The young adults of Gen Z create a devilish problem for those in the food industry. They crave nostalgia and novelty in equal measure, and more frequently, they’re clamoring for healthy options that don’t compromise flavor.
Today’s consumers want flavor and freshness. They want the convenience of pre-packaged goods without the detriments often inherent to processed foods (additives, preservatives, and so on).
What can food manufacturers do to meet the seemingly contradictory snacking preferences of Gen Z? The answer lies in innovation, but it doesn’t have to be as hard as you might expect.
Making the Old New Again
Balancing nostalgic flavors with a feeling of novelty could be as easy as maintaining the core of what makes a snack popular while simply adjusting its appearance. Consider J&J Snack Foods, perhaps best known as the maker of ICEE beverages.
Icy cold and super sweet, these drinks have been offered in a range of flavors over the years. Recent collaborations have provided a new look without sacrificing the brand’s original and enduring appeal.
When Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire came out earlier this year, existing flavors were rebranded with themed names and limited-edition cups. The brand is also releasing a Froot Loops ICEE flavor collaboration this year, and you might recall past collaborations with Peeps and Jones Soda. These team-ups serve to offer the novelty Gen Z is looking for without depriving consumers of a nostalgic experience.
Surveys of Gen Z snackers have shown that salty snacks like chips are among the most popular. Lay’s leads the pack, perhaps because the company is so good at making nostalgia seem new. Consider Lay’s chip flavors for 2024: Crispy Taco, BLT Sandwich, Fried Pickles With Ranch, and Kettle Cooked Lime & Cracked Pepper. Those first three flavors lean hard into the appeal of home cooking.
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Snacking as a Way of Life
While millennials seem to savor moments of indulgence, Gen Z is more about snackification — eating several small meals throughout the day instead of the three square meals older generations grew up with. As a result, they tend to prefer smaller portions that pack a punch.
Consider the addition of Footlong Dippers and Sidekicks to the Subway menu. These products are geared toward a snacking mentality. Snacks offer convenience and short-term sustenance appeal to Gen Z-ers, who are more likely to grab a bite on the go than spend time on a sit-down meal.
Health and Wellness in Snacking
An interesting aspect of the Gen Z mentality is the meaning behind the word health, which they tend to equate less with caloric content, per se, than a focus on overall wellness (physical, mental, and emotional). The flexitarian diet (on-and-off veganism and other alternative diet preferences) is common to this generation.
What does this mean for health-conscious snacking? Eating healthy can mean different things at different times. While they tend to lean into fresh, organic, and plant-based snacks, including fresh fruits and veggies, they won’t necessarily shy away from chips, crackers, or cookies. However, they do include sustainability in their health metrics when it comes to choosing snacks and food brands, including sourcing, ingredients, production, and packaging.
Related: 2024 Trends in Snacking: Health, Sustainability, and Innovation
Flexibility Is Key
Restaurants and food manufacturers can tempt temperamental Gen Z palettes by starting with the basics and then spicing things up. Nostalgia is a major consideration for this generation of snackers, but they also like a little adventure and are willing to try new flavors, especially when paired with familiar favorites. A focus on reinvention, satisfying snackification, and a holistic view of health and wellness should inform your strategies when it comes to attracting Gen Z consumers.
To find out which foods are up-and-coming, contact Symrise today!
