CHIPS SNACKS

Potato Chips Continue

Reign Over Saity Snacks

VEN WITH THE HEALTH a n d

Wellness trend continuing, consumers are still reaching for

bags of potato chips in large
numbers, which is good news for
c-store retailers.
Technomic, in its March Snacking
Occasion Consumer Trend report
noted that consumers are snacking sigDollar
Avg. Unit
nificantly more now compared to 2010,
% Change
Unit Sales
Sales
Price
with 48% of consumers polled saying
they're now snacking at least twice a Total Potato Chips
$1.36 B
5.50
906.66 M
$1.51
day, compared to 25% in 2010. In 2013,
Lay's
$440.31 M
7.53
293.48 M
$1.50
expect consumers to continue their
Ruffles
$215.98 M
(2.70)
132,16M
craving for snacks.
$1.63
In fact, potato chip sales are pro- Pringles
$128.01 M
9.78
69.72 M
$1.84
jected to reach $11.2 billion by 2015, Lay's Keffle Cooked
$66.57 M
1.60
37,23 M
$179
with tortilla chips reaching an estiMunchos
$49.90
M
1.17
32,21
M
$1.55
mated $7 billion, according to BMC
Herr's
$41,28 M
Information services, a division of
12.22
31,96 M
$1,29
Beverage Marketing Corp. The Snack
Privafe Label
$37.46 M
15.12
34.59 M
$1.08
Food Association, supported by SOURCE: SYMPHONYiRi. TOTAL U.S C-STORE FOR THE 52 WFFKS ENDED DEC Si. 2012
SymphonylRI data, noted that constant
innovation in the chips category con"People are very interested in new sarily showing that demand with their
tinues to solidify potato chips' spot as flavors. A lot of the mixtureflavorsare purchasing power just yet. "More peoAmerica's most popular salty snack.
working. Frito Lay has come out with ple are looking at it. I don't know that
Potato chips brought in $1.36 bil- the Collisions Une, which has been sell- they want it, but they're aware of it.
lion in sales in 2012, according to ing well. Spicy seems to be in demand Our sales trends still don't show that's
SymphonylRI convenience store data as well," said Robert Perkins, vice pres- where they're moving toward."
for the 52 weeks ended Dec. 30,2012, up ident of marketing for Rutters.
5.50% from the previous year. Frito Lay
SALTY SNACKS
brands were among the best sellers with INCREASED FLAVOR PROFILE
The salty snacks category overall
Lay's potato chips ringing up more than
In 2013, look for ethnicflavortrends fared well in 2012, up 6.19% from the
$440 million in sales, up 7.53%; and No. to continue, especially Hispanic- previous year with $4.11 billion in dol2 brand Ruffles drawing $215.9 nnillion inspired flavors, said John Rodwan, lar sales for the 52 weeks ended Dec.
in sales, down a slight 2.7Q/o compared an analyst for BMC. "The big trend 31, 2012, according to SymphonylRI.
to the previous year.
beyond that is a reduction in salt, which Pretzels grew by 12.32% for the same
Natural chips have also been in is a big issue across all snack food, but period with dollar sales of $214.57 mildemand. According to SymphonylRI, especially in chips and crackers."
lion. Cheese snacks out sold pretzels
Lay's Natural sales were up 228.9%
Of course, what customers say they with $448.73 million in sales, but were
for the 52 weeks ended March 18,2012 want and what they actually purchase down 2.16% from the previous year.
and Ruffles Natural sales grew 314.5% can be different. Perkins said that
When it comes to salty snacks,
in the same period. Tortilla chips were while be believes customers are aware "Customers are always looking for a
up 7.33% for the same period, with of and considering the reduced sodium change," Perkins said. "So be prepared
$714.75 million in sales.
and healthy trends, they're not neces- with a wide variety of products." H
CSDecisions

March 20131 Convenience Store Decisions 65

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