Consumer demand for healthy snacks is on the rise. In 2015, sales of conventional products were mostly flat (1.6%) while sales for specialty products grew by 6% and sales for natural products grew by 12.6%. U.S. natural and organic food and beverages sales also grew by 10.7% last year.
Not only are consumers more health conscious, they are also snacking more often; one in five adults eats on the run. Millennials also snack significantly more than any other demographic and tend to eat snacks in place of meals.
Given the current industry, it’s no surprise that food and beverage companies are offering a host of healthy snacking options. There are a brands, such as KIND, that specialize in offering niche, innovate snacks. Large, traditional companies also want to tap into this fast-growing market and are using acquisition to stay on top of consumer trends, compete with rivals, and capture a piece of the growing (healthy) pie.
A recent example is Kashi acquiring Pure Organic, a maker of organic nutrition bars and fruit snacks. Interestingly, Kashi was acquired by Kellogg in 2000, years before demand for natural foods boomed. Unfortunately, the Kashi brand has struggled under Kellogg in recent years and has been a “source of weakness.” This was in part due to Kellogg’s mismanagement of the brand, differences in corporate cultures, and increased competition from rivals.
With the acquisition of Pure Organic, Kashi is able to swiftly react to consumer demand and realign its strategy. While Kashi may also develop new products in-house to reach new customers, the advantage of buying rather than building is that Kashi has immediate access to Pure Organic’s product mix and existing customers.
The deal is just one example of the importance of understanding future demand in order to successful grow your business. Below are some questions to help you think through your current situation and your company’s strategy.
- What is your growth plan for the next 3-5 years?
- What are some trends in your industry?
- How will you respond to changes in customer demand?
- What tactics will you use to achieve this growth? Will you develop a solution in-house, partner with another firm, or acquire?
Photo Credit: Elliott P. via Flickr cc
