The popularity of pretzels is undeniable! Having long been established as one of America’s favorite snacks, pretzels continue to serve as a go-to, low-guilt snack for consumers of all ages. Even though pretzels are already popular, they continue to show growth, with a 3.65% increase in retail sales in the past year, according to Circana. What’s driving this growth? As consumers have been prioritizing their health and wellbeing, they’ve been gravitating towards pretzels as a healthier alternative to greasy, high-fat snacks.
Despite their popularity, pretzels have lagged behind other snack categories when it comes to innovation. Now that they’re taking the spotlight as a better-for-you alternative to chips, pretzel flavor innovation is finally starting to ramp up. In this blog, our experts break down the latest trends in pretzels – and offer their perspectives on how to take these trends to the next level
Say “Yes” to Spicy
Consumers are all about flavors that turn up the heat! In the pretzel category, many of the top growth flavors reflect this trend, with spicy twists on familiar flavors being among the highest selling. Taking a popular, mainstream flavor like ranch, BBQ, or honey mustard and adding some heat has proven to be a surefire way of appealing to pretzel consumers. Regional inspired flavors that offer heat, like Cajun and Nashville hot, have also witnessed substantial growth in the pretzel category, demonstrating that consumers love using their favorite snack products to explore new-to-them cuisines through food.
Take the spicy hot flavor trend to the next level by innovating with the flavors of trending peppers for pretzel products that consumers will be totally obsessed with. Ghost peppers, for example, have been trending in foodservice and in other snack categories, but have yet to make waves in the pretzel category. Innovating with hot and spicy peppers to come up with new and unique pretzel flavors will appeal to consumers who are craving heat.
Embrace Indulgence
Sweet, indulgent flavors are taking off in the pretzel category! Indeed, consumers love the low-guilt nature of consuming pretzels as a snack, so much so that they don’t feel so bad about enjoying extremely indulgent flavors on pretzels. The “treat yourself” mentality has seen a resurgence amidst ongoing political and economic uncertainty, and many consumers are viewing indulgent snacking as a means of self-care.
Pretzel brands can capitalize on this trend by getting inspired by hyper-indulgent dessert flavors. Consumers are looking for comfort from their favorite snacks, and indulgent desserts deliver just that. Think strawberry cheesecake pretzel nuggets, churro and chocolate pretzel twists, apple pie pretzel bites, or classic carrot cake with cream cheese frosting pretzels.
Another option? Lean into indulgence in a different way by bringing the flavors of classic comfort foods to pretzels. Think flavors like chicken and waffles, supreme pizza, and New England clam chowder. Consumers will appreciate the opportunity to experience the flavors of their favorite comfort foods on ever-popular pretzels.
Go Global
The popularity of the global food and flavor trend is undeniable, influencing just about every product category. A few global inspired flavors have made their mark on the pretzel category, like Mexican street corn and Thai curry, showing growth in the past year. With a world of possibilities, however, there’s plenty more room for innovation when it comes to global flavors. Pretzel brands should consider stepping outside of the box and looking for exotic international flavors for inspiration. Trending global foods and flavors, like kimchi, vindaloo, harissa, and ras el hanout, are ideal for translating to pretzel flavors.
Ready to innovate with your pretzel products? Contact us today to see how Fuchs can help you make something special.