Snacking: Kellanova Survey Reveals Gen Z's Craving for Sour and Spicy Road Trip Snacks

Why it is the topic trending:

• Insights into Consumer Preferences: The Kellanova survey provides valuable data on current snacking habits and preferences across different generations.

• Focus on Gen Z's Adventurous Palate: The finding that Gen Z prefers sour and spicy snacks is a key highlight, indicating a distinct flavor preference for this demographic.

• Seasonal Snacking Habits: The survey specifically examines summer road trip snacking, tapping into a common consumer activity and its associated food choices.

• Brand-Specific Preferences: The survey identifies Cheez-It and Pringles as top Kellanova brands for road trips overall, providing insights into popular snack choices.

• Generational Comparison: The article contrasts the preferences of Gen Z with Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers, revealing notable differences in flavor profiles and travel styles.

• Implications for Snack Brands: The survey results offer actionable information for Kellanova and other snack companies looking to target specific generations.

• Regional Differences in Snacking: The survey also highlights regional variations in snack preferences and purchasing behaviors, adding another layer of insight.

• Connection to Brand Collaboration: The article mentions the recent Cheez-It x Wendy's Baconator crackers, linking the survey findings to real-world product innovation.

• Understanding Target Audiences: The survey helps brands better understand what flavors and product attributes appeal to different consumer segments.

• Shareability as a Factor for Gen Z: The survey notes that Gen Z prefers traveling with friends and considers shareability an essential snack characteristic.

Overview:

Kellanova's 2025 Summer Road Trip Snacking Survey polled 2,000 adults to uncover their preferred snacks for summer travel. The survey revealed that while Cheez-It and Pringles are overall favorites among Kellanova brands, Gen Z stands out for their preference for adventurous flavors like sour, bitter, savory, and spicy. Millennials tend towards tangy flavors but primarily favor salty, sweet, and cheesy options, prioritizing family-friendly snacks. Gen X and Boomers prefer salty and sweet flavors, with Boomers also liking chocolatey snacks and mixes, and they are more likely to buy snacks during travel stops. Regional differences were also noted, with the South favoring salty, sweet, and chocolatey snacks, the Northeast liking creamy flavors, and the Mountain West and Pacific Coast being more flexible in their snack choices.

Detailed Findings:

• Top Kellanova Brands for Road Trips: Cheez-It and Pringles are the top favorites overall.

• Gen Z's Adventurous Flavor Preferences: More likely to want sour, bitter, savory, and spicy snacks. They prioritize shareability.

• Millennials' Flavor Preferences: Gravitate towards tangy flavors, but top choices are salty, sweet, and cheesy. They prioritize snacks for the whole family.

• Gen X and Boomers' Flavor Preferences: Prefer salty and sweet flavors. Boomers also like chocolatey flavors, chips, nuts, seeds, and salty snack mixes. They are more likely to buy snacks during stops.

• Regional Preferences: South: salty, sweet, and chocolatey. Northeast: creamy. Mountain West and Pacific Coast: flexible, eat whatever is available.

• Cheez-It x Wendy's Baconator Crackers: Example of a flavor collaboration mentioned in the article, but not directly linked to the survey.

Key success factors of product (trend):

• Alignment with Generational Preferences: Snack brands can tailor their offerings to match the specific flavor preferences of different age groups.

• Capitalizing on Popular Flavors: Sour and spicy are clearly in demand among Gen Z, presenting an opportunity for product development.

• Meeting the Needs of Travel Occasions: Understanding how snacking habits differ during road trips can inform product formats and packaging.

• Considering Shareability for Group Travel: For generations like Gen Z who often travel in groups, snacks that are easy to share are likely to be more successful.

• Addressing Family Needs for Millennials: Snacks that appeal to both parents and children are key for the Millennial demographic.

Key Takeaway:

Kellanova's survey highlights distinct generational preferences for summer road trip snacks, with Gen Z showing a strong inclination towards adventurous sour and spicy flavors, underscoring the importance of understanding these nuances for effective snack product development and marketing.

Main trend:

The main trend is Generational Flavor Divergence in Snacking, where different generations exhibit distinct and often contrasting preferences for snack flavors, requiring snack brands to adopt targeted product development and marketing strategies to cater to these varying tastes.

