CUSTOMISABLE SNACKING

Snacking is on the rise and the volume of snacks in restaurants, bars, pubs and hotels has increased in the last year and is set to continue in 2023.

A report from Mintel says that six in 10 people snack on crisps / crisp-style snacks.

Customers are craving affordable ‘treat’ experiences, and Santa Maria is excited to introduce their new Snack Base products to meet a new and growing demand in the out-of-home market.

Snack Bases from Santa Maria are the most customisable snacks on the market – simply cook, flavour and serve in less than a minute to unlock new opportunities in snacking for your business.

The new Snack Bases come in two formats - Lentil Waves and Corn Cones - which are perfect for dipping, loading with toppings or enjoying with a variety of savoury or sweet seasoning. Plus, both products are vegan and gluten-free.

As the cost-of-living continues to soar across the UK, dining out habits have been impacted. Consumers still want to enjoy experiences but are more conscious of purse strings. Bidfood’s Predictions for 2023 Food Trends suggests that around 2 in 3 UK adults (64%) said despite the cost-of-living crisis, they would find it difficult to stop eating and drinking out.

Santa Maria’s Taste Creator, Barny MacAdam, says: “Rising business costs combined with a shortage of staff and the cost of living means time are still tough for the hospitality sector. We’ve focused on creating a genuinely easy-to-implement product, that can be made to order in under one minute by anyone on the team and offers an additional revenue stream opportunity for operators.

“DIY snacks made from scratch is a huge trend right now. By making the Snack Bases to order, operators can offer customers a fresh, appetising snack which can be served hot or cold. What’s more, it’s easy for operators to create their own signature snacks by adding spices of their choice (typically only 3-5g of spice mix flavours per 100g of cooked Snack Base), playing around with different dipping sauces on the side or loading them up with different toppings. Snack Bases are so versatile – they can be used as a bar snack with drinks, as an appetiser while customers browse the menu, a side to a burger, wrap or sandwich, or even a crunchy topping!”

The Snack Bases are delivered as pellets and expand up to five times when cooked (so easy to transport and store), don’t need to be stored chilled or frozen and have a twoyear shelf life, making them smart in many ways. They are as simple as…fry, flavour and serve.

Barny MacAdam continues: “The Lentil Waves and Corn Cones can be savoury with our Steakhouse seasoning or sweet by adding our Vanilla Sugar. You can also add Snack Bases to dishes already on your menu. Everyone loves Dirty Fries and Loaded Nachos so why not try Loaded Cornitos, perfect for sharing. Or how about adding a bit of crunch to Salads, Soups, Mac and Cheese, Poké Bowls and Burgers by simply sprinkling the Snack Bases on top. Don’t forget desserts too! Simply season our Snack Bases with our Cinnamon; delicious every time.”

To find out more, visit Snack Bases (santamariaworld.com)