What Gen Z Really Wants from Snack and Beverage Brands

Consumer marketers have assumed that Gen Z’s shopping habits in the snack and non-alcoholic beverage categories are driven by pricing or health trends. But something bigger and more nuanced is influencing their behaviors. Young consumers are actively indulging. But their motivations, mindsets and connections to the categories’ brands have fundamentally shifted. 

Our recent research into Gen Z consumers shows that, faced with persistent social instability and economic uncertainty, they’ve learned to adapt. Gen Z has developed flexibility of behaviors and mindsets. Instead of acting as a single cohesive cohort, Gen Z shifts between four distinct mindsets: The Pragmatic Survivalist, The Creative Expressionist, The Anxious Agent and The Immersive Co-Creator. The mindset they express most strongly at any given time depends heavily on the category they’re shopping for, and the purchase’s broader context and the brands involved.  

In snacks and beverages, Gen Z balances tight daily budgets with the need for immediate emotional ROI. To win market share, snack or beverage brands must perform four distinct jobs. They must feel like a “smart splurge,” serve as an aesthetic identity cue, offer low-tension transparency and invite digital participation. 

The Four Distinct “Jobs” of Snack and Beverage Brands 

The Pragmatic Survivalist: Smart Treats and Micro-Luxuries 

A massive 50% of Gen Z consumers adopt a Pragmatic Survivalist mindset when shopping for snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. This makes snacks/beverages the most “pragmatic” shopping category across Gen Z’s entire lifestyle. Under daily financial pressure, these consumers cut ruthlessly on everyday essentials so they can justify small, earned indulgences. 

For this mindset, a bag of Doritos, a pack of Oreos or an ice-cold soda isn’t just caloric intake; it’s a vital “micro-luxury” that provides an emotional buffer and brings immediate joy to their day. 

What the Data Says 

Top snack brands excel here because they deliver undeniable value-to-joy ratios. Oreo and Doritos lead category penetration (92% of surveyed consumers have purchased one or both) and 46% and 41% of familiar consumers confirm these brands “bring joy to my day.” In colas, Pepsi leads Coca-Cola (36% vs. 32%) on “good value for the money” and clear labeling (26% vs. 18%), earning its status as a trusted “smart treat.”  

How to Use It 

To win the Pragmatic Survivalist, brands must prove their “worth-it” factor over generic store brands. Brands should frame products around value packs, meal pairings and tangible refreshment payoffs so that purchases feel like a savvy financial win rather than an impulsive waste. 

The Creative Expressionist: Snacks and Drinks as Identity Cues 

While the point of purchase for snacks and non-alcoholic beverages is pragmatic, the point of consumption is deeply social and visual. 18% of Gen Z shoppers approach snacks and beverages as Creative Expressionists, using what they hold in their hand as a low-stakes badge of identity, mood and aesthetic. 

A can of Poppi or OLIPOP, a specialty Starbucks order or a limited-edition flavor drop signals personal style, group affiliation and current energy. These consumers reward flexible brands that serve as canvases for self-expression. 

What the Data Says 

In functional sodas, OLIPOP and Poppi achieve strong identity alignment among familiar Gen Z buyers, indexing heavily on “always doing something new” and “is a brand for me.” Meanwhile, Coca-Cola outperforms Pepsi on “is a brand for me” (31% vs. 28%) and “proud to be seen with” (17% vs. 14%) because Coke has positioned itself as an emotional and cultural anchor. 

How to Use It 

Offer modularity and aesthetic novelty. Brands should use limited-time flavor drops, artistic packaging and seasonal releases to give Creative Expressionists a fresh reason to showcase a product on their feeds and in their hands. 

The Anxious Agent: Lowering Tension Through Transparency 

Hyperaware of personal wellness and societal issues, 18% of Gen Z food and beverage shoppers operate as Anxious Agents. Carrying baseline anxiety, this group seeks control and comfort through their daily consumption. 

In food and drink, Anxious Agents want low-tension choices that minimize health or ethical regret. They look for portion-controlled packs, zero-sugar formulations, clean labels and genuine ethical accountability. 

What the Data Says 

Anxious Agents scrutinize legacy brands. For instance, Starbucks faces intense ongoing ethical scrutiny and community dialogue online from this segment, leading 17% of familiar Anxious Agents to actively research the brand’s values, social impact and ethics. Across the category, clear ingredient and nutrition labels are a primary baseline requirement for over a third of Anxious Agents. 

How to Use It 

Make better choices simple and unpretentious. Brands should avoid performative wellness claims or greenwashing. Deliver clear ingredient labels, functional clarity (e.g., gut health, steady energy) and concrete sustainability practices like recyclable packaging. 

The Immersive Co-Creator: Earning Digital and Social Participation 

Accounting for 14% of category shoppers — and a much higher share of social consumption energy — Immersive Co-Creators do not view food and drink as static products. They view them as social objects meant to be shared, remixed and integrated into digital life. 

Whether it’s a viral TikTok recipe, a gaming stream sponsorship or an interactive Discord challenge, Immersive Co-Creators reward brands that build participatory ecosystems rather than traditional interruption ads.  

What the Data Says 

High-engagement snack and energy brands excel by embedding themselves into creator culture. Energy drinks like Celsius and C4, alongside snack staples like Doritos, achieve elevated engagement among Co-Creators who follow brand channels and discuss products in online communities. 

How to Use It 

Move from campaigns to community systems. Brands should create shareable moments around specific Gen Z rituals — such as late-night gaming, study breaks, post-work decompression and snack-pairing challenges. 

Winning the Gen Z Food & Beverage Landscape 

The era of marketing to Gen Z with a single, generic “youth campaign” is over. A given consumer might shop as a Pragmatic Survivalist when grabbing a bulk pack of colas at Walmart, shift to an Anxious Agent when checking the label on a functional sparkling water and act as an Immersive Co-Creator while sharing a viral snack hack on TikTok. 

By aligning product development, packaging, package sizes and messaging with the four core Gen Z mindsets, snack and beverage brands can shift routine utility into sticky, long-term brand loyalty. 

Want to explore how your brand performs across Gen Z mindsets? We can help you make sense of this essential demographic’s shifting mindsets. Reach out today for a custom category exploration and strategic activation roadmap.