The snack food market is vast, with innovative and health-conscious snack brands emerging in the market on a regular basis. The highly competitive nature of the snack food market requires brands to stay top of mind for their customers, evolving to meet their needs and preferences.
Whether you’re a new-to-market snack brand, or someone who has been part of this ever-evolving industry for an extended period of time, you know the important role that your packaging plays in not only attracting new customers, but keeping those customers coming back again and again.
Trends in the Snack Food Market
Americans are snacking more than ever, which isn’t so surprising when you take into account the busy, on-the-go lifestyles of most of today’s consumers. Convenience and ease, for many, is key. As a snack food brand, it’s your goal to meet consumers where they’re at: anywhere but sitting at the kitchen table.
According to the “2018 PMMI Snack Foods- Packaging and Processing Market Assessment and Trends,” the global snack food market is valued at $280 billion. The salty snacks segment alone is forecast to reach $29 billion in 2022 in the U.S., according to the report, Salty Snacks: U.S. Market Trends and Opportunities from market research firm Package Facts, Rockville, Md.
Because consumers are typically on the go and continue to replace meals with snacks, they seek healthy options that don’t compromise on flavor. In fact, according to the aforementioned report from PMMI, top consumer trends in the segment include better-for-you options, single-serving sizes, resealability, and product lines that offer a variety of flavors.
And there is one product that satisfies all of these consumer trends: Granola!
Let’s take a look at some must-haves as you create the ideal granola package to get your brand noticed.
Granola Packaging That Meets Consumer’s Needs
To determine the best packaging features and design for your granola, knowing the competition is key. Look in any retail location and you’ll find the cereal aisle overflowing with a plethora of granola options. As with other packaged goods in today’s snack foods segment, there are varieties of granola that meet every consumers’ dietary and taste-preferences: everything from gluten-free to protein-packed, to organic, to paleo, to keto, to grain-free and more.
Having a great package design, including not only the graphics but also the size, shape, functionality, and feel of your package, says a lot about your brand. And while most cereals can still be found in a box, granola is most often packaged in a stand-up pouch.
Pouches are the fastest growing packaging segment, as brands shift their focus to most sustainable packaging options, and this is especially true for the snack foods market. In fact, PMMI’s report states that snack food packages will continue to move from bag-in-box format to simple bag format in the coming years.
For the granola segment specifically, it’s not just any bag, it’s all about the stand-up pouch.
Granola Packaging Must-Haves
Whether you’re a new brand, or a seasoned granola company, ensuring your packaging stands out on the shelf is key. These are the six must-haves of any successful granola packaging.
The Stand Up Pouch
Considered the most popular granola package, the stand-up pouch is the number one must-have for granola. Stand-up pouches, you guessed it, stand up on the shelf in the home and at the store, keeping the logo and branding information front and center. They also offer resealability, high-impact graphics, and the lightweight, portable design that consumers love. The design is easy to grab, pour and scoop from, and store at home or in your bag.
Resealability
This must-have delivers two major benefits. Resealability offers consumers the chance to take the granola on the go for snacking throughout the day. It also means that the package will stay sealed when not in use, which keeps the food fresher, longer.
When working with a flexible packaging company, ask for press-to-close zipper and tear notches to make it easier than ever for your consumer to tear open the package and enjoy your product.
Clear Window
Humans “eat with their eyes,” and transparent packaging in the form of a window, allows the consumer to do just that: see the delicious contents inside and imagine themselves enjoying it. A window can also build trust when you allow the consumer to see the product before they buy it.
Granola comes in many different forms: large chunks vs loose cereal, for example, and a transparent window will connect your consumer with your product before they buy, a key way to attract new customers.
And if your granola probably looks pretty tasty, why not show it off?
Shelf Presence
It’s no secret that setting yourself apart in the competitive landscape of snack foods, and more specifically granola and cereal, is a must. This is why shelf-presence made its way on our list of must-haves for granola packaging.
With stand-up pouches, you have a large canvas for your design, and space to not only display graphics and text but also tell your brand story. Clear and crisp graphics on a durable pouch are made possible with digital printing and create a strong shelf presence for your brand. High-quality, durable pouches go a long way to showcase your brand’s premium feel and look.
Multiple SKUs
Everybody loves variety, and with granola, this is especially true. Take a look at the different granola options, and you’ll see that most granola brands have multiple flavor options on the shelf.
With more flavor options (i.e. more SKUs for your products), your brand will also take up more space on the shelf, AKA increased exposure. And, more flavor options mean you will satisfy more palates and gain more customers. It’s a win-win in our books.
Seasonal Flavors
We’re all familiar with the seasonal flavors in the snack food market: pumpkin pie, peppermint, apple spice and more. Retail locations tend to overflow with these options as the holidays approach, giving brands the opportunity to stand out and potentially attract a new segment of customers.
With digitally printed pouches, you have the ability to create limited-edition and seasonal packaging in short runs. This gives you the freedom to experiment with new, seasonal flavors without the risk of obsolescence and unused inventory. Marry that with the short lead times and low order minimums that come with digital printing, and seasonal packaging is no longer a barrier. Pumpkin spice granola, anyone?
Partner with a Flexible Packaging Company for your Granola Packaging
Partnering with a flexible packaging company like ePac can give you access to the convenience and versatility, not to mention digitally printed graphics, of stand up pouches. With these 6 must-haves in mind, you can create granola packaging that stands out on the shelf and attracts new customers.
Contact us today for a free quote, and to learn how digitally printed stand-up pouches deliver all of these must-haves to satisfy all your granola packaging needs.