Description of the trend:

Snacking Across the Ages: This trend describes how different generations have developed unique and often non-overlapping preferences when it comes to snack flavors. These preferences are shaped by a variety of factors, including childhood experiences, cultural influences, and evolving palates. As a result, snack brands need to recognize these generational divides and create diverse product portfolios and marketing campaigns that resonate with the specific flavor preferences of each age group, from the adventurous tastes of Gen Z to the more traditional choices of older generations.

What is consumer motivation:

• Taste Preference: Ultimately, consumers choose snacks that taste good to them, and these preferences vary by generation.

• Comfort and Familiarity: Older generations may gravitate towards familiar flavors they have enjoyed for years.

• Novelty and Excitement (Younger): Gen Z's preference for adventurous flavors suggests a desire for new and exciting taste experiences.

• Emotional Connection (All Generations): Certain flavors can evoke feelings of nostalgia or comfort.

• Convenience and Portability (All Generations): Snacking is often driven by the need for quick and easy food options.

What is driving trend:

• Childhood Food Experiences: The snacks and flavors experienced during childhood often shape lifelong preferences.

• Cultural Influences: Different generations have grown up in distinct cultural contexts that influence food tastes.

• Marketing and Advertising: Exposure to different types of snacks and flavors through marketing can impact preferences.

• Availability of New Flavors and Ingredients: The increasing availability of diverse ingredients allows for more adventurous flavor combinations.

• Social Trends and Influences: Younger generations are often more influenced by current food trends and what their peers are eating.

What is motivation beyond the trend:

• Seeking Satisfaction: Ultimately, consumers want snacks that satisfy their hunger and taste cravings.

• Snacking as a Social Activity: For some generations, like Gen Z, snacking is often a shared social experience.

Description of consumers article is referring to:

Based on the article, the consumers being referred to can be characterized as follows:

• Gen Z (Born roughly 1997-2012): Adventurous, open to sour, bitter, savory, and spicy flavors. Value shareability.

• Millennials (Born roughly 1981-1996): Prefer tangy, salty, sweet, and cheesy flavors. Prioritize snacks for the whole family.

• Gen X (Born roughly 1965-1980): Prefer salty and sweet flavors.

• Boomers (Born roughly 1946-1964): Prefer salty, sweet, and chocolatey flavors, as well as chips, nuts, seeds, and salty snack mixes. More likely to buy snacks on the go.

• Regional Differences: Southerners like salty, sweet, and chocolatey. Northeasterners like creamy. Mountain West/Pacific Coast are flexible.

• Travel Habits: Gen Z travels with friends. Millennials with kids. Gen X/Boomers solo or with a partner.

• What is their gender? The survey included 2,000 adults, so likely a mix of genders within each generation.

• What is their income? Not specified in the article.

• What is their lifestyle: Varies greatly across generations, influencing travel styles and snacking needs.

• What are their shopping preferences in the category article is referring to? Gen Z might seek out new and exciting flavor combinations in the snack aisle. Millennials look for family-friendly options. Boomers might stick to familiar classics or purchase on impulse during travel.

• Are they low, occasional or frequent category shoppers? The survey focuses on snacking, implying that all respondents are at least occasional snack consumers.

• What are their general shopping preferences-how they shop products, shopping motivations? Varies by generation, but flavor and occasion (e.g., road trip) are key motivators in this context.

• What kind of products they like: The article focuses on snack foods, mentioning categories like crackers, chips, nuts, seeds, and mixes.

Conclusion: Kellanova's survey reveals significant generational differences in snack flavor preferences for summer road trips, highlighting the need for tailored product and marketing strategies.

Conclusions:

Kellanova's 2025 Summer Road Trip Snacking Survey provides valuable insights into the diverse flavor preferences across generations, particularly highlighting Gen Z's inclination towards adventurous tastes like sour and spicy. These findings underscore the importance for snack brands to recognize and cater to these generational nuances in their product development and marketing efforts to effectively engage with different consumer segments during key snacking occasions like summer road trips.

Implications for brands:

• Targeted Product Development: Brands can create specific snack products with flavors that appeal to different generations.

• Tailored Marketing Campaigns: Advertising and promotional materials can be customized to resonate with the flavor preferences of each age group.

• Understanding Key Occasions: Recognizing how snacking habits change during events like road trips can inform product formats and packaging.

• Importance of Shareability for Gen Z: Brands targeting Gen Z should consider creating snacks that are easy to share.

