PLANTERS® Trail Mix brings big-brand snack appeal to a basket-building 2 oz. size
For years, workplace and on-the-go snacking largely meant choosing between something salty and something sweet. Today’s consumers increasingly want more from that eating occasion. They want something convenient and enjoyable, but also substantial enough to provide greater satisfaction.
Hormel Foods Convenience is responding with a new format from one of the best-known names in snacking: PLANTERS® 2 oz. Trail Mix, available in two established varieties — PLANTERS® Nuts & Chocolate Trail Mix and PLANTERS® Peanut Butter Chocolate Trail Mix. The new single-serve package is designed for convenient, portable, on-the-go snacking occasions. A perfect fit for the vending, micro market and pantry service channel.
A substantial snack solution
Jens Knudsen, senior national sales manager of vending, convenience, distribution and travel at Hormel Foods, said the move toward more substantial snacking has become particularly noticeable.
“Over the last 12 to 18 months, we’ve seen a shift in the consumer away from just salty and sweet indulgence and toward more substantial snacking,” Knudsen said. “A lot of that has to do with protein and being able to have a more filling snacking experience.”
The beauty of the new PLANTERS® 2 oz. Trail Mix varieties is that they deliver protein alongside the sweet-and-salty combination that is increasingly popular among Gen Z consumers. PLANTERS® Nuts & Chocolate Trail Mix provides 8 grams of protein per 2 oz. serving (7% Daily Value), while PLANTERS® Peanut Butter Chocolate Trail Mix provides 9 grams per 2 oz. serving (8% Daily Value). A June 2026 article in Tastewise, notes that “The sweet and salty flavor profile has grown nearly 30% in the past 12 months within the snack and sweet savory snack category alone. Consumers are not experimenting. They are choosing it consistently.”[1]
Nicholas DeLeon, brand manager, PLANTERS® & CORN NUTS® brands at Hormel Foods Convenience, pointed to another important aspect of the trend: portability. “Consumers increasingly want snacks they can take with them and eat when and where it fits their schedule, making this 2 oz. size a perfect fit.”
Right size, right occasion
The 2 oz. format will be particularly significant for operators.
Circana data shows that 2-3 oz. trail mix already accounts for 16% of C-store trail mix unit sales, making it the No. 2 pack-size range by unit share. PLANTERS® Trail Mix also enters that segment with considerable category strength. The brand holds 28% dollar share and 29% unit share of C-store trail mix and is sold in 78% of C-stores that sell trail mix.[2]
“The two-ounce size was an opportunity that we’ve been missing for a while,” Knudsen said.
Proven flavors
Hormel Foods Convenience isn’t introducing unfamiliar flavors in the new format. It is taking two already proven varieties and bringing them into the 2 oz. package. The 6 oz. PLANTERS® Nuts & Chocolate Trail Mix and PLANTERS® Peanut Butter Chocolate Trail Mix rank No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in PLANTERS® C-store trail mix dollar sales.[2]
Flexible merchandising
For operators, another advantage will come from product presentation. The new 2 oz. PLANTERS® Trail Mix comes in a 10-count display-ready caddy, giving operators considerably more merchandising flexibility than a larger stand-up or peggable bag.
“You’re not limited to just a peg set or a shelf,” Knudsen explained. “You can have it up at the cash register. You can have it backed by the refrigerated section.”
The power of the brand
There is one more factor working in the operator’s favor: brand recognition. An Ipsos corporate market research study reported that PLANTERS® has 92% aided brand awareness.[3]
For Knudsen, that recognition matters at the point of purchase. “Having that name-brand recognition allows for higher turns,” he said. “You have the brand acceptance and knowledge that really translates into a sale.”
Ultimately, Knudsen believes the case for giving the new 2 oz. varieties a facing comes down to a straightforward combination — recognizable branding, proven flavors, a convenient package size and the potential to create an incremental sale.
For vending, micro market and pantry service operators looking for a snack that combines substance, portability, craveability and brand recognition, the answer will arrive in January in the form of a very approachable 2 oz. package.
To learn more about PLANTERS® 2 oz. Nuts & Chocolate Trail Mix and PLANTERS® Peanut Butter Chocolate Trail Mix, visit here.
References
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Circana Unify, Total U.S. Convenience, latest 26 weeks ending May 17, 2026.
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Ipsos Brand Equity Tracking - 2025.
About the Author
Bob TullioBob Tullio
Bob Tullio is a content specialist, speaker, sales trainer, consultant and contributing editor of Automatic Merchandiser and VendingMarketWatch.com. He advises entrepreneurs on how to build a successful business from the ground up. He specializes in helping suppliers connect with operators in the convenience services industry — coffee service, vending, micro markets and pantry service specifically. He can be reached at 818-261-1758 and [email protected]. Tullio welcomes your feedback.
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