At Expo West, protein-packed snacks continue to dominate
From tortilla chips to bread to cookie bites, food startups are still trying to pack protein into as many products as possible, as evidenced on day one of the Natural Products Expo West conference.
Protein bars, of course, have been around for decades, but new startups that tout protein as one of their selling points continue to see astronomical growth. Chomps, which sells meat sticks, said its sales grew by more than 200% last year.
There’s no shortage of entrants to the protein market — protein bar David was one of the most-talked-about launches in the CPG world last year. But, as Expo West shows, the protein craze is showing no signs of slowing down. Brands are cramming protein into everything from cookie bites to pretzels, and buyers continue to demand these products, as well. CPG executives say there seems to be an increasing focus on protein-packed products that people want to pick up throughout the day, like cottage cheese cups for snacking or a more nutritious brownie in the evening.
“What we learned is that consumers want indulgent experiences but in familiar formats,” Simply Protein CEO Michael Lines told Modern Retail at Expo West.
The GLP-1 effect
At a panel titled “Fueling the Future: The Rise of Protein in the $126B Snacking Industry” on Wednesday, a number of brands and retailers discussed the opportunity to capture protein-hungry customers.
Indeed, better-for-you protein-packed snacks that are low in sugar and sodium have to give customers a reason to pay a premium in grocery stores.
One of the panelists was Matt Landen, senior vp of business development at Chomps. He pointed out that, as protein moves away from functional categories and incorporates indulgent occasions, mainstream customers’ expectations will get higher. “But taste is going to be what carries you,” Landen said. Landen also cited statistics indicating that Americans are projected to continue using semaglutide medications in the coming years, further opening up opportunities for better-for-you food startups to cater to their nutritious needs. A KFF Health tracking poll from May indicated that about 6% of Americans were using a GLP-1 drug at the timee.
Research commissioned by Chomps said that consumers actively seek protein in 36% of “snacking occasions” — that is, these shoppers seek protein-packed snacks as they want healthy fuel or efficient nutrition.
Another panelist was Cameron Smith, founder and CEO of protein-based breakfast brand Kodiak Cakes. Smith recently co-founded a new protein pretzel brand, Kindling Snacks. Smith said a classic snack like pretzels is a perfect category to bring into the protein fold. Kindling Snacks have 9 grams of protein per serving.
Smith said that while he knew protein would be a selling point, “we knew [the product also] had to taste good and have that fun evening [snacking] occasion.”
Smith and Landen also pointed out that more Americans, especially younger generations, are eating smaller, snackable meals throughout the day. This creates more demand for protein-based products like Chomps and Kindling that can be thrown in a lunchbox or be eaten on the go.
Encouraging new products
Some established protein product brands are leaning into snacking and branching out into other products. SimplyProtein, which has been around since 2002, has for decades specialized in functional protein bars. Now the company is hitting other aisles, such as chips and dessert bars.
SimplyProtein CEO Michael Lines said after doing research and collecting feedback from retailers in the last few years, the company decided to add new lines to capture this demand. Last year, the company rolled out restaurant-style tortilla chips with seven grams of protein per serving. Later this year, SimplyProtein is launching bars with 10 grams of protein that are more akin to candy, with flavors like salted caramel crisp and fudgy almond crunch.
“Protein has been moving from the sports nutrition space and into the mainstream for a few years now,” Lines said. He said brands like Quest and Wilde Chips are attracting the health-conscious customer, but there is room for more products for everyday occasions.
So far, buyers have reacted positively to the new SimplyProtein products. “We pitched it yesterday in the Albertsons Innovation Launchpad,” he said. “Retailers like Target, Albertsons, HEB and Costco have given us extremely positive feedback.”
Protein can be found across various booth halls at Expo West. As is tradition, buzzy CPG brands are on site to offer samples of their products in different formats. Cottage cheese brand Good Culture is using the occasion to showcase its product as a protein-packed snack.
Ryan Fallgren, senior brand manager at Good Culture, said the brand’s young audience has helped it grow through viral recipes, like cottage cheese flatbread and oven-baked cheese crackers. The brand is at Expo West sampling various dippable combinations of its cottage cheese, serving them in collaboration with Fly by Jing and Simple Mills crackers.
“Protein is jumping out as the top benefit among Gen Z and millennials coming into Good Culture,” Fallgren explained.
Now, the company is preparing to launch new formats that go beyond its plain cheese tubs and fruit-topped cups. What’s more, Fallgren said, the demand isn’t slowing down.
“We’re at a constant battle to keep up with capacity, but people are constantly asking us about our next flavor,” he said.