U.S. Satisfies Europe’s Snack Cravings

PARIS —  Ten years ago, Steve Bernard and his wife began a small business making kettle-fried chips in a shop in Cape Cod, Mass. Today they’re looking far from home for big sales growth--to markets in Europe, South America and Canada.

“We’re growing 100% every year,” Bernard said. “The area where the U.S. has a little edge is in snack food.”

While U.S. agricultural exports are projected to drop overall this year, snack-food exports boomed 30% the first six months of 1996, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Bernard displayed his Cape Cod Potato Chips among nearly 100 stands hawking American food at the October Salon International de l’Alimentation, described by industry officials as the largest international food trade show last year.

“U.S. agricultural exports have shifted from bulk commodities to consumer goods over the last 10 years,” said Mattie Sharpless, the agricultural minister-counselor at the American Embassy in Paris.

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American companies are not the only ones cashing in on the snack-food boom. The European market has grown 27.5% in the last five years, according to the Leatherhead Food Research Assn.

Apart from U.S.-based Pepsico Inc., the six largest snack-food producers in Europe are all European-owned, the association said.

This rise in demand for ready-made food products came with the high-powered ‘90s lifestyle among many Europeans leaving behind a slower-paced traditional way of life.

“People are looking for faster ways--opening up a box and not peeling the vegetables,” said Sheila Moore, an international division manager for Nalley’s Fine Foods, a worldwide exporter of American food.

In France, the land of haute cuisine, there are now 500 McDonald’s restaurants and American food companies are also picking up on the demand for the quick food fix.

“Dipping” started in the United States with Mexican-style tortilla chips and salsa. It has started to be fashionable in France, and lots of French companies are adapting this innovation to their products,” said Delphine Genty, associate director of a French food research company.

Last year the French company Bel brought out a product called “Pick and Croq”: biscuits with a melted cheese dip. Meanwhile Biscuiterie d’Abbe launched “Pick and Pom”: animal-shaped biscuits with applesauce.

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At the trade show, companies were promoting everything from “nutri-drinks” to rice cakes.

The stand of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture was not promoting poultry, peanuts and pork but watch-shaped gummy candy and cream-filled cookies.

Maryland, famous for its seafood, was pushing salsa, spicy chips and lollipops.

Some companies are even trying to cater to local tastes. America’s Ben and Jerry’s has come up with a uniquely British flavor called “Cool Britannia”--vanilla ice cream with strawberries.

Most of the growth in the processed-food markets has been recent.

Cantina Mexicana, a company exporting Mexican chips, sauces and fast-food dinners, has seen its international markets double every year for the last four to five years, and they expect their markets to grow even further.