How to capitalize on the new high-protein trend and unlock a new trend in the snacking world?

01.Development trend of potato chips industry

In recent years, the global potato chips market has been developing rapidly, and the market scale continues to expand, with many famous brands such as Lakshmi, Kopi, Pinnacle, Shanghaojia, etc. emerging and blossoming. From the initial original flavor to today’s many specific colors of seasoning flavor, deeply attracting the eyes of consumers, potato chips industry is constantly pushed to the climax. In addition to changes in taste, with the improvement of consumers’ concept of healthy life and healthy diet, healthization seems to have become a common development trend in the food market, with “salt reduction”, “fat reduction”, “zero-addition “Reduced salt”, “reduced fat”, “zero-added”, ” high protein” and other health labels are sought after, potato chips industry is also becoming more and more volume, such as food laboratory launched a high-protein cod fish potato chips, small 伶鼬 launch of chicken breast potato chips, etc., “health labels” by the attention of consumers.

Chips and other casual puffed snacks have become many people’s “emotional snacks” of choice. Healthy “emotional snacks” are an even more important part of snacking, with more than half of the world’s consumers consuming these snacks every day and judging whether they are healthy or not mainly by looking at the ingredients. According to consumer research by The Harris Poll, more than 80% of consumers prioritize health when choosing casual snacks, including 88% of Millennials.

The latest Innova2024 statistics show that 57% of consumers globally look for specific ingredients in snacks – protein, followed by dietary fiber and vitamins. Protein content in snacks has become a key factor for consumers to consume healthy snacks. Consumers seek the health benefits associated with protein, which creates opportunities for high-protein snacks in a variety of categories. (Innova Database, Innova Market Insights, Innova Snacking & Healthy Snacking Survey 2023 and 2024)

Source: Innova Snacking & Healthy Snacking Survey 2024

Fostering positive attitudes towards key ingredients by promoting product highlights, for example, some businesses cite snack ingredients that provide high protein or fiber; some snacks link nutrients such as zinc, magnesium, or phosphorus to specific health benefits such as boosting the immune system, reducing fatigue, or boosting energy. These behaviors have a ripple effect on consumers, and the “healthy snack” label is more likely to stick. In India, where high protein snacks are on the rise in the modern Indian lifestyle, one-third of consumers prioritize high protein and natural ingredients when purchasing healthy snacks, with high protein/protein sources being one of the highest requirements in the snack category. In the European region, the focus on high-protein and high dietary fiber snacks is also growing.

Since May 2021, high-protein potato chips have become popular on domestic e-commerce platforms, and have gradually become an online snack driven by traffic. According to the latest statistics, probiotics and protein are the “star” ingredients in China’s modern food market. Although high-protein potato chips is still a relatively new concept, but in recent years, high-protein potato chips products have been rising trend, potato chips market to attract major manufacturers have entered the game. With the attention of many well-known brands to high-protein potato chips, will usher in more entrants. Consumer demand drives market development, and related products will continue to grow in the future.

Ingredients of interest to consumers

Source: Innova Health & Nutrition Survey 2023 (China), Innova Database

02.A newcomer in high protein products

How to maintain and expand market share in this highly competitive field?

One of the obvious differences between the current marketed “high protein potato chips” and traditional potato chips is the use of raw materials. Currently, high protein potato chips are usually made from high protein fish, shrimp, chicken breast, soybeans and other raw materials, partially replacing starch, and are made through the puffing process. And these ingredients are difficult to accept for fast foodism as well as allergic people. Yeast protein, as a new protein supplement ingredient, is non-allergenic, non-GMO, safe and reliable.
In the huge leisure snack market, potato chips have occupied a large market share and accumulated a lot of consumers. Looking around the world, the healthiness of snacks is also a relatively obvious trend, which means that snacks are not only used as a product to pass the time and soothe the emotions, but also endowed with more personalized and functional demands. The emergence of high-protein potato chips not only solves the pain point problem of traditional potato chips and brings relatively healthier choices for consumers, but also provides new innovative development opportunities for the potato chip industry. In this fast-developing era, opportunities and challenges always exist side by side, so seize the new trend of high-protein potato chips and unlock the new trend of snacking world, and yeast protein will surely become the leader in protein supplement ingredients.

What are the advantages of yeast proteins?

High nutritional value and balanced amino acid composition

The essential amino acids of yeast protein account for 47% of the total amino acids, and the ratio of essential amino acids to non-essential amino acids reaches 0.88. The content of essential amino acids is higher than the amino acid standard of 36.00% proposed by the FAO/WHO, higher than that of soy protein, and similar to that of whey protein.

Replacement of animal proteins and supplementation of plant proteins

Yeast protein can effectively reduce the cost of replacing animal protein, with the same protein content, the price is less than one-third of whey protein, and it is friendly to veganism; yeast protein’s rich amino acid variety can make up for the incomplete amino acid variety of vegetable protein. It can be a useful supplement to both plant and animal proteins.

Allergen-free, non-GMO, gluten-free

As a protein of microbial origin, yeast protein is highly nutritious, rich in essential and branched-chain amino acids, non-allergenic, non-GMO, and can be used as a high-quality protein supplement.

Stable processing properties with low impact on color and odor

Soy protein, pea protein all contain more obvious soy odor, deep color, difficult to cover. Yeast egg itself has a simple odor component, as well as the wrapping effect of the cell wall on the oil, and is little affected by mineral compounds, so the odor change is not obvious, and the processing process has little effect on the color and odor.