Amazon’s Top-Selling Snacks
By Brett Dworski on Jul. 06, 2018DRAPER, Utah -- Go nuts: Planter’s has been named the top-selling snack brand on Amazon, according to e-commerce research firm One Click Retail, a provider of data measurement, sales analytics and search optimization services for North American and European manufacturers.
The Draper, Utah-based company compiled the top 10 snack brands sold via the e-commerce giant using brand measurement calculations and estimated an average annual growth rate of 42% for these brands. The calculations found 2018 snack sales totaled $150 million—a 33% year-over-year increase.
But some brands have struggled too—even those from Amazon itself. Happy Belly, Amazon’s private-label snack mix brand, which was No. 5 in the 2017 rankings, fell to No. 16 this time around. Late last year, Amazon removed Happy Belly’s classic trail mix—a former top-selling product—and expanded alternative trail mix options. Discontinuing this product significantly damaged the brand's sales, resulting in its drop by 11 spots, according to One Click Retail.
"When even its own private brand can't even stay in the top 10 on Amazon, it says something about how quickly e-commerce is evolving from one quarter to the next,” said Ojastro Todd, insights manager for One Click Retail. “At a minimum, brands need to be growing at the same rate as their overall category to remain competitive on Amazon.”
Here's a look at Amazon’s 10 top-selling snack brands …
10. Snyder’s of Hanover
Hanover, Pa.-based pretzel maker Snyder’s of Hanover experienced year-over-year growth in 2016-2017, but it ultimately saw its position in Amazon sales slip a couple of spots to No. 10.
“If brands are not prepared or equipped to make e-commerce strategy as agile and reactive as the up-and-comers we see on Amazon, then it doesn't matter if they're in the top spots today, because their market share will be eroded by tomorrow,” Todd said.
9. Great Northern
Gaylord, Mich.-based popcorn manufacturer Great Northern experienced an annual growth rate of 30%, “just barely growing fast enough to maintain its overall No. 9 rank,” Todd said.
Photo courtesy of Great Northern.
8. The Wonderful Co.
Los Angeles-based healthy snack producer The Wonderful Co. saw a year-over-year growth rate of 20%, good for eighth place.
Photo courtesy of PR Newswire.
7. Epic Bar
Epic Bar, General Mills' animal-based protein-bar brand, experienced a 60% annual increase in sales on Amazon, inching up from No. 8 in 2017 to No. 7 this time around. The Austin, Texas-based brand’s alignment of product marketing and an Amazon-first e-commerce strategy makes it an intriguing one to monitor, according to One Click Retail.
6. Blue Diamond
Almond producer Blue Diamond surged from No. 11 in 2017 to No. 6 in this year’s rankings, now holding a 3% share of Amazon’s snack sales. The Sacramento, Calif.-based brand has also experienced year-over-year sales growth of 166%.
5. Frito-Lay
Plano, Texas-based salty-snack manufacturer Frito-Lay holds a 3% share of Amazon’s snack sales, earning the PepsiCo-owned brand the No. 5 spot.
4. Jack Link's
Minong, Wis.-based jerky producer Jack Link's holds a 4% share of Amazon’s snack sales, tied for third highest on the list. The company saw 13% annual growth in 2017, but it experienced a slow period toward the end of last year, denting the brand’s outlook so far in 2018, said One Click Retail.
Photo courtesy of Jack Links.
3. Pepperidge Farms
Moving up two spots from last year’s rankings, commercial bakery Pepperidge Farms holds 4% share of Amazon’s snack sales—tied with Jack Link’s—and has experienced year-over-year growth of 64%. The Norwalk, Conn.-based company is growing twice as fast as the snacking category overall, said One Click Retail.
2. Annie's Homegrown
Organic pasta and snack maker Annie’s Homegrown holds a 5% share of Amazon’s snack sales, good for second place. The Berkeley, Calif.-based brand has seen year-over-year growth of 31%, slightly less than the category average. Nonetheless, Annie’s still had enough market control to retain its No. 2 position year over year and year to date, according to One Click Retail.
1. Planter's
Suffolk, Va.-based Planter’s holds a 7% share of Amazon’s snack sales in 2018, the highest of all brands. Although the brand grew slower than the 33% year-over-year surge in the category overall—Planter’s experienced 20% year-over-year growth—it still maintained its solid market position. This top ranking comes on the heels of product innovation for Planter’s, which recently resurrected its Cheez Balls and Cheez Curls for the first time in 12 years.
Photo courtesy of PR Newswire.