Mr. Becker, let’s take a look into the snack crystal ball. What trends do you believe will dominate the market this year?
I think the trend towards healthier, more sustainable products will continue in 2025. Vegan snacks remain very popular among consumers. After all, one in ten people in Germany follows a vegetarian or vegan diet, which is a significant increase compared to before! And this trend is growing globally as well. We certainly notice this in our production. In addition to ingredients for snacks, we also offer textured plant proteins for use in meat alternatives and the demand has skyrocketed. In the snack category, we see a significant increase in orders for gluten-free products. Protein-rich snacks and foods will continue to do well in 2025, with no end in sight to this trend.
Speaking of gluten-free – Erbacher Food Intelligence also offers gluten-free production, which not everyone can do. What does this specific requirement mean for food producers?
It’s a great opportunity on one hand, as the market prospects are excellent. At the same time, gluten-free production poses challenges in many areas. Apart from the limited choice of raw materials, products intended for gluten-free production must be stored in a way that prevents contamination with gluten. The entire facility, the entire production site, must be meticulously cleaned before producing gluten-free. But the effort is worth it, allowing us to meet the growing demand in this sector.
Can preferences of consumers regarding snack flavors also be estimated?
In 2024, cocoa and products containing cocoa were very popular among consumers. In addition to classics like paprika and sour cream, some spicy to very spicy snacks entered the market, gaining extreme popularity through social media. I could imagine that this trend will continue in 2025. A flavor mix of spicy and sweet or spicy and highly seasoned could also be successful. Time will tell. We are excited to see what innovative ideas our customers will come up with!
Do you snack yourself?
Oh yes, definitely! When we develop new crispy ingredients for snacks and the like, I always look forward to tasting them. I also have favorite extrudates, products shaped using advanced extrusion technology. For example, our spicy paprika waves.
Are they vegan and gluten-free?
No, they are conventional. But really delicious!
