Study: Americans Prefer Sweet Treats Over Savory Snacks
A new study has revealed the most popular food and snack brands, with big names such as Oreo, Kit Kat and Snickers topping the list. The study revealed that Americans clearly favor their sweet treats, with Oreo, Kit Kat and Snickers ranking above the savory snack brand Doritos.
The findings, compiled by promotions and loyalty experts Snipp Interactive, used YouGov data to discover the US’s top food and snack brands. They then analyzed each brand’s number of Instagram hashtags to determine which brands have the most loyal and engaged customers.
- Oreo
Oreo is ranked as the most popular food brand on Instagram, with a staggering 9,776,758 hashtags – a whopping six million more than any other food brand in the ranking.
With an impressive social following of 3.6 million on Instagram, Oreo benefits from plenty of user-generated content, with people tagging their delicious creations, from Oreo milkshakes to Oreo cakes. The ranking highlights Oreo as the most aesthetically pleasing and Instagrammable snack brand.
The delicious cookies are clearly a favorite as, according to research, 71.26 million Americans consumed Nabisco Oreo (Regular) in 2020 – making it one of the most popular cookies in the US.
Furthermore, according to YouGov data, an impressive 98% of Americans have heard of the brand, and 76 percent of people have a positive opinion of it, indicating Oreo is currently dominating across the states.
- Kit Kat
Ranking as the second most popular food brand is Kit Kat, with 3,783,190 Instagram hashtags. The globally recognized brand, known for its iconic combination of crispy wafers covered in smooth milk chocolate, is clearly an Instagram favorite.
Users are tagging Kit Kat in plenty of tasty content, including Kit Kat cakes, milkshakes, and ice cream creations, similar to their competitor Oreo.
What’s more, according to research, a staggering 1,192 million Kit Kat bars are sold in the United States alone every year – an extremely impressive figure. Moreover, according to YouGov data, Kit Kat has a popularity score of 79 percent and 98 percent of respondents have heard of the brand, solidifying Kit Kat’s position as one of the most beloved US food brands.
- Snickers
Another iconic chocolate brand, Snickers, is placed in third place, with 1,756,558 Instagram hashtags.
The brand benefits from plenty of excellent user-generated content, helping grow its Instagram following. People are getting creative and sharing their mouth-watering creations, using Snickers bars in various cakes and cookies. Moreover, creators are even developing healthier snacks, such as Snickers protein bites and overnight oat recipes.
According to YouGov data, 77 percent of people have a favorable opinion of the brand, solidifying its place in the ranking.
- Doritos
Doritos claims the fourth spot with 1,066,146 hashtags on Instagram. The brand has earned the title of most popular chips in the US, ranking higher than its major competitors, such as Pringles and Lay’s.
The brand constantly releases new flavours, and consumers are clearly loyal to the brand sharing their favourite flavours and new finds on Instagram, helping Doritos to build its 1 million followers on Instagram.
- Hershey
Ranking as the fifth most beloved food brand is Hershey, with 1,060,904 Instagram hashtags. The brand is an undeniable favorite within the states, as evidenced by YouGov data, which revealed that 98% of people recognize the brand, and 77% have a positive opinion of Hershey.
Instagram users are sharing all their favorite Hershey treats and homemade desserts, including cakes, cookies, donuts, and plenty of other mouth-watering recipes.
- Ben & Jerry’s
Ben & Jerry’s secures the sixth spot with 1,020,212 Instagram hashtags. The iconic brand, renowned for its decadent ice cream flavors, has been named the most popular US ice cream brand, evident in its impressive 1.5 million Instagram followers.
Data suggests that 97 percent of people have heard of the brand, making it one of the most famous desert brands in the states, and Instagram users are keen to share their ice cream creations, with over a million users tagging Ben & Jerry’s on the platform.
- Reese’s
Ranking seventh is Reese’s, with 969,059 Instagram hashtags. The iconic brand, renowned for its combination of peanut butter and chocolate, has solidified its position as one of the most beloved candy brands in the US.
Fans of the chocolate have been experimenting and sharing their creations on Instagram, with recipes and videos for Reese’s cookies, cakes and brownies.
- Pringles
Pringles claims the eighth spot with 904,509 Instagram hashtags. The brand, known for its iconic potato chips, has a dedicated fan base that loves to share their favorite flavors.
- Lay’s
Lay’s, another chip brand, ranks ninth with 795,842 Instagram tags. Users are tagging the brand in plenty of delicious content, ranging from classic flavors to more adventurous options, making it another aesthetically pleasing and Instagrammable snack brand.
- Cheetos
Finally, rounding out the top ten is Cheetos with 784,364 Instagram hashtags. The brand is another popular snack choice, with consumers staying loyal and sharing videos and pictures of their Cheetos snacks on Instagram.
