Why This Works: Snacking trends are driven by Gen Z’s love for unique, authentic, and global flavors. This generation favors sweet, salty, and crunchy combinations, with a strong preference for spicy foods, nostalgic flavors, and innovative textures. A focus on inclusivity and gluten-free and allergen-friendly options are also in high demand. Campbell’s Foodservice offers a range of snack solutions that can meet these 2025 trends.
Gen Z has officially earned the title “the snacking generation.” According to Datassential, 76% of the group reportedly snacks at least once per week, with 14% indulging multiple times per day. That’s more than any other generation.1 The time of day they snack has shifted over the past few years too, according to CivicScience, which notes that Gen Z consumers often choose to snack between lunch and dinner and late at night.2
While the general population is happy with pretty much anything sweet, salty, or crunchy, according to the International Food Information Council,3 Gen Z consumers consider themselves citizens of the world, seeking out authentic global flavors, high-quality artisanal foods or ingredients, and foods or beverages with a unique story.4
Similar to technology and fashion trends, Gen Z consumers can influence trends in the snacking category. Here are five distinct snacking trends Gen Z is helping to shape.
1. An On-the-Go Lifestyle
Gen Z traditionally juggles school, work, social activities, and travel. Snacks that fit into their busy schedules tend to rank higher than others. Single-serve packaging, resealable pouches, or multifunctional snacks like protein snack bars are ideal. Anything compact, portable, convenient, and mess free is a win. Milano® Cookie Foodservice Snack Packs and Lance® Sandwich Cookies are classic examples of grab-and-go snacks. Convenience is king, but when you deliver great taste too, you’ll become one of their go-to options.
Understanding and adapting to Gen Z snacking trends such as global authenticity, nostalgia, texture, dietary inclusivity, and convenience will help your operation stand out from the competition. Campbell’s Foodservice offers additional inspiration and solutions with our portfolio of snacks.
2. Global Flavor Combinations
Today’s young snackers are multicultural explorers, seeking global taste adventures and spicy twists at every turn. According to the Hartman Group, 62% of Gen Z consumers enjoy spicy foods, and 12% purchased global snacks within a three-month period in 2024.5 You can capture Gen Z’s attention by offering bold and spicy Cape Cod® Sweet and Spicy Jalapeño Kettle Chips and Snyder’s of Hanover® Hot Buffalo Wing Pretzel Pieces that deliver a sense of culinary adventure. Franks RedHot Goldfish® is another new heat-packed option that combines the power of brand names with a global trend.
3. Nostalgic Flavors
Despite their adventurous palates, Gen Z consumers also have a soft spot for nostalgia. They’re gravitating toward updated versions of childhood favorites, from elevated peanut butter and jelly snack bites to breakfast-inspired crackers like Goldfish® Whole Grain Grahams, French Toast, that remind them of familiar flavors with a grown-up twist. To tap into this nostalgia trend, focus on comfort, familiarity, and authenticity, ensuring these reinvented classics feel genuine and satisfying rather than gimmicky. For example, Cape Cod® Sweet Mesquite Barbeque Chips may be worth menuing in the summer months for their nostalgic, beachy flavor.
4. Texture Innovations
Texture plays a pivotal role in Gen Z snack choices, offering enjoyment and sensory excitement. This generation craves snacks that deliver an engaging sensory experience, whether crispy, crunchy, kettle-cooked, air fried, creamy, or a surprising combination of several textures. Think light and crunchy Kettle Brand® Air Fried Himalayan Salt Kettle Chips, which have a hint of salt. Texture is becoming as important as flavor, and innovative approaches can differentiate snacks and menu items in a crowded marketplace.
5 Gluten-Free and Allergy-Friendly Offerings
The dietary landscape has evolved significantly, with increased awareness and preference for gluten-free, dairy-free, and allergen-conscious snack options. Gen Z, perhaps more than other generations, prioritizes dietary food choices. Brands that communicate their allergy-friendly certifications or clean-label attributes, without compromising taste, resonate with this demographic. For example, the entire Kettle Brand® line is gluten free—which checks the box when it comes to serving a wide range of customers.
- Datassential, 2024 Food Trends
- CivicScience, Snacking Trends for CPGs: Gen Z Insights, Brands That Rank, Plus More, 2024
- IFIC, Sweet & Savory Insights, 2024
- Hartman Group, 7 Key Needs Driving Gen Z’s Food Choices, 2023
- Hartman Group, All Aboard the Spicy Snack Train, 2024
