hot sauce and cayenne may resemble a crawfish boil in a bag for the wild and adventurous eater.
Catering to Dietary Needs
Whether they adopt a new diet because they are gluten intolerant or choose to follow a vegan or paleo diet, there is a chip for every diet-conscious consumer.
Vegan chips are plentiful, and so are puffed wheat snacks and sweet potato chips to satisfy the taste buds. Vegetable chips are a paleo dream, and while they aren’t as healthy as eating kale or asparagus, they can fulfill that need for crunch. Gluten-free chips are easy to find, and the diverse flavor options for potato or tortilla chips make them a fun choice to produce.
Never Overlook Taste
Consumers prove that taste remains essential in every snack. Grown-up tastes may include outlandish options such as alcohol-based flavors, and tantalizing the taste buds may be just as vital as achieving a healthy chip full of nutrition to satisfy modern consumers.