The chips market - Italy

1.1 Definition and presentation

Chips are potato slices that have been fried or baked in order to give them a crispy taste and look. They are believed to be born during the second half of the 1800s in the United States. Once brought to knowledge to the rest of the world, they have been representing the most popular consumed salty snack globally.

Commonly served as a snack, a side dish or an appetizer, potato chips dominate the appetite and throat of people around the world. The product comes in an uncountable number of varieties, depending on the geography, the culture and the habits. Potato chips serve all kinds of preferences. From classic to crispy, from salty to spicy, from plain to BBQ, chips depend on a variety of variables - based on crispiness, texture, flavor, packaging.

They are a preferred choice for consumers globally and have an interesting associated value for Italians. Indeed, chips are generally a complementary product to alcoholic beverages in the mind of the Italians, consumed for example during the traditional aperitivos. The latter does not exclude though the consumption of chips in other occasions, indeed home consumption is also considerable. The so-called market of “patatine in busta” (packaged chips) is highly concentrated, with a few Italian multinationals dominating the entire supply chain conquering major shares of the market. Although the market has been chosen as a fertile ground for newcomers interested in reaching niche segments, such as the healthy snack consumers.