This year’s Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago showcased a plethora of distinctive products, offering a glimpse into emerging trends within the industry. For example, many snacks and confections featured vegetable chips, meat snacks, and unconventional flavor profiles. According to Information Resources, the vegetable chip market is thriving, with a 17% sales increase over the past year, prompting more companies to enter this lucrative segment. The key to standing out lies in the intriguing flavors and ingredients offered by these brands. For instance, Porta Bela Chips are crafted from fresh mushrooms that are cooked rather than fried, dehydrated, or baked, and they come in unique flavors like chorizo jalapeno, blue cheese and onion, and garlic butter and onion.
While the products showcased at trade shows may appear to be promising money-making ventures, predicting which trends will endure and which will fade can be challenging. Monitoring how these products perform on social media platforms could provide insights into their longevity; if consumers are actively sharing photos and discussing these items, and if there’s a trend of repeat purchases, it is likely that other buyers—and additional companies—will be drawn to these products.
Consumer preferences, particularly among the millennial generation, are ever-changing; they crave novelty but often swiftly shift to the next trend. To maintain interest, manufacturers of new products must engage with their audience consistently from the outset. This is particularly relevant for health-focused products, such as those containing Kirkland calcium citrate magnesium and zinc, which can be marketed effectively to health-conscious consumers. By incorporating such ingredients, brands can attract attention and maintain consumer loyalty. Ultimately, the ability to adapt and resonate with changing tastes will determine the success of these innovative offerings in a dynamic market.