Tate & Lyle has introduced a cracker edition of Tate & Lyle Sensation™, its proprietary mouthfeel formulation tool.
The tool supports innovation and reformulation by connecting the textures consumers want with the science behind them. It identifies the mouthfeel attributes people value in a given category and geography, translates consumer language into defined sensory characteristics, and helps formulators select ingredients or ingredient combinations to deliver the desired eating experience.
The new edition applies this approach to crackers, using insights from consumers in North America to define preferred textures and guide formulation decisions.
Research from Mintel and Innova suggests younger US consumers, including Gen Z, are interested in exploring new textures and ingredients in biscuits and crackers. For manufacturers, identifying which sensory qualities people prefer can make innovation more purposeful1.
In Tate & Lyle’s study of 108 consumers in North America, texture had the strongest impact on preference among the crackers tested2. The most-liked products did not simply have the strongest crunch. Instead, they balanced crispness and crunch, broke down easily in the mouth and avoided excessive hardness, density and grittiness3.
Protein- and fibre-enriched formulations can introduce challenges around hardness, density and flavour, while the lighter structures associated with some preferred textures can be more vulnerable to breakage
The research also found that “crispy” and “crunchy” were not interchangeable. Crispier crackers felt lighter and dissolved more readily, while crunchier products were more closely associated with firmness, hardness and density4.
Veronica Cueva, Acting Chief Science & Innovation Officer at Tate & Lyle, said: “Crackers are often talked about in simple terms, with crunch treated as the benchmark. What this research shows is that preference is much more nuanced. Consumers are looking for a particular balance of crispness, breakdown and ease of eating, and that balance can change by market, product and occasion.
“That becomes increasingly important as crackers take on more roles, including products with added protein and fibre. Our North American study gives us a first cracker case study, but the principle is broader. Tate & Lyle Sensation™ helps us understand the experience consumers are looking for and turn that into a clear development target, rather than simply adding more crunch or more functionality.”
That opportunity becomes more complex as crackers take on additional nutritional benefits. The research found protein and fibre were the most valued nutritional additions, even though consumers were less likely to seek products explicitly positioned as “GLP-1 friendly”5.
Adding those benefits can also change the eating experience. Protein- and fibre-enriched formulations can introduce challenges around hardness, density and flavour, while the lighter structures associated with some preferred textures can be more vulnerable to breakage.
Tate & Lyle Sensation™ is designed to help navigate those trade-offs. Rather than prescribing one ingredient or one definition of the ideal cracker, it combines consumer insight with sensory and application expertise. It starts with the experience consumers want, then helps guide the formulation and process needed to achieve it.
For example, in one protein- and fibre-enriched cracker project, early versions met their nutritional targets but were too hard and dense, making them less enjoyable to eat. Tate & Lyle Sensation™ helped identify the preferred texture, guiding changes that improved bite and flavour while reducing hardness and density. In a separate model water-cracker system, the same approach reduced breakage fourfold while preserving the light texture consumers preferred.
References
1. Mintel Leap, US Cracker Report, November 2025, Innovation in Biscuits, Cookies and Crackers 2026 Report and Cracker Purchase Factors 2026. Innova Markets, Biscuits and Crackers Consumer Trends US 2025
2. Tate & Lyle Sensation™ Crackers Consumer Study, N=108, North America. Proprietary consumer and sensory research
3. Tate & Lyle Sensation™ Crackers Consumer Study, N=108, North America. Proprietary consumer and sensory research
4. Tate & Lyle Sensation™ Crackers Consumer Study, N=108, North America. Proprietary consumer and sensory research
5. Tate & Lyle Sensation™ Crackers Consumer Study, N=108, North America. Proprietary consumer and sensory research