• Family-Friendly Options for Millennials: For the Millennial demographic, offering snacks that the whole family can enjoy is crucial.

Implication for society:

• Diverse Food Landscape: The differing generational preferences contribute to a more diverse and interesting array of snack options available to consumers.

Implications for consumers:

• More Products Tailored to Specific Tastes: Consumers can expect to find more snack options that align with their generational flavor preferences.

Implication for Future:

• Continued Focus on Generational Differences: Snack brands will likely continue to invest in research to understand the evolving preferences of different generations.

• Potential for Flavor Innovation Inspired by Younger Generations: Gen Z's adventurous palate could drive innovation in new and unexpected snack flavors.

Consumer Trend:

Age-Specific Flavor Cravings: Different generations exhibit distinct and often predictable preferences for certain flavor profiles in snack foods.

Consumer Sub Trend:

Gen Z's Bold Palate: Generation Z shows a particular inclination towards strong and adventurous flavors like sour and spicy.

Big Social Trend:

Segmentation by Demographics: Brands are increasingly focusing on segmenting their target audiences by demographic factors like age to better cater to their specific needs and preferences.

Worldwide Social Trend:

Global Variations in Taste Preferences: Flavor preferences often have cultural and regional influences, and understanding these variations is important for global snack brands.

Social Drive:

Seeking Satisfying and Enjoyable Snacks: Ultimately, consumers choose snacks that they find tasty and that meet their specific flavor cravings.

Learnings for brands to use in 2025:

• Invest in Generational Research: Conduct surveys and studies to understand the specific flavor preferences of different age groups.

• Offer a Variety of Flavor Profiles: Cater to a wide range of tastes by offering both classic and more adventurous options.

• Consider Age-Specific Marketing Messages: Tailor your marketing language and imagery to resonate with the target generation.

Strategy Recommendations for brands to follow in 2025:

• Develop a "Flavor Map" by Generation: Use research data to create a clear understanding of what flavors are most popular with each age group.

• Create Targeted Product Lines: Consider launching snack lines specifically designed to appeal to the adventurous tastes of Gen Z or the family-friendly needs of Millennials.

• Utilize Age-Appropriate Influencers in Marketing: Partner with influencers who have a strong following within your target generation.

Final sentence (key concept) describing main trend from article (which is a summary of all trends specified), and what brands & companies should do in 2025 to benefit from trend and how to do it:

The evident consumer trend of age-specific flavor cravings, particularly Gen Z's preference for adventurous sour and spicy snacks, necessitates that brands in 2025 invest in generational research to inform targeted product development and marketing strategies that cater to the distinct taste preferences of different age groups for occasions like summer road trips.

Final Note:

• Core Trend: Age-Specific Flavor Cravings: Different generations have distinct preferences for snack flavors.

• Core Strategy: Tailor Product Development and Marketing by Generation: Create specific offerings and campaigns that resonate with the tastes of each age group.

• Core Industry Trend: Demographic Segmentation in Food Marketing: Brands are increasingly focusing on specific demographics like age.

• Core Consumer Motivation: Seeking Satisfying and Enjoyable Snacks That Align with Their Flavor Preferences.

Final Conclusion:

Kellanova's survey provides valuable data highlighting the diverse and evolving flavor preferences across generations in the snacking category. By understanding these nuances, particularly Gen Z's adventurous palate, snack brands can strategically innovate and market their products to effectively capture the attention and loyalty of different consumer segments, ensuring they are offering the right flavors at the right time for the right audience.

Core Trend Detailed:

The core trend of Age-Specific Flavor Cravings emphasizes the reality that taste preferences for snacks are not uniform across the population but are significantly influenced by the age of the consumer. This trend acknowledges that individuals within different generational cohorts – shaped by their unique childhood experiences, cultural exposures, and the food landscapes prevalent during their formative years – often develop distinct affinities for certain flavor profiles. For instance, younger generations like Gen Z may exhibit a greater openness to bold and novel flavors such as sour and spicy, reflecting a cultural shift towards more adventurous eating. Conversely, older generations like Boomers might still favor classic and familiar tastes such as salty, sweet, and chocolatey, rooted in their past culinary experiences. This generational divergence in flavor preferences necessitates that snack brands move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and instead adopt more nuanced strategies in product development and marketing to effectively cater to the specific taste cravings of their diverse consumer base.

Key Characteristics of the Core trend:

• Distinct Flavor Preferences by Age Group: Different generations show clear patterns in the types of flavors they prefer in snacks.

