Future of functional snacks: Serving health-focused, mobile consumers

Functional snacks have well established themselves as a hot trend within the food industry, mainly because such types of products are beneficial to those consumers who look for not only satisfaction from hunger but also some additional value from the consumed food products.

Specific health benefits, such as boosting energy, aiding digestion, bolstering the immune system, or providing specific nutrients, guide the formulation of these snacks.

In the current century with improved health consciousness, the market for functional snacks has the potential to expand drastically. However, what is the future of this sector? What consumer trends, technologies, and markets will affect functional snacks in the future and why?

The trends of snacking from a health perspective

Modern customers are more conscious of how food affects them than in the past, and this makes a difference. People needed to re-examine the concept of immunity, understand the impact on their mental and physical health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and alter their outlook on snacks.

Instead of their perspective as indulgences that, by their nature, can and should be consumed whenever a moment’s hunger strikes, snacks are slowly getting their second shot, which is viewed as people’s opportunity to have a taste of health.

Formerly targeting a niche market, functional snacks for enhanced protein intake, improved gut health, or stress relief are now consumed by not only those into sports and bodybuilding but by any user owing to high health standards and special diets.

They may include snacks with added probiotics for gut health or some adaptogens for stress alleviation.

Additionally, the market is witnessing the emergence of sustainable and healthy plant-based snacks. This shift toward adopting health consciousness while snacking is one of the most significant changes in consumer behaviour, and brands must constantly adapt to this trend.

Personalisation: Individualisation of snacks

One of the key trends that will define functional snacks' future is personalisation. Instead of one universal shopping cart, people shift to a new concept—from mass production to mass customisation and personification. Today’s consumers are health-conscious, and people who want to stay on the keto diet, monitor their blood sugar levels, or need a boost before a workout. They expect snacks that fit their health needs.

With increasing technology in the food sector and data analytics, personalised nutrition is now achievable. B2C may employ AI (artificial intelligence) and ML (machine learning) to analyse consumers' data and recommend snacks based on health and dietary habits.

In the upcoming years, it is likely that all brands will shift their focus toward direct-to-consumer (D2C) markets, where nutrition plans will incorporate tailored snacks for personal health purposes. Consumers will demand simple integration of the snack into their lifestyles and healthier ways of living as this trend continues.

Clean labels and greater transparency

With increasing consumption of functional foods, the consumer pays attention not only to functional criteria but also to natural additives. More important to state, however, is the fact that the consumer’s interest in new clean-label products—free of all the negative aspects, including undesirable additives, preservatives, and chemicals—is not waning. A growing number of customers are scanning labels to ensure the product is healthy and ethical.

At the same time, there is pressure on brands to be more honest about their ingredients, their sources, and the parts of their products that promise positive impacts on our health. 

This would likely result in an increased focus on snacking products, emphasising their environmental friendliness and organic production, and encouraging buyers to source them responsibly.

In this ever-changing market, companies that provide clear information about their products, especially those dealing with environmental issues, are likely to have an advantage.

Organising the role of technology and innovation

The functional snack market and the application of food science and technology are emerging as key innovative factors for product development. It seems that from protein-enriched chips to vitamin-enriched biscuits, the definition of a snack is widening at a great speed.

In the future, it is likely that snack ideas will continue to advance in terms of components and implementations.

Plant proteins are receiving more attention, and vegan meals are becoming increasingly popular and well-known. Products such as algae and lab-grown foods are also gaining popularity.

These solutions are not only sustainable but also functional, with increased protein consistency and chemical micronutrients. If consumers become more conscious about sustainable eating, then functional snacks produced from recyclable ingredients may be more common in the future.

In the same regard, new technological frontiers may advance functional snacks to new heightened levels of flexibility and availability. For instance, consumers can use 3D printing technology to create specific types of snacks tailored to their nutritional needs.

Imagine being able to prepare food at home using a 3D printer, tailoring each ingredient to your specific slimming needs. Although this may seem futuristic, given the rapid advancement in technology, it might not be too far off in the future.

Quick-commerce: The Impact of Coronavirus on
E-commerce

The internet and more recent innovation of quick commerce that delivers products within 10–30 minutes is changing how consumers buy snacks. Large-scale online ordering of functional snacks is driving the trend of convenience buying, as it allows consumers to access a wider range of products compared to traditional brick-and-mortar shopping.

Therefore, this shift is likely to benefit brands that have adopted the DTC approach. The purchase of subscription services to deliver functional snacks to the doorstep of consumers can bring convenience, as well as some room for brand customization. With the popularity of online shopping on the rise, remote, functional snack brands that prioritise delivery and accessibility will be able to maintain their business prosperity.

The road ahead for functional snacks

Based on the changes in preferences toward health, convenience, and environment friendliness, there is growth in the functional snack market. The industry is expected to continue growing, primarily focusing on personalisation, clean labels, and ingredients.

Appetiser products with elements of wellness beyond nourishment value, such as mental focus, gut health, and energy explosiveness, shall be the eventual market’s leaders. Therefore, brands that successfully integrate these elements into the functional snacking framework while maintaining its clear benefits and sustainable development practices will shape the future of functional snacking.

Function-specific food items in tomorrow’s snack aisle will take on roles beyond hunger satisfaction; hence, functional snacks will play an active role in the advanced health and wellness trend. As the world’s consumers continue to diversify and technologies advance, there is so much potential for functional snacks.

(Our guest author, Ravinder Varma, is an assistant professor, writer, short film-maker, consultant, creative designer and a marketer. He is the brand manager at Naturell India Pvt. Ltd.)