Shelf-stable seafood brands Bumble Bee, Starkist, Chicken of the Sea, and others have pivoted away from traditional canned tuna with several new launches in recent years, instead prioritizing releases of such products as pouches and snack kits.
However, San Diego, California, U.S.A.-based Bumble Bee is returning to tradition with its latest release, debuting Bumble Bee Snackers cans.
Tuna in canned form marks a return to tradition, but the firm has added a twist, as the new Snackers line is single-serve and comes in a variety of flavors.
“People love flavored tuna, but not everyone wants a pouch. The simple solution – a flavored, single-serve can. We're excited to bring this to shelves,” Bumble Bee CEO Andrew Choe said.
The 3-ounce cans come in a variety of “bold” flavors that appeal to millennials and anyone who wants a convenient snack on the go, the company said. Flavors include Lemon Pepper, Thai Chili, Tuna, and unflavored Chunk Light Tuna. Consumers can eat it straight from the can, with crackers or veggies, or toss it into a salad, sandwich, or wrap, the company said.
"The way people snack has changed over the years. They want flavor, they want protein, they want it to be mindlessly easy, and it can't cost a fortune,” Bumble Bee Senior Director of Innovation and Insights Jeremy Zavoral said.
The average retail price of the new products run from USD 1.39 (EUR 1.20) per can and contain 20 percent more tuna than pouches, according to Bumble Bee.
The firm is trying to capitalize on relevant consumer data, which has shown that nearly 85 percent of U.S. shoppers still buy tuna in cans, according to Bumble Bee, citing Circana data.
“The experience is just better. Shoppers can get to all the tuna easily, catch any spills, and use it as a bowl all by itself. As a bonus, the compact size makes it easy to stack in the pantry and see what you have for grab-and-go snacking,” Bumble Bee said.
Ambient seafood sales experienced solid gains earlier this year due to Americans’ concerns about inflation, but they have slowed as of late.
Total sales by value in the category grew only 0.6 percent to USD 264 million (EUR 227.5 million) in July, while sales by volume fell 1.5 percent in the month, per Circana data analyzed by Lakeland, Florida, U.S.A.-based 210 Analytics. Ambient tuna sales by volume decreased 2.5 percent in July, while sales by value declined 0.9 percent.
