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Know Your Snacks!

While Terry Boyd recognizes the number of new flavors emerging in the snack category, his key focus is on maintaining the snack area, which means keeping it stocked and neat.

When we asked Boyd—owner of Korner Market in McMinnville, TN, a CITGO Buying Group member—how he makes more space for all the new SKUs today, he was very clear…he doesn’t.

“We really don’t have any more space…I leave it up to my grocery rep to take care of managing what we do have.”

Vendor partners are an excellent resource for finding out new trends, but you should also stay in the know.

In the snack category, here are two things to make sure you haven’t overlooked:

  1. Nostalgia items
    One notable trend is called “Nostalgia Revived” by Daymon’s Global TrendWheel. It’s when consumers look to reinvent the flavors of the past with a modern twist.

    “S’mores is a great example of one of those flavors,” says Nicole Peranick, director of global consumer strategy for culinary at Daymon Worldwide.

    The S’mores flavor profile has shown up in Goldfish crackers, Pop Tarts, Oreo cookies and cereal. The nostalgia trend reinvents past loves with a new twist and experts say it’s a trend that will continue in many different areas—especially snacks.
  2. Mini-meal munchers
    Mini-meals throughout the day are far more common today than the traditional three-meal-a-day routine. A recent report by Packaged Facts confirms that millennials use snacks as meal replacements, which is why you should definitely stock these items.

    Food manufacturers are also repackaging snack items in a more grab-and-go format—such as shelf-stable “hummus-to-go” products. This attracts the younger generation, because it’s healthy and a grab-and-go item.
Take a look at your front counter and see how you can maximize space to sell snacks. It will offer customers what they want and maximize profits! Check out MyCsquare’s Retail Video Tips for front counter tips.
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