French producer of high-protein products Laboratoire PYC, is adding two new flavors of “tomato oregano” and “nacho cheese” to its line of high-protein Tortitos chips. Set to launch in September, the chips are marketed as providing, on average, 70 percent less carbohydrates and 55 percent less fat than traditional potato chips. The launch comes as snacking is increasingly a focus across several market categories. Innova Market Insights data shows that the rise in the so-called “fourth meal” culture has increased demand for quick and convenient yet healthy solutions for busy consumers.

“The demand for protein snacks has increased sharply, both in sweet and salty foods. We note that the increase is global,” Aurelie De Schuyteneer, Marketing Manager at Laboratoire PYC, tells. “The products target people who are watching their weight and those want to control snacking by consuming less sweet and less fatty products. The products are also recommended for consumers who undergo significant muscle loss during dieting.”

“The products are well accepted,” she notes. “Today more than a dozen flavors are produced regularly. High protein chips are among the best sellers of our high protein snacks.

Existing flavors within the soy-based protein chips range include: Chicken, Salt & Vinegar, Bacon, Sweet Chili, Barbecue and Cream & Onion. The high-protein snacks are sold mainly in Europe and North America, with 75 percent of sales attributed to exported products.

Laboratoire PYC is a subsidiary of savory aromatic flavorings specialist SOLINA group, and in 2012, was the first company to launch the dietetic snacks, which offer a protein content of between 40 and 50 percent.

Sports nutrition in the snacking space
Protein intake notably helps to prevent the loss of muscle mass that occurs in strict dieting, and the continued mainstreaming of the sports nutrition sector is having a profound impact on NPD and is adjunctly spurring innovation in protein. 

Innova Market Insights reports strong growth in sports-related positionings within mainstream food & beverage NPD. A 188 percent growth has been reported in new products with a high/source of protein positioning and a 65 percent rise in energy/alertness positions from 2013-2017 (excluding sports nutrition). In 2017, over 5 percent of new global food and beverage launches featured protein claims, with a CAGR of 29 percent from 2013-2017. 

Mai Nygaard, Marketing Director at FrieslandCampina DMV, notes that key trends shaping 2019 and beyond in nutrition are the growth in healthy snacking “on-the-go” and a strong move towards more natural products.

“We have already seen many traditional category boundaries blurring in 2018 – sports nutrition went mainstream and lifestyle orientated,” notes Nygaard. “This is creating more intake moments and ready-to-eat high-protein product formats and RTD drinks. More indulgence-oriented offerings such as ice cream recorded strong growth when reformulated to allow for guilt free pleasure.”

“Fundamental changes in eating patterns, largely driven by increasingly busy lifestyles, are giving way to less traditional meal patterns, explains Lu Ann Williams, Director of Innovation at Innova Market Insights. “This is shifting to a more fragmented and flexible eating style, encompassing multiple small meals or snacks, often eaten alone or on-the-go,” she adds.

This rise in the so-called “fourth meal” culture has increased demand for quick and convenient yet healthy solutions for busy consumers. This is creating opportunities for wholesome, satisfying and sustaining snacks to fulfill the role of mini meals and play a more meaningful role in contributing to refueling and nutritional needs throughout the day. According to data from the market researcher, there has been a 14 percent average annual growth in food and beverage launches with a snacking claim (Global, CAGR 2014- 2018).