SNACKS

Drug Store News, May 21, 2001

No matter how often or vigorously snacking is rejected by three-meal-a-day types, it seems most consumers simply are not willing to suffer an afternoon without munchies. According to a survey conducted by Roper Starch, only 24 percent of Americans claimed to eat at mealtimes only. In fact, for most snacking could he considered a hefty fourth meal, according to the Marketing Intelligence Service, which reported that snack foods now represent 30 percent of total calories consumed.

Salty snack sales "were strong last year" at CVS, according to chain spokesman Michael DiAngelis, who touched on some of the major trends in 2000. "The category was driven by new items such as CVS private brand offerings and a new meat snack segment in our planogram," DiAngelis said, "as well as incremental Display programs such as a single-serve Nabisco rack and a Frito-Lay fixture."

Other than the catch-all "other salty" segment, potato chips retained their top listing, outselling No. 2 tortilla by $10 million in drug stores. In somewhat of a resurgence of interest in potato chips following big years for tortillas, spuds also increased sales the most in 2000 by 8.3 percent.

One segment not included in the IRI sample is meat snacks, which have become popular mainstream snacks because of their high protein contents. In the most recent Snack Food Association industry report, which uses 1999 data, the meat snack segment already had increased sales 28.5 percent in 1999, and indications were that 2000 would be similarly successful.

                     Drug chains' scorecard snacks
Segment       $ sales     %
              millions  change
Salty snacks   $175.2    1.4%
Cookies         108.6    6.7
Crackers         44.1    6.8
Source: Information Resources
Inc, for the 52 weeks ended
Dec 31, 2000
SALTY SNACKS
Mass          $1,231.4 [*]  +11.4%
Food          $6,429.9 [*]   +2.6%
Drug            $218.4 [*]   -1.6%
Total F/D/M:  $7,879.7       +3.8%
COOKIES
Mass            $802.1 [*]  +11.3%
Food          $3,809.2 [*]   +0.2%
Drug            $132.9 [*]   +4.4%
Total F/D/M:  $4,744.2       +2.0%
Source: Information Resources Inc,
for the 52 weeks ended Dec.
31, 2000
(*.)All sales in millions.
Brand                       $ sales in millions
Top brands in drug stores:
potato chips
Lays                             $17.4
Ruffles                            5.2
Herrs                              2.9
Ruffles Flavor Rush                2.7
Utz                                2.4
Wavy Lays                          1.9
Jay's                              1.0
Cape Cod                           0.8
Lays Wow                           0.7
Ruffles Wow                        0.7
Top brands in drug stores:
tortilla/tostata chips
Doritos                          $22.1
Tostitos                           6.8
Santitas                           0.5
Herrs                              0.3
Doritos Wow                        0.3
Blue Luna Cafe                     0.3
Baked Tostitos                     0.2
Utz Tortilla                       0.2
Snyder's of Hanover                0.1
Source: Information Resources Inc,
52 weeks ending Dec. 31, 2000
                                CRACKERS
Drug             $54.1 [*]  +1.8%
Mass            $513.0 [*]  +6.9%
Food          $3,204.0 [*]  +1.5%
Total F/D/M:  $3,771.0      +2.2%
Source: Information Resources Inc. for
the 52 weeks ended Dec. 31, 2000
(*.)All sales in millions.
Note: Table made from pie chart
Brand                                     $ sales in millions
Top brands in drug stores: other salty
snacks (no nuts)
Pringles                                        $ 29.0
General Mills Chex Mix                             9.6
Pringles Right Crisps                              5.8
Pringles Cheezums                                  3.0
Funyuns                                            2.2
Sunshine Chez It                                   2.1
Gardettos Snak Ens                                 2.1
Sunchips                                           1.9
Baken Ets                                          1.3
Frenchs                                            1.1
Top brands in drug stores: corn snacks
Fritos                                             6.9
Bugles                                             2.7
Fritos Scoops                                      1.4
Doritos 3Ds Corn                                   1.3
Fritos Chili and Scoops                            0.5
Sabrositas                                         0.4
Fritos Sloppy Joe and Scoops                       0.3
Top brands in drug stores: cheese snacks
Chee Tos                                         $12.9
Planters Cheez Mania                               6.3
Herrs                                              0.4
Utz                                                0.3
Golden Flake                                       0.3
Cheez Doodles                                      0.3
                      Top salty snack segments in
                              drug stores
                    $ sales      %
Segment           in millions  change
Other salted
snacks (no nuts)     $66.7      -2.2%
Potato chips          42.4       8.3
Tortilla/tostada
chips                 31.8       2.2
Ready-to-eat
popcorn               23.4     -11.1
Cheese snacks         22.3       0.3
Pretzels              16.9     -14.3
Corn snacks (no
tortilla chips)       14.0       0.4
Source: Information Resourcess Inc.
for the 52 weeks ended Dec. 31, 2000