However, when I asked the experts – the makers and sellers of this moreish salted snack – they had a different story! Chip sales [or 'Crisp sales' if you're in the UK] and research reveal that the people of Latvia have a somewhat conservative palate while not being averse to occasional “exotic” flavors and gradually acquiring a taste for spiciness.
“A typical chip consumer has their preferred flavors, but is ready to try something new,” says Laura Bagātā, head of communications at Orkla Latvija, the company behind the Ādaži brand of chips. “Latvians' preference is on the classic side with sour cream and onion at number one, followed by cheese, tomato, and dill,” she reveals.
Yet several times a year, Ādaži releases new varieties. “They're mostly seasonal 'in and outs' like the summer vegetable variety and barbecue-related flavors we have out right now,” Bagātā expands. The company's research reveals that 50% of consumers expect new flavors from their favorite brands.
Any new flavors stem from international and local consumer insights. “The latest was chili-citrus. Our research revealed that the public wants spiciness and people enjoy the combination of spicy and slightly sour in snacks. We didn't have anything like that in our selection,” says Bagātā, adding that “chips are a very dynamic and growing product category. The brands that carried four or five flavors in the past now have 10.” Additionally, habits are quick to change with economic and other factors influencing how often and where people buy chips.
At Orkla Latvija, developing a new flavor can take up to a year. “Work is already underway on the flavors of 2025,” says Bagātā. “We do the research, arrive at an idea, and then it's time for product development – determining flavor characteristics, the behavior of the herbs and spices, and the expiry date – which is up to the innovation department. The final step is consumer taste tests,” she explains, adding that “it is very possible that the flavors of the world are becoming truly global flavors. This wasn't as noticeable 10 years ago, but now we're open to almost any flavor.”
'TikTokability'
Taste is just one aspect to be considered when devising new flavors. “Research reveals three factors that can influence consumers' choices today. One is the emotional pleasure you might derive from the product. You might eat chips as a feel-good snack, for example. Another is the contemporary trend of TikTokability – the content-worthiness of a product or its ability to create some sort of trend. The third is wellness or healthy eating because part of the public closely follows aspects such as salt content. This one might also influence the sustainability features of the production process,” shares Bagātā.
Ādaži offers one product line with 30% less salt than its regular chips. It is working out “but consumers need time to get used to the taste and accept that chips can taste equally good with less salt,” Bagātā admits. In general “some flavors sell better than expected and others do worse than expected,” she says, adding “We can more or less predict the demand.”
In creating its permanent selection, the company goes for “basic, familiar, and stable flavors.”
“We wouldn't take risks with that selection. For a flavor to be added to it takes time. People have to get used to the taste and try it several times,” says Bagātā.
Obviously, regional peculiarities also play their part in flavor development. Bagātā has an example: “Dill, which is very popular here, might not fare as well in other countries where the herb is less known. Like liquorice in Scandinavia! We might not be its greatest fans but it's a popular product in the sweets category there.”
If, for some reason, a product is removed from production, the decision isn't made lightly. “We either see that the product is selling well or that we'd be better investing our resources in improving another flavor,” Bagātā says.
“We once had chips from the blue and red potato varieties. They were pernickety, demanding, and dependent on the weather. Something would always affect the end result. Either the potato didn't fry well or it changed color. This was one of those times when it was decided that the product's positive features didn't make up for the challenges,” she cites as an example.
Latvians want cheese, not vinegar
Another company turning Latvians' beloved root vegetables into chips is Jersika, which usually releases new flavors once a year in April in time for the summer season. Artis Paegle, the CEO, reveals that their bestseller is the blue cheese variety.
“But the other top flavors change from month to month. The Latvian palate varies, and we have no theoretical explanation for this,” he says, adding that “flavor traditions and the bestsellers differ even in neighboring Lithuania and Estonia.”
They haven't noticed a spike in demand for spiciness in Latvia, however “export markets are demanding more spiciness and vegetable flavors like paprika and chili,” Paegle adds.
Not all flavors work out in the long run.
“You can come up with a flavor, believing it will be a hit, but then, when it reaches the consumer, it turns out to be a flop. Vinegar was one of those! It's popular in other countries but never took off here,” Paegle reveals.
Jersika has taken different routes to establishing new flavors. “We've run Facebook polls asking people to suggest flavors. Last time, we got 200 suggestions and selected 20, of which two ended up on store shelves. We also look at what's popular in other countries and analyze whether people in Latvia would like them. Sometimes, it happens spontaneously – someone has an idea, we discuss it with the team and release it. Our clients, too – retail chains and distributors – come to us with their suggestions,” says Paegle.
According to Paegle, the two major factors affecting flavors today are fat and salt content. “Less fat is the number one trend. We have the advantage of not cooking our chips in oil, so we can keep the fat content to a minimum. Our chips are made of dehydrated potato. The other thing that people are reducing is salt consumption, which we can adjust depending on the flavor,” Paegle explains, emphasising the need to keep your finger on the pulse at all times and pivot in response to changing consumer demands.
Are rice and lentils the future of snacks?
But what do the retailers say about our chip chomping habits? Ilze Priedīte, board member and marketing director of the Top! supermarket chain confirms that the classic flavors top the charts, and few newcomers last long on the shelves.
In terms of sales in 2024, “The number one flavor among Latvian-made chips is tomato, followed by ketchup, sour cream and onion, sour cream and chive, and cheese. Locally made potato straws, hearts, twists, balls and the world-renowned Long Chips are also popular,” says Priedīte. “We'd also like to mention a less conventional variety – the Latvian brand O'Byte, which offers a healthy snack of lentil and rice chips,” she adds.
“Consumption levels have remained unchanged compared to last year. One trend that's on the rise is people buying bigger packs of chips,” shares Priedīte. “Products in this category are price-sensitive, so special offers are more popular, and that ensures sales growth.”
At Rimi stores too, the leading flavors echo others' findings. “The top three has been stable for quite some time – sour cream and onion, tomato, and dill,” says Everita Bičkova, external communications manager of Rimi Latvia. “However, the order changes over time,” she adds.
The company has also observed that trends change. For example, the last four months show increased demand for spicy chips, and mushroom chips are growing in popularity. While potato chips are still consumers' first choice, the last two years have also seen people opting for healthier alternatives.
Bičkova too refers to consumers paying closer attention to a product's salt and fat content, and whether it contains palm oil. “This has led to increased demand for vegetable, corn, lentil, rice and gluten-free chips. For example, compared to the same period last year, we see a 5% increase in demand for healthy snacks in the first five months of this year,” Bičkova reports. “Customers opting for healthier snacks are pushing producers to introduce new flavors and ingredients,” she says.
So there are interesting – and, hopefully, tasty – times ahead in the highly competitive world of Latvian snacks.
