CHICAGO -- Every day 28
million people in the United States eat a grab-and-go snack, accounting for
billions of eatings each year. These buy-and-eat-within-an-hour snacks are 50%
more likely to be eaten while traveling or in a car, which make convenience
stores a primary source for grab-and-go snacks, reports The NPD Group.
According to NPD’s snacking research, convenience stores represent five times
their fair share when it comes to grab-and-go snacking occasions, beating out
grocery stores and even discount stores.
“Grab-and-go snacking represents
a sizable opportunity and manufacturers and retailers can capture a larger
share of this ‘buy and consume’ behavior by understanding the consumer dynamics
that drive these purchases,” said Darren Seifer, NPD food and beverage industry
analyst, in a press release.
Grab-and-go snacks
represent 12% of all snack-oriented convenience foods and are typically eaten
between meals rather than replacing meals, find NPD’s SnackTrack. This
“on-the-go” snacking behavior typically occurs in the morning or midday and
least often in the evening. Young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 are the
most inclined toward the instant gratification these types of snacks offer.
“Manufacturers need to
incorporate grab-and-go snacking as part of their go-to-market strategy,
particularly when developing plans for the convenience store outlet,” said
Seifer. “Retailers might consider rotating the types of items stocked near the
entrance or check-out counter to align with the grab-and-go snacker’s need by
time of day.”
NPD’s snacking research
also finds that consumers choose a sweet grab-and-go snack twice as often as a
salty snack. Chocolate candy/candy bars, gum, donuts, potato chips, and chewy
candy are among the top grab-and-go snacks consumed. At more than half (61%) of
all grab-and-go snacking occasions the consumer is also drinking a beverage
with their snack, and the top beverages consumed with the snack are carbonated
soft drinks and water.