The aperitif biscuit market - France

The aperitif was originally a snack consisting of both drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) and cookies (sweet or savoury), which preceded the meal. It represents a real moment of conviviality for those who share it, and has gradually evolved to replace dinner. In fact, aperitif dinners are becoming increasingly popular with the French. Aperitif cookies are the dry savoury products consumed at these events. The market is divided into four main food categories: salted seeds, tiles and extruded products, potato chips and crackers. The global market for snack cakes is growing, and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 4.9% between 2021 and 2029. The main consumers of these products are developed countries, notably the United States and the United Kingdom. Countries such as China and India account for only a small proportion of consumers. In France, aperitifs are extremely popular, with 66% of French people enjoying them at least once a month. Sales of aperitif cookies are expected to grow by 2.3% between 2021 and 2022, driven in particular by the popularity of tuiles and extruded biscuits. The potential for development is great, as the French consume only 3.5 kg of these products per year, compared with 4 kg for the European average. This is almost half the figure for the UK and the Netherlands. The aperitif cake market is divided between private labels and major international groups. Mass-market brands account for almost half of sales, while PepsiCo, Mondelez, Kellogg's and Intersnack share almost all the rest of the market. The savoury aperitif market is booming, driven by innovation. New products focus on health, the environment and gluten-free products. Although dominated by the snacking giants, the aperitif sector remains sensitive to innovation, which encourages the arrival of new entrants. To sustain growth, players are focusing on innovation. The main challenge remains the difficult balance between taste and nutritional value, in the face of growing consumer expectations in terms of naturalness.