Why Offering a Variety of Snack Lines is Good for Business

Packaged snack foods are a significant business in the United States. Are you offering your customers what they’re looking for? How can you make sure your sales in this lucrative market are as high as they should be?

Snacks are definitely convenience goods, for which consumers are willing to invest very limited shopping efforts. Therefore, it’s essential to have these products readily available—and offer a variety of products to appeal to a broad audience.

Research has shown that the variety a brand offers can serve as a quality cue and therefore influence which brand consumers choose. Offering consumers more options is superior to offering fewer options, for the simple reason that a greater variety of options can cater to a wider range of tastes. In other words, the proper product mix can increase sales by offering a product that will meet the demands of almost any consumer.

A survey conducted by Harris Interactive found that U.S. adults enjoy a variety of flavors and textures when it comes to their snack foods. About four in five (79 percent) like their snack foods crunchy, while about half (52 percent) prefer chewy. Nearly two in three (64 percent) prefer sweet snacks, compared to the 54 percent who like their snack foods salty. Finally, 47 percent said they prefer spicy snacks. Therefore, it makes sense to offer product lines that cover all the bases.

And once a consumer has tried one of a brand’s products and liked it, he will be more likely to try another product by the same company. Say, for example, he stops into your convenience store, purchases a bag of cashew nuts and enjoys them. Next time he stops at your store for a snack, he may not want cashews—but if he remembers that he enjoyed his previous purchase, he’ll be more likely to take the chance that the same brand’s almonds are just as good. On subsequent trips, he’ll be more likely to look for that brand. If you see that one product is selling well, it stands to reason that the company’s other products will, also.

One last survey result? Four in five (80 percent) choose snacks such as fruit and nuts to ensure they eat healthy, and that’s where Mister Snacks comes in. We’ve been providing healthy snacks for decades—and we cover every taste from savory or salty to sweet or spicy. See our website for the wide variety of healthy snacks we sell!