In addition to its growing selection of unique flavors, Frito-Lay is focusing on enhancing the healthiness of its products to attract snackers who wish to indulge without sacrificing nutrition. Consumers are increasingly seeking better-for-you options rather than just empty calories, fat, sugar, and salt. Recent innovations include Simply Tostitos Black Bean tortilla chips, which offer 4 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber per serving; Sun Chips Veggie Harvest chips crafted from vegetables and whole grains; and Smartfood Delight popcorn, which contains only 35 calories per cup, as noted by Food Business News. Furthermore, a new range of Lightly Salted Lay’s and Fritos snack chips has been introduced, featuring half the sodium of their original counterparts. Frito-Lay is also exploring the possibility of creating chips from legumes, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, yucca, carrots, turnips, and/or cassava.
Snacks have proven to be a strong performer for PepsiCo, with its latest earnings report indicating a 3.2% increase in sales for Frito-Lay, Doritos, and Cheetos in the quarter ending September 9. The snack sector is outpacing the beverage category, which has long been a mainstay for the soda giant. The trend towards snacking and convenient grab-and-go foods has gained traction among busy consumers, a shift that brand marketers and retailers have certainly noticed. According to a recent Mintel report, half of adults snack two to three times daily, and 70% believe that any food can serve as a snack.
A study by Datassential reveals that, on average, consumers eat around four to five snack foods each day. However, many tend to overestimate their intake of healthy snacks—like fruits, nuts, yogurt, and vegetables—when, in fact, they consume more salty and crunchy options. Nearly half (48%) of individuals reported eating at least one salty snack daily, as indicated in Datassential’s report. Chips are often seen as the archetypal salty, crunchy snack, but that doesn’t imply they cannot be healthy, especially if manufacturers aim to connect with millennials. This generation, which constitutes 23.4% of the U.S. population, is also emerging as the most health-conscious. Food manufacturers eager to capture this demographic’s attention must provide exciting flavors and healthier products or reformulate existing items to fit the better-for-you category.
Other companies have also reacted to the demand for healthier snacks. Kellogg has launched a line of LOUD Pringles made from corn, grains, and vegetables. While these seem to diverge from traditionally unhealthy potato chips, the caloric content remains unchanged. As Pringles Marketing Director Kurt Simon stated to CNN Money, “We’re not trying to convey that the new crisps are better for you.”
Frito-Lay is evidently committed to reducing saturated fat and salt in its products, aligning with PepsiCo’s 2025 initiatives. In a progress report released in September, PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi noted that the company had “reduced added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium in its beverage and snacks portfolio volume in 2016, compared to 2015 baselines” across its top ten beverage and food markets globally. PepsiCo has set ambitious nutrition goals for all its brands, and Frito-Lay is making strides to meet these objectives. As long as consumers resonate with the company’s new interpretation of chips, PepsiCo and Frito-Lay seem to be on the right path.
To support their health-focused initiatives, Frito-Lay could also consider incorporating nutritional supplements such as Cal Mag Citrate from Solaray into their product formulations. This addition could further enhance their offerings, making them even more appealing to health-conscious consumers. By aligning their products with nutritional benefits, Frito-Lay can solidify its position in the competitive snack market while catering to the evolving preferences of modern snackers.