Snacking Trends in Canada
President's Blog
President, Burnbrae Farms
4th Generation Farmer
I was just flipping through the summer issue of Canadian Grocer magazine and read an interesting article about snacking. I was delighted to see that according to the Ipsos FIVE Canadian Snacking Nation 2018 report, eggs are a growing snack phenomenon! They were ranked second (just behind toast) as a non-traditional food to consume as a snack. You can even pair eggs WITH toast and be super-trendy!
I’ve been snacking on eggs forever but I guess growing up with egg farmers can have that effect on you. I’m so happy to see that Canadians are beginning to embrace eggs as a snack option. They are rich in protein, which fills the hunger gap and keeps you satisfied until your next meal. Plus they contain lots of vitamins and minerals which you just can’t get from popular snack options such as chips or chocolate bars.
What do we want to snack on?
It came as no surprise to read that Canadians want snacks that are convenient, readily available and delicious. What was most interesting is that the report said that Canadian consumers are unwilling to sacrifice quality for ease of access.
The Ipsos report explained that Canadian consumers are looking for fresh, less-processed snacks, and that they want simple foods with simple ingredients. Given those variables, it makes sense that eggs have landed on top of the most popular snack list.
If you’re a label reader when you buy snacks, you’re in good company. More than half of Canadian adults say they regularly read labels and ingredient information on the snacks that they buy and use that information to decide whether to buy the product or not. Just check out the label on our popular EGGS2go! Omega 3 Hard Boiled Snack Pack : Whole eggs. That’s it!
More snacking news!
Technomic’s 2018 Canadian Snacking Occasion Consumer Trend report also crossed my desk this month, and the findings were consistent with the Ipsos report. They point to an upward trend in snacking among Canadian consumers. But why do we snack so much? The main reasons seem to be time constraints and the desire for convenience. Technomic reported that 55 per cent of consumers snack between meals at least twice per day, and we don’t only snack when we’re hungry – we also snack when we’re sad, bored or stressed.
Some of my favourite snacks
I like to snack on foods that enhance my health and fill me up without compromising on taste, so I turn to eggs of course! Our EGGS2Go! flavoured hard-boiled eggs are a tasty mid day snack full of protein. I usually eat them with some quinoa or other whole grain crackers. Other items that I like to snack on are fresh fruit with Greek yogurt with some crunchy granola on top or fresh veggies with hummus. I like to try different flavours of hummus including the caramelized onion and pine nut varieties. They add an interesting twist to this classic dip. All of these snacks are full of protein, fibre and other essential nutrients, so they help me to meet my daily nutrition requirements in addition to filling me up and providing me with energy to get me through to supper.
As a company, Burnbrae Farms will continue to innovate and bring healthy, convenient, quick and delicious egg-based snacks to Canadian consumers, because we know that’s exactly what you’re looking for.
Margaret Hudson, President
Burnbrae Farms