Survey: Millennials driving healthy snacking trend

AUSTIN, Texas — New consumer insights from Amplify Snack Brands and the Center for Generational Kinetics is highlighting the role millennials are playing in fueling the growth of better-for-you snacking.

The national survey found that while 89% of millennials have eaten at least one better-for-you snack in the past week and 50% are willing to drive at least 5 miles for a snack they really want, they aren’t keen to sacrifice taste. It also found that social media is an integral part in the discovery of new products among millennials, with more millennials than any generation saying they’ll try a new snack based solely on an online review or social media post.

“This study is such a fantastic example of how powerful the millennial generation can be for businesses,” millennial researcher Jason Dorsey said. “Their passion for healthy eating helped to turn a niche snacking category into a thriving industry, and it’s only just the beginning! Millennial parents are instilling these values into their kids and setting the stage for the next generation of better-for-you snackers. For those seeking to attract and retain this influential customer segment, our national research sheds valuable insight into their behavior and how to make an impact.”

Millennials also are interested in transparency when it comes to what’s in their snacks — 64% said that fewer ingredients means a healthier snack, while 79% said that understanding all the ingredients increases how much they trust a snack. This holds among millennials with kids, with 69% of millennial moms saying their kids understand that some snacks are healthier than others and 82% buying at least one new better-for-you snack for their children in the last month.

“Millennials have set the quality bar high for better-for-you snacks, and consumers deserve nothing less,” Amplify Snacks Brand CEO Tom Ennis said. “At Amplify, we attribute our success to meeting and exceeding those standards. For our brands, quality is the first and foremost priority in our product development. We always use premium, clean and simple ingredients – nothing artificial, always great tasting, and that will never be sacrificed.”