康尼格拉：AI 正在改變美國人選擇零食的方式

亞歷山大・馬羅報導By Alexander Marrow

倫敦，9月23日（路透社）——康尼格拉品牌表示，越來越多美國人會詢問 AI 該吃什麼零食。這家 Slim Jim 肉條製造商說，這項轉變正有助推升市場對高蛋白食品、大膽風味，以及符合特定健康目標產品的需求。LONDON, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Americans are increasingly asking AI what to snack on, according to Conagra Brands, a shift the Slim Jim meat stick-maker says is helping fuel demand for higher-protein foods, bold flavours and products tailored to specific health goals.

部分受到減重藥物快速興起，以及白宮「讓美國再次健康」（Make America Healthy Again）倡議帶動，消費者比以往更積極尋找較健康的食品選項。Driven partly by the rapid rise of weight-loss drugs and the White House's "Make America Healthy Again" initiative, consumers are seeking healthier food options more than ever.

同時生產 Hunt's 番茄醬的康尼格拉，與研究公司 Circana 合作，分析美國零食產業中超過5300萬筆購物交易，涵蓋1萬7000項產品。該產業每年零售銷售額達1982億美元，成長速度約為整體食品市場的1.4倍。Conagra, which also makes Hunt's ketchup, worked with research firm Circana to analyse more than 53 million shopping transactions covering 17,000 products across the US snacking sector. The sector generates $198.2 billion in annual retail sales and is growing about 1.4 times faster than the broader food market.

康尼格拉成長科學資深副總裁鮑勃・諾蘭（Bob Nolan）表示，自 COVID-19 疫情以來的6年間，美國人的飲食與食品採購方式出現的變化，比此前50年還多。More has changed in how Americans eat and shop for food in the six years since the COVID-19 pandemic than in the previous 50 years, said Bob Nolan, Conagra's senior vice president of growth science.

諾蘭週三表示：「零食在消費者生活中扮演更重要、也更個人化的角色；無論是有人想補充蛋白質、獲得持久能量，或只是享受片刻令人安心的放縱。」"Snacks are playing a bigger and more personal role in consumers' lives, whether someone wants a boost of protein, lasting energy, or a moment of comforting indulgence," Nolan said on Wednesday.

健康趨勢只是其中一部分。康尼格拉的研究發現，年輕消費者，尤其是 Z 世代，正推動市場對更大膽風味的需求，從甜辣組合到帶酸味與鹹鮮味的零食皆然。Health trends are only part of the story. Conagra's research found that younger consumers, particularly Gen Z, are driving demand for bolder flavours, from sweet-and-spicy combinations to tangy and briny snacks.

康尼格拉表示，消費者也更仔細檢視成分，並且越來越常使用 AI 工具來引導購買決策。購物者不再只是搜尋特定產品，而是詢問哪些零食能滿足特定需求，例如蛋白質或膳食纖維含量較高。Consumers are also examining ingredients more closely and increasingly using AI tools to guide purchasing decisions, Conagra said. Rather than searching for a specific product, shoppers are asking for snacks that meet particular needs, such as higher protein or fibre content.

諾蘭說：「這就是為什麼部分傳統品類一直承受壓力。」他並指出，餅乾與鹹味零食表現吃力。"That's why some of the traditional categories have been under pressure," said Nolan, noting that cookies and salty snacks have struggled.

諾蘭表示：「這些營養密度更高的零食，以及帶有明確目的的零食攝取，已開始真正成長並加速發展。」"The emergence of these more nutrient-dense snacks and snacking for purpose have started really growing and accelerating," Nolan said.

（亞歷山大・馬羅報導；馬克・波特編輯）(Reporting by Alexander Marrow. Editing by Mark Potter)