We’ve been in the food and beverages industry for more than 30 years, so it’s safe to say we know a thing or two about the value of keeping your snack selections fresh for your customers.
Here’s what we’ve learnt: seasonal snacks aren’t just about jumping on trends – it’s about being the preferred venue for your clients because you’re offering these special extra – sweet treats to accompany a cup of coffee, or a tasty snack to go with a cold beverage on a hot day.
Changing up your snacks and treats, from warm, comforting options during colder months to refreshing treats during summer, will keep your venue appealing and your customers happy while boosting your bottom line.
When your customers have an increasing amount of choice between where they spend their dollars, complimentary sweet treats and tasty snacks are a big motivator for them choosing you, over your competitors.
Understanding the Psychology of Seasonal Snacking
There’s a bit of science (and a lot of common sense) behind it. When it’s chilly, most folks reach for something rich, warm and indulgent – think choc, caramel, cinnamon and spice. But when summer hits, it’s all about lighter textures and refreshing flavours. That’s why it makes sense to switch up your snack stash throughout the year.
Pop some Choc Malt Balls next to the coffee machine in winter, and you’ve got an instant treat that hits the spot. Know your customers’ cravings and you’ll always be one step ahead.
Most importantly, when you give your customers a complimentary beverage and a seasonal, ‘just right’ snack to accompany it, it creates invaluable social leverage. Your business or venue is now associated with generosity, novelty, good times.
And your competitors down the road, who aren’t offering complimentary snacks and treats? They’re missing out on business, customer loyalty, and that feeling of being well looked after that your customer gets when they enjoy your complimentary snacks.
Marking your Seasonal Events with Special Snacks
Do you have a community event your business is supporting? Is there a major sporting event coming up? Does your venue contribute to a particular local charity? These are all events that are worthy of marking with seasonal snacks, especially crafted for the occasion.
Your seasonal events need seasonal snacks to mark the occasion, whether a special, one-off product such as Noodle Cups given to sports fans watching a game, or branded snacks with your venue’s logo to mark particular occasions, we can help. Your customers are celebrating anyway, so why not mark the occasion, make it memorable, and keep them there for longer with special sweet snacks and treats especially for the occasion.
Crafting Seasonal Beverages and Snack Pairings
One of the most effective seasonal strategies we recommend is creating intentional pairings between beverages and complimentary snacks.
People’s love for coffee and hot chocolate increases during the colder months, making this the perfect time to highlight snack options that enhance these hot beverage experiences. Pair a rich hot choccy with Choc-Coated Peanuts and Pretzels or a Lindt mini chocolate for a double-choc moment, or offer Caramelised Biscuits for dunking into coffee (yes, please).
These tasty combos give your customers more reasons to linger longer in your venue, order another drink, have a flutter, and spend more time enjoying themselves. Not only that, but they make their experience more pleasurable, which means your venue is more memorable when next they’re deciding where to go.
The key is highlighting how the flavours complement each other: the buttery notes in Caramelised Biscuits enhance coffee’s natural bitterness, while the crunch of Charlies Cookies provides textural contrast to a smooth hot chocolate.
Make sure to include your staff in key product information, so that they can be as equally enthusiastic about your snacks and treats as your customers.
Leveraging Limited-Time Offerings to Create Urgency
Nothing drives customer action quite like the fear of missing out. Seasonal offerings inherently come with built-in scarcity and get people acting fast. Products like Springhill Farm Slices can be positioned as special, limited-time treats that customers won't want to miss.
Create a 'Seasonal Selection' that rotates monthly or quarterly, using your chalkboards, posters and menus to let customers know. The psychological principle at work is simple: making something limited makes it infinitely more appealing than being always available.
This is particularly effective with specialty items like Charlies Cookies. When something’s only available for a short time, it’s extra special.
A Seasonal Snack Makeover
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel every time the season changes. Just give your tried-and-true snacks a little makeover. Staple products like Choc-Coated Peanuts and Pretzels can be refreshed for seasonal appeal.
By offering limited-edition flavour variations, branded snacks, or using new serving methods, such as a dispenser with bowls, offers novelty to customers, and reduces complacency.
During summer months, Choc-Coated Peanuts and Pretzels could be given with every drink order, or served alongside a hot beverage in winter. Similarly, Caramelised Biscuits could be served warm alongside a hot cuppa in winter. A bit of creativity goes a long way.
This approach allows you to maintain operational efficiency while still creating the perception of seasonal variety. If you’re a small operation, this approach also works, especially if you’re dealing with limited storage capacity or wanting to minimise your waste.
Addressing the Energy Slump
We all know that infamous energy crash between 2 and 4pm: making this prime time for a snack pick-me-up.
We think Noodle Cups shine in this category as they offer a substantial, warm option that provides comfort and sustained energy, quickly. Unlike sugar-heavy snacks that might send you crashing again later, options with a balance of carbohydrates and protein help customers power through.
For in between mealtimes, an energy-fuelled snack such as Noodle Cups can also keep your customers present, active, and spending, as their renewed, snack-fuelled energy powers them through.
An ‘Afternoon Revival’ selection, featuring Noodle Cups or Springhill Farm Slices and other energising options, can be rotated to make available during these specific hours, which also works to give your customers novelty, and a reason to stay.
Your Customers Will Tell You What They Want
The best, and simplest way to know what customers want is to listen – and ask. Train your staff to feed back information from customers, then call us to make it happen!
Customers are great sources of useful information, rather than you making a best guess. Keep an eye on what’s working (and what’s not), but don’t be afraid to change it up. If something’s a hit, make it a regular.
If it flops, let it go. Products that perform might earn permanent status, while underperforming items can be here for a season only!
The most successful businesses approach this as an ongoing process of trial and error. Your customers love free tasty treats to accompany a cold beverage, or a sweet treat on a cold day to go with their cuppa.
Seasonal snacks can increase novelty and appeal for your customers, will keeping them longer, inspiring customer loyalty and fans (that bring friends!)
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