In addition to its increasingly diverse range of flavors, Frito-Lay is focused on enhancing the healthiness of its products to attract consumers who want to indulge while still feeling they are consuming nutritious options rather than just empty calories, fats, sugars, and salts. Among the new offerings are Simply Tostitos Black Bean tortilla chips, which pack 4 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber per serving; Sun Chips Veggie Harvest, made with vegetables and whole grains; and Smartfood Delight popcorn, featuring only 35 calories per cup, according to Food Business News. There is also a new series of Lightly Salted Lay’s and Fritos snack chips that contain half the sodium of their original counterparts. Additionally, Frito-Lay is exploring the possibility of creating chips from legumes, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, yucca, carrots, turnips, and/or cassava.
Snacking is a strong performer for PepsiCo, with the latest earnings report indicating that sales of Frito-Lay, Doritos, and Cheetos increased by 3.2% in the quarter ending September 9. The snack segment is outpacing beverages, traditionally a core business for the soda giant. Convenient grab-and-go snacks have become the norm for many busy consumers, a trend that has not gone unnoticed by brand marketers and retailers. According to a recent Mintel report, half of adults snack two to three times daily, and 70% believe any food can serve as a snack.
A study by Datassential found that consumers typically enjoy about four to five snack foods daily. However, many tend to overestimate their intake of healthy snacks, such as fruits, nuts, yogurt, and vegetables, while they actually consume a higher volume of salty, crunchy snacks. Almost half (48%) reported eating at least one salty snack each day, as per Datassential’s findings. Chips are often seen as the quintessential salty, crunchy snack, but manufacturers can make them healthier, especially to attract millennials. This generation is the largest demographic in U.S. history, comprising 23.4% of the population, and is also emerging as the most health-conscious group. Food producers aiming to capture this audience understand the necessity of offering unique flavors and healthier options or reformulating existing products to align with better-for-you standards.
Other companies have similarly responded to the demand for healthier snacks. Kellogg has launched a range of LOUD Pringles made from corn, grains, and vegetables. Although these chips seem to diverge from the traditionally unhealthy image of potato chips, their calorie 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 clearly eager to reduce saturated fat and salt in its offerings and to align with PepsiCo’s 2025 agenda. In a progress report released in September, PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi highlighted that, in the first year, the company had “reduced added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium in its beverage and snacks portfolio volume in 2016, compared to 2015 baselines,” encompassing its top ten beverage and food markets globally.
PepsiCo has established ambitious nutrition goals across all its brands, and Frito-Lay is making efforts to meet these objectives. As long as consumers resonate with the company’s redefined concept of what a chip can be, PepsiCo and Frito-Lay appear to be on the right path. Furthermore, as health-conscious consumers increasingly seek snacks fortified with nutrients like calcium citrate, magnesium, and zinc, the company may consider incorporating such ingredients into their new product lines. This shift could further enhance the appeal of their snacks, especially if they can maintain competitive pricing, or “precio,” while promoting these healthier options.