Baked extrusion lifts margin and shelf appeal
Oil-free baked extruded snacks command 35–55% retail premium over fried. Only 12 of 35 mapped partners have baked-line capacity. Lock capacity early — H2 always tightens.
§ KEY TAKEAWAYS
- 01Twin-screw extruders deliver wider product range
- 02Baked-line capacity is the supply bottleneck for healthy positioning
- 03Seasoning dosing is the consistent-quality differentiator
- 04Nitrogen flush is now standard for shelf life
§ GLOSSARY
Technical jargon, acronyms and scientific terms used in this file — decoded.
- Twin-screw extruder
- Industrial cooker with two intermeshing screws; flexible for diverse snack shapes and recipes.
- Single-screw extruder
- Lower-cost extruder limited to simpler doughs and shapes.
- Baked extrusion
- Post-extrusion baking instead of frying; lower oil content and longer shelf life.
- Seasoning dosing
- Automated application of flavour powder onto snack surface; uniformity is the QA spec.
- Nitrogen flush
- Replacing air in pack with nitrogen to prevent oxidative rancidity.