7 C-Store Salty Snack Debuts
By Steve Dwyer on Apr. 11, 2023Similar to energy drinks, packaged salty snacks have not let up in weekly and quarterly gains across both dollar sales and unit growth across multiple segments, according to data from Chicago-based Circana.
Snack makers continue the momentum with ongoing ideation around new products. Recently, Takis introduced Takis Intense Nacho, capturing “classic intensity with none of the spice,” said Sandra Kirkpatrick, marketing director for Takis. Takis Intense Nacho gives consumers the ultimate snacking experience in several forms, including Takis Pop!
“It’s a flavor that will surely ‘wow’ your tastebuds,” said Kirkpatrick. “With our new Intense Nacho line, we’re introducing our first-ever non-spicy variety…ensuring that all Takis fans can find the snack [they desire] when perusing the snack aisle.”
Sixty percent of customers only purchase the Wonderful Pistachios In-Shell Salt & Pepper flavor, but the brand branched out with Wonderful Pistachios Sea Salt & Pepper No Shells. Now, shedding shells “gives fans another convenient way to enjoy their favorite snack on the go,” said Diana Salsa, associate vice president of marketing for Wonderful Pistachios.
For the 52-week period ending Dec. 4, 2022, and reflecting multi-unit outlets (MULO) plus convenience, potato chips grew dollar sales 14.4% with units down less than 1%. Tortilla/tostada chips were up 17.3%; other salted snacks (no nuts) were up 17%; cheese snacks were up 14.8%; corn snacks were up 17.3%; pretzels were up 16%; RTE popcorn was up 12.7%; and pork rinds were up 1.1%, according to data from Chicago-based Circana.
Click ahead for seven recent salty snack releases in the convenience channel.
Seapoint Farms
Seapoint Farms added Crunchy Corn to its Mighty Lil’ snack line. The new corn snack is vegan, naturally gluten-free and kosher. Made with 100% whole-grain special variety non-GMO corn, Mighty Lil’ Crunchy Corn is also free of trans fat and cholesterol. Pink Himalayan Salt and Zesty Ranch flavors have an SRP range of $3.99 to $4.29 per bag.
Chipoys
Made with premium ingredients, Chipoys Rolled Tortilla Chips use a unique rolled shape for added crunch, the company said. The snack has 160 calories, 2 grams of protein and 1 gram of sugar per serving, with no trans-fat or cholesterol. Three flavors are available: Fire Red Hot, Lemon Chile and newly launched Spicy Ranch.
Kettle Brand
Kettle Brand unveiled its first kettle-cooked, air-fried potato chip with its Kettle Brand Air Fried Chips in Sea Salt & Vinegar, Jalapeno and Himalayan Salt flavors. As the first-to-market air-fried snack (SRP of $4.79 per 6.5-ounce bag), Kettle Brand developed patent-pending technology to kettle-cook and air-finish chips, delivering a light and crispy texture with 30% less fat than the original versions, the supplier said.
Pure Protein
Pure Protein launched a new line of savory snacks, Popped Crisps, in two flavors: Hickory Barbecue and Sour Cream & Onion. With 12 grams of plant-based protein per serving, Pure Protein Popped Crisps are available in single-flavor, 12-count packs and two-flavor variety packs. One serving of Pure Protein Popped Crisps delivers approximately 16% of the average daily protein requirements, or about six times more than a single-serving bag of chips, the supplier said.
Joyfull Bakery
Joyfull Bakery Parmasan Crisps refreshed its packaging and debuted two new flavors in Jalapeno and Five Seed, the first a spiced Jalapeno flavor and the other a mild, nutty Five Seed. The rebranding includes vivid colors to reflect the bold flavor profiles of the crisps, the supplier said. New packaging is 100% recyclable with 25% less plastic used. Snacks are available for an SRP of $7.99 per 3-ounce package.
Takis
Takis introduces Takis Intense Nacho, its first non-spicy salty snack offering. Crafting the ultimate recipe that captures classic intensity with none of the spice, Takis Intense Nacho is bursting with cheesy flavor, providing consumers with the ultimate snacking experience in several forms, including Takis Pop!, Takis Rolled Chips and Takis Waves varieties. Each is available in sizes between 2.5- and 9.9-ounces for an SRP range of $2.19 and $4.49.
Wonderful Pistachios
Wonderful Pistachios added more flavor to its No Shells lineup with Wonderful Pistachios Sea Salt & Pepper No Shells.The new Sea Salt & Pepper No Shells variety joins the current cast of flavors including Sea Salt & Vinegar, Smoky Barbecue, Chili Roasted and Honey Roasted. Wonderful Pistachios’ No Shells Sea Salt & Pepper are available in 5.5-, 11-, 22-, and 2.25-ounce bags.