While savory snacking options in 2020 will maintain the classic comfort flavors, snackers might be in for an extra kick when they open a bag of chips, according to research published by Frito-Lay North America, a subsidiary of Pepsico.
"Spicy things continue to be a really 'hot' trend," Denise Lefebvre, SVP, R&D, Global Food at PepsiCo told Cheddar. "[Consumers are] really leaning towards different, broader — jalapeno, habanero, ghost pepper — and really want to understand the depth and the level of spice that might provide them."
Beloved flavors like cheddar and sour cream or sour cream and onion continue to be popular for snack brands like those under PepsiCo's ownership, but globalization is evolving the tastes of consumers, according to Lefebvre.
"Even markets like the UK, where it's really been thought to have more mild food tastes, some of those subcultures, ethnic subcultures, have really influenced the palates there and continue to influence the palates, everywhere, all over the world," she said.
An unexpected trend Lefebvre also predicted for the near future: alcoholic beverage flavors in snack foods, although PepsiCo currently has no plans to feature adult-focused products with infusions of gin, bourbon, or other boozy flavors. Similarly, the food conglomerate has no plans to add trendy CBD and cannabis to its portfolio of brands.
"I think we'll always look and understand trends and where the consumers are going, and we want it backed with good science and good understanding," Lefebvre said regarding cannabis infusions.
The PepsiCo executive also added that the company will continue to pursue the healthier snacks trend, with products that feature more whole grains, proteins, and vegetables like Sun Chips and Off The Eaten Path.
Memorial Day rang in the unofficial start of summer here in the United States -- and with it, the unofficial start of summer travel. Whether consumers traveled by air or by land, they probably experienced some form of frustration over the weekend. Flyers faced delays and cancellations, and drivers faced the most expensive gas prices ever recorded on Memorial Day. Zach Griff, Senior Aviation Reporter for the Points Guy, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Next-generation gaming ecosystem Joystick recently raised $8 million in a seed round and is in the process of raising a $110 million Series A funding round. Gaming ecosystems are a relatively new type of platform in the Web3 space, allowing users to maximize their play-to-earn gaming opportunities, exchange crypto-currencies, and sell their digital assets. Joystick says its platform is flipping the current model on its head by giving players the opportunity to keep 100% of the revenue they earn. Robin Defay, co-founder and CEO of Joystick, and Michael Le, co-founder of Joystick and TikTok content creator, join Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Abe Stein, Head of Innovation at Sports Innovation Lab, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he explains why the top four spots on his company's 2022 list are European soccer clubs and discusses Sports Innovation Lab's plan to publish data on women's pro sports teams in the not-too-distant future.
Joel Birch, Co-Founder and CEO of Stacked, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he explains why he doesn't see any new catalysts that would lead to a Bitcoin rally at the moment. He also reiterates that now is a good time for long-term Bitcoin investors to buy low.
The dating app Bumble has sponsored bills and pushed lawmakers to criminalize the online practice of sending unsolicited nudes or “cyberflashing." Payton Iheme, Bumble's head of public policy for the Americas, joined Cheddar News to discuss why the app was going after the harassing behavior beyond its own platform. "Now, while we went to work internally in the company, and we created something called private detector to automatically blur those images so the user can decide if they want to see them, there's nothing for the rest of the internet," she said. "And so that's why we went to work with these laws."
The holiday weekend saw Disney+ and Netflix competing head-to-head for streaming views as the Disney behemoth kicked off the unofficial start to summer with its release of "Obi-Wan Kenobi" and Netflix responded with the first part of "Stranger Things" Season 4. The streaming giants caught the eye of Wall Street, and Seth Schachner, the managing director at consultancy Strat Americas, joined Cheddar News to break down the heavy hitters. "This is a very tough, competitive game, and I don't see it getting any easier," he said. "I think you'll probably see more consolidation."
