The Del Monte Foods survey covered snacking attitudes and behaviors among adults in the United States. The results coincide with the release of two new flavors of Del Monte’s Fruit Refreshers.

Here are some key survey takeaways:

• More than two-thirds of adults reach for fruit-based snacks when they want to feel their best—significantly higher than any other snack options
• More than a quarter of adults—and almost half of parents—wish fruit cups were more geared toward adults
• Nearly all adults crave more refreshing snacks in the summer
• More than three-quarters of adults (85% parents vs. 70% non-parents) say convenience and portability are qualities they consider when purchasing snacks
• A majority of adults regularly replace meals with snacks, with parents much more likely to do so (8 in 10 parents vs. two-thirds of non-parents)
• Taste and nutritional content top the list of what people are looking for in snacks, with more than a quarter of adults saying snacks are lacking in fruits

Additionally, boba, the sweet tapioca-pearl-studded drink, also known as bubble tea, continues to make dramatic inroads. The beverage has been popular in its birthplace of Taiwan and across Asia for decades. In the last few years, its purveyors have become almost as ubiquitous in the United States as Starbucks, according to BNN Bloomberg. Seven major urban areas, including Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, saw a 60%-plus jump in the number of bubble tea shops from 2019 to 2022. The U.S. market for boba, which has its own dedicated emoji, is expected to jump from $640 million in 2023 to $2.2 billion in 2033, according to the Bloomberg report. 

Check out Category Close-Ups in NACS Magazine for deep dives into key in-store categories, including foodservice, packaged beverages and cold dispensed beverages.