18 Mar 2025
Snacks tailored to every moment, lifestage and audience
Consumers increasingly turn to food and beverages to support their mental well-being. According to our global Taste Tomorrow consumer survey, the majority of people opt for meals, treats and snacks that can boost their mood.
65% looks for food that delivers on mental health and 73% has an interest in products that boost energy throughout the day. Because of this substantial demand, brands are innovating with functional mood food that is more personalized than ever before.
“Mood-support products across food, beverages [and] supplements are up a point and a half in conventional [retail stores], 14% in natural [retail] and 99% up in convenience [stores]”, SPINS director of insights Scott Dicker, told FoodNavigator. That huge growth of the mood foods in convenience stores tells us people are looking for on to go options that are quick and easy to eat in a busy schedule. Even supermarket chain Marks & Spencer acknowledged the potential of mood food by launching a full range of Brain Food products, ranging from snack balls and shots to salads and nut butters. They were quick to spot how consumers are increasingly prioritizing mental health. More than a third of global consumers (36%) identify emotional wellbeing as their primary health goal now, according to Innova Market Insights.
In the broader functional food category, we are seeing product launches for increasingly specific occasions and audiences. These three are perfect examples:
Breakfast foods that address hormonal shifts for women in menopause
Scientific research is highlighting the link between diet and menopausal symptoms, such as mood swings, anxiety, brain fog, hot flashes and night sweats. About 75% of all women experience one or more of these symptoms, so Mena was quick to spot the huge opportunity. They’ve developed menopause-friendly breakfast options like bread, cereals and protein bars that incorporate phytoestrogen-rich ingredients like soy, miso, flaxseed and soy milk. Those help to balance estrogen levels, which could potentially mitigate symptoms like mood swings and joint pain.
A sweet way to unwind or focus for kids
The Functional Chocolate Company already had chocolate bars that help adults with everything from stress relief to better nights, but now they’ve launched an entire line of functional chocolates specifically for children. There are four options: Brainy for focus, Carefree for relaxation, Sleepy for better rest and Painfree. The last one has soothing and anti-inflammatory properties because of kid-friendly botanical ingredients such as turmeric, MSM, chamomile and lemon balm.
With these chocolates, they offer parents a treat they can feel good about, because the chocolates are free from artificial ingredients and preservatives and even serve a purpose for their children's health. And as a bonus: it’s much easier to let your kid eat a piece of chocolate than a supplement. The other products in the Funcho Kids line claim to support children’s cognitive function and emotional well-being through ingredients like adaptogens and botanicals.
A square a day to support intimacy
Creating ‘a daily mushroom ritual that is both effective and delicious’ is the goal of Alice Chocolate. The company produces chocolate treats that combine mushrooms for long-term benefits with nootropics that have immediate effects. Their most notable product is Happy Ending, meant to support intimacy and pleasure in the bedroom. The chocolates that are promoted with visually striking and highly sensual imagery are clearly targeted towards Millennials, of whom 66% consider diet a key factor in their emotional well-being.
Happy Ending contains nine aphrodisiacs that should deliver romance and play in the bedroom. Cordyceps mushrooms should improve energy and stamina, while other spices are meant to heighten sensation to increase gratitude. The advice is to eat one square a day to let ingredients compound in the body and have two squares to ‘heat things up in the moment’.
Snacks that lull you to sleep
Consumers are now ending their days with functional sweets. Chocolate and candies with sleep-promoting ingredients such as magnesium and chamomile are eaten in hopes of a good night's sleep.
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