CAMPAIGNS

dried fruits & nuts
raisins
Healthy Snacking Trend
Boosts Raisins’ Popularity
Produce departments have
increasing opportunities to
promote raisins year-round.
BY BARRY SPARKS
Increased focus on health and wellness,
as well as more frequent snacking, has
boosted the popularity of raisins.
“Raisins are one of the healthiest
foods in the store, and they are a great
snack,” says Joe Tamble of Sun-Maid Growers,
a Kingsburg, CA-based company. “Sun-Maid
has always touted healthy eating. Our goal is to
keep educating consumers about how healthy
and nutritious raisins are.”
Tamble stresses that raisins have no additives
or fillers. “There’s only one ingredient in
a raisin, and we’re proud of it,” he says.
Raisins’ simplicity appeals to health-conscious
consumers. Two-thirds of consumers
say they want to be able to recognize all ingredients,
and 40 percent said simplicity is key,
according to a Datamonitor Consumer survey,
“Snack Attack: Emerging Trends in Snacking
and Snack Foods.”
Raisins present an incredible choice for
those who are looking for healthier snacks
and alternatives to candy.
THE SNACKING HABIT
Research shows up to 70 percent of raisins
are used for snacking, according to Tamble.
Interestingly, more consumers view
snacking as one way to improve healthy eating
habits, according to the NPD Group, a market
research company.
Consumers with the healthiest diets
consume 36 percent more snack meals a year
than the average consumer, according to Port
Washington, NY-based NPD’s Snacking in
America report, which examines long-term
attitudes and behaviors about snacking, as well
as snack selection drivers.
The report also found that those following
a “most healthy” diet eat a wider variety of
healthy snacks, such as fruit, dried fruit, yogurt
and nutrition bars. According to Londonbased
Mintel, a market intelligence agency, 91
percent of consumers consider dried fruit, such
as raisins, as either very healthy or somewhat
healthy.
“Raisins clearly benefit from the health and
wellness trend,” says Chad Hartman of Truly
Good Foods, a dried fruit and nut company
based in Charlotte, NC. “Raisins rate high as
a healthy snack.”
Stephanie Harralson of Sunsweet Growers,
located in Yuba City, CA, says: “Produce
departments have a great opportunity to
promote raisins. Parents are looking for
snacking alternatives for themselves, as well
as their children.”
Both the snacking trend and the health
and wellness trend are expected to continue far
into the future, which is good news for raisins.
The global snack market has grown for
10 consecutive years and is projected to grow
4.2 percent in 2016 and 2017, according to
Datamonitor Consumer information. More
consumers are paying attention to the USDA’s
daily recommendation of five to nine servings
of fruits and vegetables daily and the health
benefits of raisins.
The health benefits of raisins include relief
from constipation, hypertension, acidosis and
anemia. Raisins also have been known to
help in attempts to gain weight in a healthy
way, as well as their positive impact on eye
health, dental care and bone quality, according
to various research from institutions such as
Louisville Metabolic and Atherosclerotic
106 / AUGUST 2016 / PRODUCE BUSINESS