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Frozen snack food sales jump 47.5% as consumers stuck at home opt for all-day grazing rather than traditional meals.

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Although stay-at-home orders put an end to on-the-go consumption for many consumers, a recent survey by Kenton Global found that nearly half of all Americans are actually snacking more now than before the pandemic began – and 40% of those expect that behavior will continue even after life returns to normal. Easy, all-day access to the kitchen is certainly helping drive the shift, but manufacturers say the increasing availability of convenient, high quality frozen snacks plays a role as well.

During the 12 weeks ended June 14, sales of frozen snacks/appetizers shot up 47.5% to $644.34 million across channels while sales of frozen non-breakfast handheld entrees jumped 26.0% to $763.43 million, reports Chicago- based market research firm IRI (iriworldwide.com). Why such a difference between the two subcategories’ growth? Both offer convenience, but manufacturers say handheld entrees are often consumed as meals at work or school – which no one is attending these days – while snacks and appetizers are for eating at home whenever consumers get the urge.

‘NOW THE FOURTH MEAL OCCASION’

Hitting freezers this month, Lily’s Toaster Grills come in five flavors made with real butter, real cheese and real bread “just like mom’s.”

“Snacking all day is now the fourth meal occasion, often replacing traditional breakfast, lunch or dinner,” confirms Robert Corcoran, head of USA sales for K&N’s (kandns. us), which recently rolled out a line of frozen Kabab Temptations that also meet demand for authentic ethnic foods (especially now that international travel is on hold). He adds that just because consumers are home doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve got more time to cook. Parents trying to work remotely while also caring for their children are busier than ever. “Consumption is less ‘on the go’ or ‘in the car,'” says Corcoran, “but the need for convenience at home remains strong. So at least for the foreseeable future, quick microwaveable frozen snacks and handhelds are the new normal.”

However, convenience doesn’t mean lower quality, says John Darcy, founder and CEO of Denver-based Lily’s Toaster Grills (lilystoastergrills.com). The company’s new ready-to-toast grilled cheese sandwiches are made with real butter, real cheese and real bread “so they taste just like mom’s,” he explains. But thanks to proprietary technologies, the fully cooked, toaster-ready snack food go from freezer to plate in about four minutes – no ingredients to assemble, no stove to heat up, no frying pan to clean.

Since grilled cheese is second only to peanut butter and jelly as Americans’ favorite sandwich, continues Darcy, manufacturers have been trying to develop a more convenient frozen version for years. While their efforts always fell short (too soggy, too hard, too leaky, too burnt), he believes the Lily’s team has cracked the code.

“When consumers told us they could pass our product off as homemade, we knew we had a winner,” he says, citing a trend toward real, high quality food.

Lily’s Toaster Grills come in five flavors: Traditional Cheese, Ham & Cheese, Jalapeno & Cheese, Cheeseburger and S’mores, all in two-count boxes packed eight to a case – enough for two full shelves. More products are in development, with an eye toward eventually filling a whole case.

Nestlé-owned Stouffer’s (stouffers.com), Arlington, Va., is also tapping into the popularity of traditional comfort foods, though it’s offering them in a snackable, bite-size format. Building on the success of its breaded Mac & Cheese Bites, the company rolled out three additional varieties last month: Classic Lasagna Bites, Bacon & White Cheddar Mac Bites and Chicken Pot Pie Bites. Described as “an exciting new way to enjoy the big flavor of classic Stouffer’s recipes,” the poppable breaded snack food bites come in 13 to 18-count 12-ounce boxes.

Springdale, Ark.- based Tyson is bringing a similar philosophy to the breakfast segment where its new Jimmy Dean (jimmydean.com) Casserole Bites “offer everything consumers love about breakfast casseroles in a convenient, handheld bite that can be eaten on the go or as a snack,” reports Scott Glenn, senior director of the Jimmy Dean brand.

“We discovered that recipe searches for ‘brunch casseroles’ went up over 60% in the last year,” he says of the thinking behind the new product. “We wanted to deliver on consumers’ hunger for a satisfying breakfast casserole but in a form that was much easier to prepare, especially on busy weekday mornings.” Ready in under a minute, the hassle-free, poppable bites come in three flavors made with Jimmy Dean pork sausage, real eggs and other premium ingredients: French Toast, Meat Lovers and Sausage, Egg & Cheese.

Glenn notes that a 2019 survey by the brand found that 80% of adults eat breakfast foods as a snack, and younger consumers are even more likely to enjoy breakfast foods throughout the day – even late at night.

After seeing the appearance of breakfast wraps on restaurant menus jump 22% last year, Jimmy Dean also debuted a trio of convenient, better-for-you breakfast wraps under its Delights brand, reports Glenn. Made with real veggies, all-natural turkey sausage or bacon, white cheddar cheese and whole scrambled eggs wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla, the healthy handhelds deliver 13 to 14 grams of protein and 17 grams of whole grains per serving. Available flavors include Spinach & Bacon, Turkey Sausage & Veggie and Southwest Style.