• Influence of Formative Years: Childhood food experiences and the prevailing snack landscape during those years play a significant role in shaping lifelong taste preferences.

• Cultural and Societal Factors: Cultural norms and societal trends specific to each generation can impact flavor choices.

• Evolution of Palates: While core preferences may remain, palates can also evolve over time, especially with exposure to new and diverse foods.

Market and Cultural Signals Supporting the Trend:

• Market Research Data Segmented by Age: Studies like the Kellanova survey consistently reveal generational differences in food preferences.

• Product Innovation Targeted at Specific Age Groups: Brands are increasingly launching products with flavors specifically designed to appeal to younger or older demographics.

• Marketing Campaigns Tailored to Different Generations: Advertising often uses different messaging and highlights different product attributes based on the target age group's known preferences.

How the Trend Is Changing Consumer Behavior:

• Consumers Seeking Out Snacks with Flavors They Grew Up With (Older Generations): Boomers and Gen X might be more likely to purchase snacks with familiar and comforting flavors.

• Younger Consumers Actively Looking for New and Exciting Flavors: Gen Z and Millennials might be drawn to products with innovative and adventurous flavor profiles.

Implications Across the Ecosystem:

• For Brands: Need to invest in market research to understand the nuances of generational flavor preferences. Consider developing product lines that specifically target different age groups.

• For Retailers: Should offer a diverse range of snack options to cater to the varied tastes of their multigenerational customer base.

• For Consumers: Will likely find more snack products on the market that are specifically designed to appeal to their age-related flavor preferences.

Strategic Forecast:

• Understanding and catering to generational flavor preferences will continue to be a critical success factor for snack brands.

• The adventurous palate of younger generations is likely to drive further innovation in the snack industry.

Areas of innovation:

• Hyper-Targeted Flavor Profiles for Gen Z: Developing snack lines with intense and novel flavor combinations specifically appealing to Gen Z's preference for sour, bitter, savory, and spicy.

  • Detail: This could involve snacks with extreme sour coatings, unexpected bitter notes combined with savory elements (like umami-rich seaweed or mushroom flavors), and unique spicy blends featuring global chili peppers or fermented ingredients. The focus should be on adventurous and shareable options.

• "Nostalgia Remix" Tangy Flavors for Millennials: Creating snacks that offer a modern twist on the tangy and often sweet-and-sour flavors reminiscent of Millennials' childhood favorites from the 90s and early 2000s.

  • Detail: Think snacks with elevated versions of popular tangy fruit flavors (like passionfruit or guava with a spicy kick), or savory snacks with a sophisticated vinegar tang. Consider limited-edition releases that specifically evoke nostalgic flavors from that era.

• Comfort and Familiarity with a Twist for Gen X: Innovating within the salty and sweet flavor categories preferred by Gen X, but adding unexpected or gourmet twists to classic combinations.

  • Detail: This could involve gourmet sea salt and caramel popcorn with unexpected savory herb infusions, or elevated versions of classic salty snacks with artisanal seasonings or unique textures. The key is to offer familiarity with a touch of sophistication.

• "Better-for-You" Indulgence in Chocolatey and Nutty Flavors for Boomers: Developing snack options that cater to Boomers' preference for chocolate and nuts/seeds but with a focus on healthier ingredients and nutritional benefits.

  • Detail: This might include dark chocolate-covered nuts and seeds with added antioxidants, or salty snack mixes with whole grains and natural sweeteners. The emphasis should be on flavor satisfaction combined with health-conscious formulations.

• Regionally-Inspired Flavor Collections: Creating limited-edition or special product lines that feature flavor profiles popular in specific geographic regions, catering to the identified regional preferences (e.g., more creamy options for the Northeast, bolder spices for the Mountain West).

  • Detail: This allows for localized marketing and caters directly to the established taste preferences within those areas, potentially increasing brand loyalty among regional consumers.

Final Thought:

The Kellanova survey underscores a fundamental truth in the food industry: taste is deeply personal and often shaped by generational experiences. For snack brands to thrive in 2025 and beyond, a keen understanding of these age-specific flavor cravings and the willingness to cater to them with targeted and innovative product offerings will be paramount.

Source: https://www.convenience.org/Media/Daily/2025/June/17/4-Gen-Z-Wants-Adventurous-Flavors_Research