Have you ever found yourself pausing in a video of people eating just to hear that perfect crunch? Or rewatching the same take of a spoon sinking into cream just to feel, through the screen, that almost therapeutic smoothness?
That's right. It happens to me too — and to millions of other people.
This phenomenon has a name: #ASMR (if you're curious, look up # and you'll see).
The term was coined in 2010 by Jennifer Allen, a public health professional who, curious about the relaxing and pleasurable sensations that certain sounds provoked (including chewing, touch, and textures), decided to name what she and thousands of other people felt.
The rest is history — and millions of videos.
But ultimately, why does this matter to those who work with food?
Because texture is no longer a supporting element. It has become the main focus.
And not just on TikTok: texture is crucial on the shelf, in the factory, in formulation, and in the P&L of the fastest-growing categories in the world.
Texture as a choice, not just a preference.
Today, texture is no longer a matter of "tasty or unappetizing".
She became a buyer's driver.
According to IFIC, 481,300 people choose snacks motivated by their crunchy texture. This means that almost half of purchase decisions happen before the taste even comes into play.
SNAC International reinforces: 60% of consumers prefer crunchy snacks. In other words, crunchiness is not a trend. It's mainstream. It's the new "minimum expectation".
We are living in the age of snackification: eating has become an immediate, quick, impulsive act. Texture has become the sensory shortcut that delivers instant reward. What the consumer wants to hear (literally) is: crunch, snap, snap.
When crunchiness becomes sensory engineering.
And here's the part I love most about this topic: crunchiness is science.
It is born from the combination of:
- Carbohydrate-protein systems;
- Sugar profile;
- Humidity control;
- Baking temperature and time;
- Matrix density;
- The beloved Maillard reactions, and much more.
All of this creates microstructures that will determine whether the bite will be clean, resonant, and firm — or whether it will turn into that "half-deflated" bite that ruins the experience.
When viewed as sensory engineering, texture ceases to be an accident and becomes a design concept: stability, mechanical resistance, integrity during transport, fidelity to the "first crunch" even at the end of its shelf life.
This engineering makes a difference in biscuits, breakfast cereals, extruded products, granola, dry baked goods... and, most importantly, in sensory preference.
Multiple textures: The new sensory luxury
It's not just crunchiness that matters. Today, Brazilian consumers want combined textural experiences. According to a study by Ingredion:
• 65% prefer products with multiple textures.
• 89% recommends a food based on texture.
In other words: crunchy + creamy, firm + soft. This is modern indulgence, which combines comfort, pleasure, and perhaps even a bit of sensory therapy.
In this scenario, the need for ingredients that improve texture without sacrificing naturalness is clearly growing.
Crispy fruits, creams made with natural ingredients, malt extract that provide technological assistance in biscuits, for example.
At the end of the day, it's the texture that tells the story.
Texture makes the product happen.
It creates sound, form, sensation, and memory.
And when these four things come together, the consumer returns. They buy again, recommend, and pay more.
For the industry, this means: texture is strategy, differentiation, and value.
And, looking closely, it had always been there — it was just waiting for its moment to shine.
And now, it has definitely shone.
