Rasa Moorthamer,
Marketing Director Bakery,
on the snackification trend
10
How has the premiumization trend influenced
your industry?
In the chocolate industry premiumization is a value growth
driver and has for years been a way for product differentiation.
Today’s chocolate consumers want indulgence and
in some markets consumers are getting used to premium
products. The differentiation between boutique premium and
mainstream premium has blurred and the premium of today
is in some cases tomorrow’s mainstream.
How does this trend fit your value proposition to the
market?
Our co-development approach enables us to deliver the
solutions that will meet our customers’ market needs. We
are experts in finding the right chocolate/confectionery
solution whether a customer wants to join the premium trend
of adding more nuts or cocoa butter, if they want a specific
sensory experience, or to optimize their products’ look, feel,
snap, and texture.
Going forward, what do you expect for the chocolate industry
in relation to the trend?
The chocolate and confectionery industry will continue to be
driven by consumer indulgence and a need for delivering the
perfect end product to consumers adjusted to local preferences.
AAK follows this trend very closely and through our
academies and innovation days we inspire our customers to
meet this trend and even be one step ahead.
How is the snackification trend influencing the industry?
On-the-go snacks are experiencing a very rapid growth rate.
As a result, many major food multinationals have dramatically
increased their launches of these types of snacks – by
more than 300 percent over the past five years. New formats
need to target on-the-go consumers and bakery brands are
looking to gain a share of these formats by making their
products more portable and snackable.
How does this trend fit your value proposition to the
market?
Consumers are snacking with greater frequency, sometimes
even replacing meals with snacks altogether. As a result,
consumers are expecting more nourishment rather than just
empty calories from their snacks. This is exactly where we
can support our customers. With our oils and fats solutions
we can achieve a desired nutritional profile and a desired
fatty acid composition for the final consumer product.
Going forward, what do you expect for the bakery industry
in relation to the trend?
The role of snack foods is changing and consumers increasingly
want to see meal-time ingredients, such as vegetables,
legumes and protein, in their snacks. Nourishing and natural
is the new benchmark feature that ingredients in biscuits,
cookies and crackers must meet. This trend particularly
impacts the savory segment of the biscuits, cookies and
crackers category, as it is used less for indulgence, and
lends itself more readily to incorporation of such ingredients.
Marco Oomen,
Marketing Director Chocolate
& Confectionery Fats, on the
premiumization trend