India is a snacking nation. Spoilt for choice, easy availability spurs Indian consumers’ propensity to eat more frequently in between set meals.
Snacking has always been an intrinsic part of Indian culture—we have a snack for any reason, season, and occasion, no matter what time of the day it is. It is therefore no surprise that India, with its vast population and diverse snacking choices, is taking the lead in defining snack trends globally.
Mondelez International’s recent consumer trends survey, “State of Snacking (India report) 2021,” highlights many interesting data points on snacking in India. For example, 74% of adults prefer smaller meals throughout the day to fewer large ones. And 81% say they snack instead of eating at least one meal a day. The report found that consumers are always on the search for the right snack, be it bite-sized indulgences or the new-found fad for snack bars, on one hand, or new expressions of their much-loved legacy snacks. Not only is India striking a balance in its snacking choices catalyzed by emotional and physical wellbeing, but also fueling innovations in their search for the right snack.
Snacking, as a practise and sector, has transformed completely since the first mention of the virus. Health was a priority pre-pandemic, but being locked at home while continuing to maximise work output has put an immense strain on us all. The result is that we’ve fallen back on old habits that provide comfort. Hence, our snacking behaviours have been invariably affected.
India has always been a snack-consuming market. Why is there a shift towards healthy snacking in India?
The COVID-19 conference illuminated the importance of eating healthy and hygienically packed food. With the advent of the global pandemic, consumer behaviour changed. Whether it is drinking bitter immunity-strengthening concoctions or including a whole lot of protein in our routine, people have adapted and adopted it all.
Covid-19 established a new normal wherein making better and healthier choices was the need of the hour. And since then, India has witnessed a flurry of start-ups in the healthy snacking domain. It would be safe to say that the pandemic engulfed the world and left behind a woke and conscious audience. This behavioural shift has resulted in many people abandoning traditional unpackaged oily and salty snacks in favour of something healthier and more balanced.
More people are looking at food as medicine and are placing greater focus on health. This has led to more demand and desire for healthy foods, including snacks. People are lowering their intake of salt, one such ingredient that people are lowering their intake of is salt. Although cutting salt is not a simple or straightforward process, Salt is not a single sensation but an overall experience. When salt is reduced by 15 to 30%, several things happen: the sourness changes, the bitterness and off-notes increase, and the umami becomes unbalanced.
Food texture is also affected, as salt delivers seasoning homogeneity. In baking products, salt plays a key role in strengthening the gluten structure that results in a dough that can hold its shape and produce quality bread.
There is also the issue of food safety. Historically, salt was used to preserve food and prevent spoilage. In hot, tropical Asian countries, this is very important. Many food items stay fresh for a long time because of salt. For successful reformulation, taste, texture, and food safety must be considered. Unless a balance of all these elements is achieved, salt reduction will not be possible.
Salt is a universal flavour enhancer, particularly in savoury snacks, as it is cost-efficient and readily available. Salt contains sodium, which the body needs for healthy nerve and muscle function and a proper balance of minerals and water. Too much sodium, on the other hand, can cause a variety of health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), some 2.5 million deaths globally could be prevented each year if consumers limited salt intake to recommended levels.
On average, the daily salt intake globally is 9g to 12g, double the recommended maximum level by WHO, which pegs the ideal salt consumption per day at less than 5g. Last year, WHO released a new set of global standards for sodium levels in more than 60 food categories, with the new benchmarks showing countries how they can lower their targets and encourage industry to minimise sodium content in processed foods and work toward the WHO goal of a 30% reduction in global sodium intake by 2025.
internationally Regulatory authorities are establishing sodium limits in foods or requiring front-of-pack labelling for sodium. In Asia Pacific, a declaration of sodium content is required on packaging, with a declaration of high-sodium content expected in the near future to help consumers recognise the need to manage their salt intake.
Apart from all this, cost can be an issue. As salt is a low-cost ingredient, any measure to reduce it would be costly. There is probably no ingredient cheaper than salt. But what we really need to look at is the value that a solution brings to the table. While there might be an increase in cost, the overall value is also much higher.
When looking for the right solution, it’s important for snack brands and manufacturers to consider a solution that can deliver a clean upfront salty impact, enhance middle saltiness, add intensity and taste dimension, succulence, and mask bitter aftertaste.
A good solution is also one that can be complemented by natural extracts, dairy flavours and ingredients, and savoury flavours. This will improve the taste perception for a richer overall eating experience with a clean aftertaste. Beyond balancing sodium reduction and taste considerations, the right solution should enable easy application, deliver cost-in-use efficiency, and allow manufacturers to achieve their clean label objectives.
With the snack market in India expected to grow at a CAGR of 12% from 2022-2027, less (salt) can be more when it comes to fulfilling the consumer’s craving for tasty, feel-good snack foods that fulfil both their emotional and wellness needs.