The Best Bulk Ingredients for Snacks and Trail Mix Products EP 5

Many snack brands face a familiar problem: the need to create trail mix products that truly resonate with consumers and offer something different. With so many options out there, it can be challenging to differentiate yourself from the competition and capture the attention of your target audience.

Here's what you'll learn about the snack market: 

• Navigate through the thriving snack industry with a focus on the prominence of trail mixes. 

• Delve into the intriguing flavor profiles and distinctive attributes that give trail mixes an edge. 

• Learn how to leverage the impact of non-GMO and gluten-free labels to your advantage. 

• Gain insight into the rising popularity of keto and protein references in trail mix branding. 

• Reflect on the careful considerations required in choosing ingredients and packaging for trail mixes. 

Every brand can position their own trail mix in so many different ways to compete in the marketplace and capture their own following. - Nick Erker 

Nick and Donny explore the relevance of callouts in trail mixes with a special highlight on keto and protein. With more and more people hopping on the keto bandwagon or looking for protein-rich meals for an active lifestyle, these callouts can be particularly appealing. 

They also talked about how labels like no artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors, are increasingly vital for today's informed consumers. Clearly, callouts can add that extra spark to your trail mix!

 The world of unique trail mix flavor profiles and trends is wide and worth exploring. With people's taste preferences changing and diversifying, sticking to the basics isn't going to cut it anymore. Offering a wide variety of flavor profiles for your trail mix, from spicy and sweet to umami and savory, can cater to everyone's palate. 

Donny also discuss the influence of other ethnic snacks on the trail mix market. Nick explains this is a really interesting direction for trail mix brands to consider. Spicy, sweet, tangy, and umami-rich flavor profiles can offer snackers a little culinary adventure through their snack, making it a refreshing departure from predictable flavor combinations. 

Hear how it can open up avenues for brands to reach out to niche markets and establish a different sort of brand-consumer relationship.

Adopting a customer-centric approach and actively engaging with your audience, we can gather valuable insights and feedback to constantly improve and refine our trail mix offerings.

Lots of ingredients have been discussed in the snack category. Donny shares specifics on a few that are really popular including: 

• Cashews, macadamia, Brazil nuts, walnuts 

• Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds

• Banana chips, mango, pineapple, papaya (dried fruits that may have sugar added)

• Organic cranberries and goldenberries (great alternatives)

• Coconut chips

• Cocoa gems

Smirk's is here to help with all the ingredients that you want to use in your natural food snacks. Got a question or need help with sourcing Smirk's is happy to help.

Market Report [19:07]

Listen for the details for this month's market report including: 

• The almond crop was better than expected, so prices are expected to remain stable. 

• Chia harvest is expected to be good. Recommendations to secure your chia supply now for the rest of this year and into 2024.

• White chia supply may be more plentiful.

• We're seeing good prices and availability on gluten free oats. 

• Demand is exceeding supply right now for coconut sugar and we expect the market to remain tight so letting your supplier know wh