Frito-Lay Reveals American Snacks Consumer Profile

Consumers in the USA are described as anything from daredevil foodies to traditionalists, according to Frito-Lay, the snack division of PepsiCo.

For National Snack Day, Frito-Lay celebrated America's love of snacks by revealing the most common snack "profiles" across America. When asked the simple question "what snacks would you bring to a party?" Americans showed their snack preferences differ greatly depending on where they are from and their age.

Two thirds of consumers polled for the U.S. Snack Index purchase snacks at least once a week and nearly all purchase snacks at least once a month.

"National Snack Day is a perfect occasion for Frito-Lay to engage with consumers and see how they would define their persona when it came to the types of snacks they bring to a party. From the Daredevil Foodie snackers looking for a little spice or an unexpected flavor, to The Traditionalist who goes for the classic and timeless options – National Snack Day is a celebration of all types of snackers," said Steven Williams, senior vice president of sales, chief commercial officer, Frito-Lay North America.

Through the U.S. Snack Index poll, consumers chose one of four profiles – Daredevil Foodie, The Traditionalist, Sweet Tooth and Last-Minute Friend.

U.S. Snack Index Key Insights

The Traditionalist is the most common. They have classic style and prefer options like potato chips or nuts and seeds. They're also most likely to be based in New York or California, and the only area where Traditionalists weren't the most-common snackers hail from Colorado.

The Daredevil Foodie is the second most popular profile and goes above and beyond to turn every dining experience into an adventure. One in four people describe themselves as Daredevil Foodies, and these snackers tend to be young adults and love cheesy flavors as well as bold, spicy flavors.

Daredevil Foodie snackers also live in cities like Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, Miami and L.A.

A preference for sweets came in third, particularly in Texas and Michigan. Sweet Tooth snackers love candy and cookies, but two in five still choose potato chips as a top snack they bring to a party.

And in last, only 9% of Americans admit to being the Last-Minute Friend who stops at the grocery store en route to the party.