Top 10 US Food and Snack Brands:
| Rank | Brand | Number of Instagram Hashtags |
| 1 | Oreo | 9,776,758 |
| 2 | Kit Kat | 3,783,190 |
| 3 | Snickers | 1,756,558 |
| 4 | Doritos | 1,066,146 |
| 5 | Hershey | 1,060,904 |
| 6 | Ben & Jerry’s | 1,020,212 |
| 7 | Reese’s | 969,059 |
| 8 | Pringles | 904,509 |
| 9 | Lay’s | 795,842 |
| 10 | Cheetos | 784,364 |
Commenting on the findings, Atul Sabharwal, founder and CEO of Snipp Interactive, says: “The popularity of American food and snack brands is impressive, with some brands accumulating millions of hashtags on Instagram. This reflects their exceptionally loyal customer base, which provides brands with fantastic engagement and reach via social media.
“Oreo’s dominance is extremely impressive, with over 9.7 million hashtags, demonstrating its overwhelming popularity among consumers, as evidenced by its whopping six million more hashtags than any other food or snack brand in the ranking. It’s evident from the research that the US market favors tasty snack brands when sharing online, with candy and chip brands claiming the top ten positions.
“Utilizing hashtags on Instagram significantly enhances brand visibility, helping brands reach their target audience more effectively. It’s clear that many big brands are making the most of social media, with Oreo, Kit Kat, Snickers, Ben & Jerry’s, and Hershey’s leading the way as the most Instagrammable food brands on Instagram.”
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Pairwise Develops World’s First Seedless Blackberry
Pairwise, a company pioneering genetics-based innovation in food and agriculture, has developed the world’s first seedless blackberry. Created using the company’s proprietary Fulcrum Platform, a complete suite of novel tools for CRISPR application in plants, this is the first time seedlessness has been achieved in any caneberry.
“We are thrilled to share this breakthrough achievement from our talented R&D team. Pairwise scientists have used their deep knowledge of plant genetics, broad suite of CRISPR tools, and multiplex editing techniques to eliminate the hard pits in berry fruit, creating soft, small seeds like those found in grapes and watermelon that are commonly labeled as seedless,” said Ryan Bartlett, Pairwise chief technology officer. “The result is the first seedless blackberry in the world. We expect that this trait will not only transform the blackberry market, but it also lays the groundwork for accelerated progress in removing seeds and pits in many other fruits such as cherries.”
Recent innovations in produce have been rapidly adopted due to the significant benefits they provide consumers, such as improved flavor, consistency, and convenience.
“The berry variety we edited is consistently sweet year-round and holds up well during shipment; now, consumers will have the option to choose a nutritious blackberry without seeds that also reliably delivers great flavor and quality,” said Haven Baker, Pairwise co-founder and chief business officer. “Blackberries are a snackable fruit with significant health benefits; however, data indicates that more than 30 percent of berry buyers do not like the seeds, and many more do not even buy the fruit because of the seeds.”
In addition to creating the first seedless caneberry, Pairwise has successfully edited the same variety to eliminate thorns and create a more compact plant that delivers benefits for harvesters, growers and the environment. The thornless and compact traits enable more efficient fruit harvesting and improved productivity and profitability for growers. The new compact trait means the plants are smaller and can be planted at a higher density per acre. Early data from Pairwise-led trials indicate the potential to greatly increase yield per acre while necessitating only a minimal increase in inputs – meaning the water and land used per crate of fruit harvested decreases significantly.
“Our high-density compact and thornless traits contribute to a more sustainable food system. The absence of thorns and reduced height of the compact plants allow berry harvesters to better access the fruit and leave less on the plant, reducing food waste and further improving the growers’ economics. With the precision of CRISPR, we’re able to develop these thornless and compact traits without sacrificing consistency in flavor and quality for consumers,” said Baker. “We’re excited to advance these berries into the next phase of product development, including outdoor field trials, as we work toward scaling up and making them available to the public in a few years.”
“A key challenge in our food system is helping people eat more high-quality, healthy foods. As part of our drive to increase the consumption of fruit and vegetables, we’re working to provide consumers with new, highly nutritious food options with improved flavor and convenience,” said Tom Adams, Pairwise Co-Founder and CEO. “With a deep understanding of the plant genome, an accurate, efficient, and scalable process, and streamlined pathway to commercialization, we are not only creating new products with our proprietary CRISPR technology, we are creating a new era of innovation in agriculture.”
Learn more about Pairwise and its Fulcrum Platform here.
