Grab-and-go sales are up! Convenience is a factor yet again, and packaged walnuts and trail mixes are a handy, delicious and nutritious choice for a snack.
Consumers are focused on convenient snacking, and overall, the grab-and-go category is experiencing expanding sales throughout the COVID pandemic, according to data from Chicago-based Nielsen Fresh. Prepared, ready-to-eat categorized foods reported a 51% increase in year-over-year dollar sales for the 17-week period ending June 17, 2020. Nichole Towell, senior director of marketing for Oviedo, Fla.-based Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Inc., told Produce Business that “convenience items are very important. The trend for the grab-and-go category has seen incremental growth year-over-year, due to demand and innovation. As more people seek healthy and convenient solutions, we expect more and more items to join the grab-and-go category.”
Why is grab-and-go so popular right now? A concern over who handles food and the lack of human touch in packaged goods is appealing to consumers, notes Towell.. “At this time in history, packaging is critical as more shoppers are looking for prepackaged items due to the pandemic.”
Additionally, consumers are looking for snacks that are rich in protein, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as those that provide long-lasting energy. What better way to satisfy all of these demands than with a walnut trail mix or packaged, seasoned walnuts?
Fortune Business Insights says that the growing popularity of plant-based and vegan diets also fuels the demand for nut-based products, and the increasing demand for trail mixes is attributed to their portability, convenience and availability of assorted flavors in the product. Of particular note, walnuts are a good-fat food and are the only nut that is an excellent source of plant-based omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) with 2.5 grams per ounce.
The nuts, seeds and trail mix category is expected to grow at a faster pace due to the rising demand for natural, organic and clean label products, Fortune Business Insights shares. Finally, the global trail mix market is expected to register a compound annual growth rate of 5.65% through 2021, MarketWatch notes. The exponential growth in the usage of this product category is attributed to its various “functional and health benefits,” and what better way to contribute to the climb than with these 2020 walnut product releases.
Ready-to-Eat Snack Walnuts, Diamond of California
Eight new packaged flavored walnuts were released late summer, and we’re obsessed with the delicious flavors: Hot Honey, Himalayan Pink Salt, Teriyaki & Wasabi, Salted Dark Chocolate, Hickory Smoked Bacon, Chile Lime, Cinnamon Churro and Sweet Maple. They’re packaged in ready-to-eat resealable pouches and naturally processed and roasted with no bitterness.Classic Vanilla Candied Walnuts, Fearless Keto
As part of its Candied Walnuts line, we’re sweet on the Classic Vanilla variety released by Fearless Keto this past spring. Made to satisfy a sweet tooth with less guilt, these candied walnuts are keto-friendly and contain 2 grams of net carbs, 4 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber in each serving.