REIMAGINING THE CLASSIC SNACK FOOD

Another company exploring ways to make a traditional food more “snackable,” Pennsauken, N.J.-based J&J Snack Foods (jjsnack.com) recently debuted a new format for its beloved SuperPretzel. “Changing the shape and size of a great-tasting product can help a brand stay relevant,” says associate marketing manager Lauren Castaldi, citing the company’s new SuperPretzel Cheese Filled Soft Pretzel Bites. “We took the soft pretzel dough that everyone loves and trusts and wrapped it around premium cheese.” And voila, a new bite-size snack is born! Available flavors include Mozzarella, Pub Cheese and Pepper Jack.

Another innovative new cheese-filled bite comes from Clackamas, Ore.-based Wild Mike’s (wildmikesultimatepizza.com). While the company is best known for its all-natural pizza, Stuffed Crust Cheezy Bites have been its second best-seller in schools – and its No. 1 non-pizza item – for the past two years. The microwaveable, kid-friendly snack comes in both Mozzarella and Jalapeno flavors.

A new twist on an old favorite is also making news at Farm Rich, a division of St. Simons Island, Ga.-based Rich Products, which just rolled out Mickey Mouse & Friends Mozzarella Shapes – a follow-up to last year’s Toy Story 4 Mozzarella Shapes. The “new yet nostalgic snack foods” carries the “Disney check,” signifying that it meets the company’s nutrition guidelines. Made with 100% real mozzarella cheese and a whole grain coating, each serving delivers 13 grams of protein and 25% the daily recommended amount of calcium, highlighting the growing importance of better-for-you attributes in the snack category.

Boomerang’s launches its fi rst plant-based handheld meat pies, including Beefy Potato made with Beyond Beef Crumbles.

As a result, manufacturers are reimagining some of consumers’ favorite frozen snacks as healthy treats. Perhaps the biggest better-for-you trend is growing demand for plant-based options. According to SPINS, sales of plant-based foods that directly replace animal products have grown 29% in the past two years. However, plant-based meat that’s used as an ingredient represents a disproportionate share of total sales, highlighting a need for plant-based convenience foods.

To make it easy for consumers to go meatless, Battle Creek, Mich.-based Kellogg’s recently added vegan Veggie Pizza Bites (Pepperoni and Sausage) to its plant-based MorningStar Farms (morningstarfarms.com) Veggitizers lineup, which also includes plant-based Veggie Wings, Mini Corn Dogs and Popcorn Chik’n.

Meanwhile, Austin, Texas- based Boomerang’s (boomerangspies.com) is launching its first plant-based meat pies: Beefy Potato (made with Beyond Beef Crumbles by Beyond Meat) and Chick’n Classic. Inspired by Boomerang’s most popular (conventional) meat pie flavors, the new additions are targeted to convenience shoppers looking for a meat alternative but unwilling to give up meaty taste, says company co-founder Jack Fennell. He adds that they’ve already been accepted at 2,500 stores nationwide.

Another company, Salisbury, Md.-based Handy (handyseafood.com), takes a slightly different approach to the plant-based snack trend, combining protein-packed salmon and shrimp with plant-based superfoods like edamame, spinach, broccoli and chia seeds in a line of Power Bites. Made with fresh, whole ingredients, the heat-and-eat snacks meet demand for products that help consumers meet their health goals but also taste great, says director of marketing Maureen Johnson.

‘TAILGATE IN THE CUL DE SAC’

While large parties may be on hold for now, small groups of family and friends are still gathering to celebrate birthdays, graduations and other milestones. And while fans may not be able to watch football or basketball games in person, televised events are starting to come back. So how about building a promotion or display around “Tailgate in the Cul de Sac”? asks Meade Bradshaw, national sales manager for Moonachie, N.J.-based private label supplier Bylada Foods (byladafoods.com). “Tailgaters traditionally use a lot of foodservice/restaurant items, but there’s a beautiful opportunity for retailers to capitalize on the tailgating-at-home theme,” he explains.

Bradshaw also suggests retailers consider building out their private label snack programs. “With the economic downturn, they’re likely to see an increased focus on value.” Large family-size packages deliver the biggest bang per buck, but they also help meet the needs of consumers limiting trips to the supermarket. Beyond that, he says, big bags equal advanced consumption. “So I recommend all retailers offer family size packages of top sellers,” says Bradshaw. If there is a Super Bowl this year, they’ll be one step ahead of demand.

FROZEN SNACK FOOD, APPS & HANDHELDS

Frozen Snack Food Sales in supermarkets, drugstores, mass merchants, military commissaries and select club and dollar stores combined for the 12 weeks ended June 14, according to Chicago-based market research firm IRI (iriworldwide.com). Percent change is versus the same period a year ago.

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