Pairwise is pioneering the application of CRISPR technology in food and agriculture. The company brings together leaders in agriculture, technology, and consumer foods to harness the transformative potential of new genomics technologies to create innovative new products. Pairwise is working to develop new varieties of crops, and to partner with organizations that seek to deliver innovation across the plant-based economy. Backed by industry leading investors Deerfield, Aliment Capital, Leaps by Bayer, and Temasek,
Pairwise raised $90 million in a successful series B funding round in February 2021, bringing total fundraising to $115 million. The company was founded by Chief Executive Officer Tom Adams and Chief Business Officer Haven Baker, with scientific co-founders J. Keith Joung, Lead Translator at Arena BioWorks; David Liu, Director of the Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, and Vice-Chair of the Faculty at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT; and Feng Zhang, McGovern Investigator and a professor at MIT. For more information, visit Pairwise.com, and learn more about the differentiating Pairwise Fulcrum Platform here.
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Best Express Foods’ Gluten-Free Certification Yanked
The Gluten Intolerance Group’s Gluten-free Certification Organization has made the decision to withdraw certification from Best Express Foods, Inc., the umbrella company to Universal Bakery (BEF/Universal Baking), and the producer of Aussie Bites and other products. This decision comes after a thorough investigation in the United States and Canada of BEF/Universal Baking’s Aussie Bites following a safety alert that was issued on May 15, revealing positive test results for gluten in excess of the FDA threshold, according to the group.
“GFCO goes through an in-depth investigation process that includes consumer interviews, 3rd party testing, and requests for historical lot and ingredient testing every time that we receive a consumer complaint about a product,” says Channon Quinn, COO of the Gluten Intolerance Group. “Remedy of these situations requires meeting standards, supplying requested information, as well as fulfillment of contractual obligations surrounding product safety to remove non-compliant products from the marketplace. In this instance, BEF/Universal Baking failed to complete GFCO’s requirements to remedy, making the continuation of a certification relationship with the aforementioned company too high of a risk for both GFCO and the gluten-free public; therefore, we have withdrawn the certification of BEF/Universal Baking.”
“At this time, our facilities are not gluten-free certified,” Best Express Foods posted on its website.
“We provide full disclosure of additives in the ingredients list on all of our packaging. You will find that some of our products do not have added gluten, however, because gluten is airborne, we cannot formally state that our products are gluten-free.
“As the global understanding of gluten intolerances increases, we are working on creating a gluten-free certified facility for the future of our company, the company posted.
The product of concern, Aussie Bites, has been certified by GFCO since October 2022 and initially met the GFCO’s standards for gluten-free certification. Aussie Bites, sold within the United States and Canada, have been identified to contain an unsafe level of gluten for gluten-free consumers.
GFCO has withdrawn certification of the following brands and products produced by Best Express Foods:
Universal Bakery: Organic Aussie Bites, Organic Breakfast Energy Bars, Organic Paleo Bars, Organic Sunrise Energy Bars
SureLife Foods: Paleo Bars
Las Fortunitas: Corn Chips
Los Amigos: Corn Chips
GFCO’s requirements for gluten-free certification are designed to ensure that each product meets the highest safety standards. This comprehensive evaluation includes rigorous testing requirements, ingredient verification, and ongoing audits to maintain compliance. GFCO exists to protect the public. Companies who do not maintain the requirements of the certification or otherwise fail to adhere to their contractual obligations to GFCO are subject to having their certification revoked.
“The protection of the gluten-free community is our top priority, therefore we are taking decisive action to ensure gluten-free consumers’ safety,” stated Cynthia Kelly, CEO of the Gluten Intolerance Group.
Consumers are encouraged to be vigilant and check product labels for the GFCO certification mark and report any questions or concerns about a product’s safety at https://gfco.org/contact/. GFCO will continue to work diligently to protect the gluten-free community and maintain the integrity of its certification process.
For more information and updates regarding this certification rescission, please visit the GFCO website at www.gfco.org.
The Gluten-free Certification Organization, a program of the Gluten Intolerance Group, is a leading certification program for gluten-free products. Established in 2005, GFCO provides independent verification and certification of over 65,000 gluten-free products, ensuring the safety and trust of consumers. With a rigorous certification process and ongoing surveillance, GFCO aims to protect the gluten-free community and promote the availability of safe gluten-free options. For more information, please visit www.gfco.org.
The Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit association funded by private donations, sponsorship opportunities, and food safety programs. It relies on tax-deductible contributions to support its many innovative industry, service, social, and awareness programs. GIG has been a highly respected leader in the gluten-free community since it was founded in 1974. In addition to more than 80 local support groups across the United States, GIG’s mission is make life easier for everyone living gluten-free and accomplishes that through consumer support, education, and its food safety initiatives.
The Gluten-Free Certification Organization, a program of GIG, is a leader in the verification of quality, integrity, and purity of gluten-free products. The Gluten-Free Food Service (GFFS) program is a proven model of established best practices for foodservice facilities offering gluten-free options. GIG is committed to ongoing food safety research to assure customers and consumers the highest level of excellence in its gluten-free programs and services. For more information, visit www.gluten.org.
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