Snacks + Beverages = Growth Opportunity for Grocers

When your customers crave a snack — whether it's a quick bite between school and soccer practice or something fast in the morning — offering the right beverages can mean growth for your business. That's because snacking isn't just about food: More than 52% of all snacking occasions include a beverage, according to the 2014 Study of American Snacking Behavior. By understanding snacking trends, grocery store operators can be part of a trend estimated to generate $200 billion in retail sales by 2020, according to IRI's 2015 Snacking Study.

"Forty-five percent of all eating occasions are snacking," says David Roche, senior manager, Channel Strategy and Execution, Coca-Cola. "Snacking is large, expansive and growing, so it's a big deal for grocery retailers."

An Engine for Growth
Coca-Cola's iSHOP Shopper Tracking Study found that a shopping trip that includes both a beverage and a snack tends to bring in almost twice the dollar value as a trip that includes just a beverage or just a snack. For large stores, converting just 1% more of those single baskets to baskets that include both a beverage and a snack can be worth $3.7 billion annually, according to iSHOP.

According to The Hartman Group's Snacking Study, more than 45% of all eating occasions are snacks, and that number is growing by 5% annually. Nielsen Scantrack data shows cookies and chocolate candy accounting for the most snacking dollars, with potato chips and crackers close behind.

The Snacking Customer
Although 94% of consumers snack, the motivation varies from satisfying cravings and needing an energy boost to not having time for large meals or being hungry between meals. Fifty percent of snackers enjoy a snack two to three times per day, while 29% of snackers have a snack just once per day, according to The Hartman Group.

Fifty percent of snackers enjoy a snack two to three times per day, while 29% of snackers have a snack just once per day.

iSHOP shows that most snack shoppers are female (53%); 25 to 49 years old; African-American or Hispanic; with larger households that include children; and an annual income of $25,000 to $75,000. Sixty-two percent of consumers shop with an occasion in mind. According to a July 2015 Coca-Cola THIRST Omnibus Survey, there are four universal snacking occasions: "me time" at home accounts for 32% of snacking occasions, as does "family time" at home, while snacking "on the go" made up 23% of snacking occasions, and "entertaining at home" represents 13%.

Win with Snacking Solutions
Coca-Cola has the best lineup of brands to complement snacking occasions. Sparkling soft drinks are the top beverages purchased, according to Coca-Cola's iSHOP Shopper Tracking Study. This product dominance, coupled with Coca-Cola's understanding of the snack shopper, has led to a new strategy to win shoppers by focusing on a wider set of snacking occasions.

Roche suggests retailers align snacking solutions with key events and holidays, like basketball tournaments, the Olympic Games and fall football. "Take advantage of the attention surrounding these events and tie into the energy that is already there to create solutions that will resonate with shoppers," he says.

To find out more, talk to a Coca-Cola representative.

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