3 Reasons Giving Customers Good Snack Choices Will Benefit Sales

People of all ages, backgrounds and stripes are reaching for healthy snacks these days. Offering your customers variety in snack foods allows you to respond to the changing tastes of the American snacker. Did you know, however, providing good snack choices can also benefit sales? Here are three ways that upping your snack food game can help boost your bottom line.

Snack Food Sales Are Skyrocketing

The Boston Consulting Group and Information Resources, Inc. recently reported consumer packaged goods had it strongest growth in nearly a decade in 2015. That year, CPG sales increased 3.1 percent, reaching $670 billion in the U.S.  Driving that growth was the fast-growing “mindful snacking” market.  Specifically, consumers are shopping for healthy snacks rich in protein.

The biggest boom was in the convenience store sector, which posted 6.9 percent snack food growth in 2015, which means customers do not always “plan” their snacks in their weekly or monthly grocery shopping trips. Even on the go, when people have historically reached for candy and chips, consumers are now spending their dollars on healthy snack foods. Stores offering their shoppers choices that include both indulgent and healthy snack foods are reaping the financial benefits.

Impulse Buys Drive Sales…and Good Feelings About a Store

Nine out of ten shoppers report giving in to impulse buys, and nearly 40 percent of those purchases are food-related. Over 70 percent of those who make impulse buys report they often regret what they purchased. It can be inferred those shoppers gave in to their desire for sugary or fatty foods, as it would seem unlikely that someone would regret choosing a healthy option.

Providing customers with choices they can feel good about not only allows stores to capitalize on consumers’ impulse buys, it also promotes loyalty. If a customer knows they can give in to a craving without feeling guilty, they will have a positive feeling about that store. There are numerous snacking options that offer the feeling of indulgence without the guilt, like trail mixes which provide a sweet, salty and protein-based snacks that don’t generate the guilty feelings that candy bar or bag of potato chips can instill.

Healthy Snacks, Healthy Margins

According to the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), “alternative” healthy snacks post margins of nearly 40 percent. Margins on candy can swing anywhere from 20-40 percent, depending on numerous factors, according to NACS. This means stores can add healthier snacks into their inventory without sacrificing profit, and if added strategically by removing low-selling, low-margin items from rotation, overall margins will get a boost.

The key to making this strategy work is to study the numbers and remove items that are not contributing to the bottom line in a positive way and adding healthy snack options (with healthy margins) that will move quickly. This takes a little bit of digging and a strong understanding of the market, but with the right vendors, it can be done.

Are You Ready to Boost Your Sales?  

If you want to provide your shoppers with high-quality snack foods customers are looking for and want to boost your profits at the same time, Mister Snacks can help. To learn more about our products, our pricing and the ways we can help you achieve your goals, contact us today.