The Food Chain Snackification: Our love affair with snacks
21 snips
May 14, 2025 
Paul Polman, former CEO of Unilever and author of "Net Positive," shares his expertise on the dynamic snack industry. He discusses how snacking transitioned into a daily ritual and why it's become a $1.5 trillion market. The conversation highlights the battle for consumer attention and the innovations that define modern snacking, including healthier options. Polman also reflects on the cultural shifts that influence our snack choices today, touching on the rise of 'snackification' and the balance between flavor and convenience.
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Origins of 'Snacking'
- Snacking was originally linked to eating small portions or shares, especially among working-class people.
- This evolved into denoting food eaten outside formal meal times by the mid-18th century.
Packaging Spurs Snack Industry Growth
- Packaging advances enabled mass production and long-distance transport of snack foods like potato chips.
- This led to consolidation in manufacturing and retail, growing snack food availability globally.
Paul Polman on Snack Industry Entry
- Paul Polman recalls early snack culture as modest with mainly healthy homemade snacks.
- He describes launching Pringles as a major innovation requiring intense marketing and strategic execution.