Though there is increased demand for healthier food options, consumers remain unwilling to sacrifice taste for nutrition. Today’s consumers want to have it all – flavor and indulgence.

In a recent Datamonitor survey, 80 percent of consumers said they want food manufacturers to enhance the flavor of healthy products. The global survey of 5,000 consumers showed that consumers are more in control of their health choices and better educated about health issues. They also are more aware of good and bad food options. Despite this increased awareness, more than one third of consumers look for indulgent snacks more regularly than in previous years.

Healthy products remain a small percentage of overall indulgent snack releases, according to Datamonitor. However, as indicated by original consumer research conducted by the Hazelnut Council in 2006, 95 percent of consumers believe a food can be both healthy and indulgent.

This demand for better-tasting and better-for-you products, and the increased interest in indulgent snacks, creates unique opportunities for snack food manufacturers. New products or the reformulation of current healthy products to improve flavor quality could be the solution.

Nuts, known for their indulgent and healthy attributes, give consumers the flavor and nutritional profile they demand. In fact, the Hazelnut Council’s 2006 consumer research shows 75 percent of consumers are eating nuts because of their healthy fat profile.

By adding nuts, such as hazelnuts, to food products, manufacturers increase the content of heart-healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats, fiber, and antioxidants, while also improving the flavor and texture.

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