Capitalizing on the Urge to Splurge

The recent mainstreaming of limited-time, seasonal, and event-driven foods and drinks, widespread access to grab-and-go iced drinks and treats at the checkout, and a new wave of big-name co-branded foods, forms, and flavors are set to drive a resurgence in new product sampling and more spontaneous food purchases.

Seven in 10 food shoppers buy on impulse at least once a week; one-third do so very often, according to NielsenIQ (NIQ). Gen Z, followed by millennials, are the most spontaneous food shoppers, per NIQ. Circana classifies one-quarter of food shoppers as early new product adopters.

Top impulse-driven shopper motivations include competitive price, the desire to treat oneself, flavor appeal, convenience, and health benefits. Restaurant-style products and offerings that create a fun experience also trigger impulse purchases.

Ready-to-drink beverages, followed by snacks, desserts, and frozen foods, are the most impulse-driven food categories, per NIQ. More than four in 10 adults (44%) say they like to try limited-edition flavors, per data from flavor company T. Hasegawa, and 37% say a limited-time offer would encourage them to try a ready-to-drink beverage.

Leading potato chip brand Lay’s introduced a limited-edition Global Flavors lineup inspired by the cuisines of Greece, India, and Korea this summer. It includes Lay’s Wavy Tzatziki, Lay’s Masala, and Lay’s Honey Butter options. Other recent limited-time snack rollouts include Pringles Potato Chips in a Mexican Street Corn flavor and Spicy Dill Pickle Goldfish crackers.

Doughnuts lead in bakery product impulse purchases, followed by cookies, snack cakes/Danish, single-serve desserts, and cupcakes, according to a report from FMI, The Food Industry Association. Half of consumers say that the combination of two brands whose flavors they like influences them to try a new product, per T. Hasegawa.

7-Eleven this fall debuted a new co-branded limited-time offer, Coca-Cola OREO Zero Sugar Slurpee. Clorox-owned Hidden Valley Ranch joined forces with Kellanova’s Cheez-It brand to create Cheezy Ranch Sauce, and Hormel teamed up with General Mills for the launch of Black Label Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bacon in which thick-cut bacon is coated with a cinnamon sugar rub.

Changing traditional forms and flavors or shifting iconic brands’ reach into new categories continues to grab the attention of shoppers. Café Bustelo entered the refrigerated case with a line of 40-ounce flavored cold coffee beverages.

Ferrero, longtime maker of Tic Tac mints, has added Tic Tac Chewy, a crunchy candy with a fruity and chewy center, to its product assortment. And Hershey changed it up in the gum category with the rollout this fall of ICE BREAKERS Flavor Shifters, which transitions from one flavor to another as the gum is chewed.

In another inventive pairing, Kellanova and Two Rivers Coffee partnered on the launch of waffle-flavored Eggo Coffee for use in Keurig brewers. Kraft Heinz added excitement to the refrigerated section with the debut of Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese Frosting.

Convenience Counts

Consumers continue to search for innovative and uniquely convenient products. Addressing that demand, Fresh Express gives consumers choices with its new Asian Sweet Ginger Salad & Noodle Meal Kit, which includes precooked wheat noodles and can be served either hot or cold. Refrigerated Krusteaz Cupcake Batters make treat preparation simple—home bakers just pour and bake. Bertolli created an olive oil spray specifically for use in air fryers.

Of the 43% of consumers who are eating at restaurants less often this year, three-quarters are trying to create restaurant meals at home more often, according to FMI. And four in 10 say that flavors they have tried at a restaurant influence what they buy at the store, per T. Hasegawa. Products like Korean-Style Crunchy Shrimp from Handy Seafood or frozen Bertolli Arancini Parmesan Breaded Risotto Balls can help satisfy such cravings.ft