Make Better Plant-Based Snacks with AAK

parfaits on a surface

Consumers want the best of both worlds when it comes to snacks: deliciously indulgent AND nutrient-dense. Don’t make consumers choose—with AAK’s industry-leading functional, plant-based fats and oils, we make good snacks better, healthier and tastier.
 
The importance of snacking to consumers in recent years has revolutionized snacking and made it a dominant category in the food and beverage space. AAK solutions can revolutionize your plant-based snacks to meet the needs of modern consumers.

The state of consumer snacking graphic

Give Consumers Variety in Their Snacks

Consumers are looking for exciting diversity in their snacks. In fact, 76% of snackers say they enjoy trying new and unique snacks.1 Plant-based snacks enhanced with AAK’s globally recognized specialty plant-based fats and oils help create the delicious, new products consumers love; 42% of consumers who purchase plant-based meat alternative products do so to add variety to their diet.2 The innovative variety that plant-based alternatives provide can seamlessly weave into consumers’ snack habits to provide the interesting flavors and textures they crave.

Bring Something New to the Plant-Based Space

Plant-based meat and dairy alternatives have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. The plant-based meat alternatives market peaked in 2020 due to pricing being lower than traditional meats.2 There’s room for expansion in the market for brands that are innovating to bring plant-based meat alternatives to new consumption occasions,2 such as snacking.

Years ago, many assumed that plant-based simply didn’t taste good, but the category has evolved to bring great products to store shelves. At AAK, we understand consumers will always consider taste first in their purchasing decisions. With our tastier plant-based fat and oil solutions, you can make plant-based snacks taste better than ever before.

The Inevitable Rise of Snacking

Snacking is universal; most individuals snack every day.3 And nearly one in five are “super

snackers,” who reach for snacks four or more times a day.3 This means nearly endless opportunities for snack product producers and retailers. AAK can help you make the perfect snack formulations that are tastier and healthier to meet consumer demands.

Our Plant-Based Success

AAK delivers the functional, plant-based fats and oils that make good foods even better. Our solutions can help make snacks smoother, firmer and tastier, depending on the product. This recent success story shows how we created impressive textures in a meat-based alternative snack:

Plant-Based Chicken Nugget
We developed a revolutionary plant-based chicken nugget that is tastier and juicer than similar products on the market. This product highlights our dedication to developing realistic plant-based meat alternatives that appeal to consumers’ preferences. Benefits of our plant-based chicken nuggets include:

  • Eats like chicken—the taste, texture, and “bite” are incredibly similar to chicken without off-flavors or bitterness.
  • Cooks like chicken—our product allows coatings, such as breading and batters, to adhere like real chicken and results in the golden, crispy color and texture that consumers expect.
  • Looks like chicken—the core’s appearance in our plant-based nuggets corresponds with what consumers expect from traditional chicken nuggets

 

Create Better, Tastier Plant-Based Snacks

Snacks have shifted from small between-meal bites to a daily, universal experience. As the world of snacking evolves, new and diverse snack options, such as plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, are an opportunity to provide consumers variety. With AAK’s industry-leading plant-based fats and oils and 100+ years of expertise, we work with your brand to create healthier, tastier and overall better snacks. Let us tackle your plant-based snacking formulation needs. Learn more about AAK’s plant-based capabilities here.


Sources:
1 Kantar Profiles/Mintel, October 2021.
2 Plant-based Proteins, U.S., 2022, Mintel.
3 Snacking Motivations and Attitudes, U.S., 2022, Mintel.