RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CALIF. — The snack industry is constantly evolving to keep up with US consumers’ appetite for snacking. At BEMA Convention 2024, held June 28-July 2, in Ranchos Palos Verdes, Calif., three snack manufacturers spoke on how they’re keeping up with changing consumer preferences, new automation technology and the growing focus on health and sustainability. 

Dulcie Freymoyer, vice president of marketing for Reading Bakery Systems, moderated a panel featuring Joe Ambroyer, senior vice president of operations, JTM Foods, Eerie, Pa.; Bill Quigg, president and chief executive officer, Richmond Baking, Lexington, Ky.; and Casey Young, director of R&D, food design, Conagra Brands, Chicago. 

As the snack segment has experienced significant growth, both Quigg and Ambroyer expressed the growing need to keep up with their customers’ and consumers’ needs for new products. Quigg noted that when he first started in the business about 30 years ago, the goal was always volume: producing as much as possible. That’s changed, however.

“Customers are extraordinarily creative,” he said. “And it’s about how do we do the appropriate volume with the appropriate changeover times. That can be expensive from a producer’s perspective depending on how you manage it. The equipment has to be able to accommodate those fast changeovers, and I think that’s really changed dramatically. That change of pace is only going to increase in that area.”   

Thankfully, automation technology has advanced to allow for snack manufacturers to meet both their volume and flexibility needs.

“Trends in automation over the past five years have allowed us to still have the flexibility and programming we needed while the cost has also come down,” Quigg said. 

Ambroyer noted that JTM Foods prioritizes flexibility so highly that it has a production line dubbed Line F for flexibility. This line is designed to run smaller volumes and test customers’ new products. He also pointed out, however, that although automation can help production reach the next level, it only works as well as the operators running the production line. 

“Automation is great when it runs, but when it doesn’t it can be frustrating,” he said. 

This is why partnerships between snack manufacturers and their equipment suppliers are so important. Operators have to be trained to use the equipment and systems effectively, and these investments in automation are for the long term. Quigg noted that trust is critical as the technology advances and the marketplace changes so quickly. 

When it comes to new product development — a major driver for the snack category’s growth — taste is still king. Young explained that taste goes beyond flavor when it comes to snacks. 

“It’s about flavor delivery; the texture of the product and shape is connected to those attributes,” he said. “But then there is a subset of attributes that supports that such as retro nasal aromas, how the snack moves around in the mouth while someone is chewing it and what is the sound I hear in my brain whenever I’m eating this snack?” 

Freymoyer echoed his sentiment, saying that shape and seasoning have become a major source of innovation for the pretzel category. 

Health and wellness, such as grain-free and keto, remain high priorities for consumers when it comes to their snack choices.

Young and Ambroyer encouraged bakers and snack manufacturers to open up their options for new product ideas beyond the R&D team. Young looks to not only consumers but also the inventor and creator space, specifically social media for the next big idea. Ingredient and equipment suppliers also provide inspiration with their own technological advancements. 

Ambroyer shared the benefits JTM Foods has seen in bringing employees such as the human resources team or maintenance team into the ideation stage, employees not typically asked to weigh in on new product development. This helps employees feel involved, valued and invested in the product. 

“There are no bad ideas,” he said. “They might not all be doable, but I want people to bring them to the table and not be reserved. And that can lead to conversations like ‘We can’t do that, but what about this?’ The brainstorming session gets it going.”