Can One Generation Impact Miami and South Florida Snack Choices?

08 Jun Can One Generation Impact Miami and South Florida Snack Choices?

The short answer is yes, they can. According to a new study by the Center for Generational Kinetics and Amplify Snack Brands, “Millennials have been the driving force behind the growth of the better-for-you snack category.” The choices in the better-for-you snack category don’t fall into specific types of snacks. Instead, they meet one or more of the following criteria: short and pronounceable ingredient list; no trans-fat, added sugar, GMOs, and artificial sweeteners and flavors; responsibly sourced and locally connected; and recommended by friends, coworkers, or through social media. Cost is less of an issue as all income groups are willing to pay for “better-for-you” products. Choices often include:

• vegetable and fruit chips including apple chips, kale chips, sweet potato chips and carrot chips
• puffed snacks including potato, multi-grain, corn, and rice
• soy crisps and snacks
• other snacks that don’t fit into one of the above categories including wasabi peas, roasted chickpeas, veggie sticks, lentil chips and bean chips

As Millennials have gained more purchasing power, they have been found to prefer eating frequent small snacks each day instead of three meals per day, as well as choosing healthier options instead of traditional snacks. The changes in how Miami and South Florida consumers snack and what is expected from those snacks (taste, healthy ingredients, nutritional value, etc.) is directly related to Millennials’ snacking perceptions, motivations, and behaviors.

4 Ways to Engage Millennial Snackers

• Offer Great Tasting Options—millennials no longer place taste ahead of healthy ingredients; tasty and healthy are equally important
• Offer Options with Fewer Ingredients—many Millennials believe that fewer ingredients are healthier, and understanding what the ingredients are increases trust in the product
• Use Social Media—online ratings, reviews, or social media posts can cause Millennials to try new snack choices
• Through Their Children—many Millennial moms choose to be an example and teach their children about healthy snack choices

Consuming frequent small healthy snacks each day includes time spent snacking while at work or school. To help your Miami and South Florida employees and students be productive and stay healthy, great tasting and healthy snacks need to be available in the office break room and school lunch room. To change your current vending offerings, or if you are considering healthy vending options for the first time, Bettoli Vending can help. Contact us at (305) 626-0740 to learn more.