Talking Shop with...Steve Kneepkens

Steve Kneepkens, vice president of sales and marketing, Calbee North America, says snacking should be a guilt-free option.

Tell us about Calbee North America.

Kneepkens: Calbee North America is a salty snack food company committed to conveying the “Harvest the Power of Nature” message with every product we distribute. Our snacks offer wholesome natural ingredients and an irresistibly tasty experience so consumers can enjoy snacking the way it should be. Originally a Japanese company, Calbee expanded to North America in 1970 and has created an exciting product lineup including Harvest Snaps, Shrimp Chips, Saya and Potato Chips.

Why should retailers get more involved with “better-for-you” snacking?

In today’s more health-conscious world, consumers continue to demand healthier alternatives to conventional salty packaged items found in the snack aisle. Details like sourcing, ingredients, process and distribution have become common knowledge to many. Snacking should be a tasty and fun experience for consumers and retailers can look to Harvest Snaps to find products that provide affordable, tasty and guilt-free snack options for all.

How does Calbee merchandise the category to achieve maximum sales and profits?

Modern snackers are more willing to purchase snacks found outside of the traditional snack aisle. Harvest Snaps are sold mainly in the produce section of grocery stores, which makes our products unique, prominent and helps to reiterate our mission of using wholesome and natural ingredients. We have found that our winning formula focuses on placing better-for-you ingredients in easy-to-consume packaging to create meal occasions and solutions for time strapped consumers.

We also have an increased focus on digital and social media communications to create two-way conversations with our consumers. Trial and sampling continue to be important actions that create direct touch-points and help to avoid awareness-only marketing. In just over a year, we have grown our social community to more than 150,000 fans and handed out more than a million samples.

How can Calbee North America help retailers grow sales and profits?

Our Harvest Snaps products are 100% incremental business for the produce aisle and they have proven to be a high velocity item. They complement the range of fruits and vegetables sold in-store, and retailers that offer our products should not have issues with markdowns or shrinkage.

In addition, we always strive to listen to our retailers’ needs and provide quick answers and support. We have developed programs that directly benefit their consumers and merchandise area; and we have learned that no two retailer programs are the same. Harvest Snaps also have incredibly loyal fans that continue to be strong traffic drivers with our existing retailers.

What is in the pipeline from Calbee North America?

Innovation is the key driver in everything we do now and for our future success. To sustain this commitment, we have invested tens of millions of dollars in a new 200,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Mississippi that will be fully operational this spring and will help fuel all upcoming product development and creation.

This year at Expo West we are launching a few new products including Harvest Snaps Black Bean. In addition to the great taste, quality and simplicity consumers have come to expect from Calbee snacks, these goodies are made with all-natural black beans to deliver a satisfying crunch full of protein and fiber.