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- US Consumer Snacking Motivations and Attitudes:Â An exploration of the evolving snacking culture in the US, focusing on consumer attitudes and motivations towards snacking, and the opportunities for brands.
- US Trending Flavors and Ingredients in Salty Snacks: An in-depth analysis of the trending flavors and ingredients in salty snacks, examining consumer preferences and predicting future trends in flavor and ingredient innovation.
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US Salty Snacks Market Report
Mintel’s US salty snacks market analysis finds that market growth slowed in 2024 due to cautious spending. Younger generations of snackers are driving a shift in the market. While snacking traditionally revolved around craving satisfaction, nowadays, consumers seek snacks that fulfill a broader array of needs.Â
US Salty Snacks Market Research from Mintel
Salty snack sales growth slowed in 2024, but consumption remains universal at 95% of adults, and the large and diverse category holds ample opportunity across all segments. Craving satisfaction is at the heart of the category and innovation around flavor and texture is key to keeping snackers engaged and salty snack brands top-of-mind. Snackers’ tastes are varied, offering brands flexibility but reinforcing the need for variety.
While craving satisfaction is a key motivation for all salty snack purchasers, a new generation of snackers wants more. Young adults continue to blur the line between meals and snacks, creating opportunities for more nutrient-dense salty snacks that support healthy eating and that fit into a wider array of occasions, both home and away.
US Salty Snacks Market Report – What’s Inside?
Key Topics Analyzed in the Report
- Consumption of different types of salty snacks
- Motivations and occasions for eating different types of salty snacks
- Salty snack shopping behaviors
- Interest in salty snack innovation around flavor and health
- Salty snack sales and market share trends
- Trends in salty snack innovation
Report Scope
For the purposes of this Report, Mintel includes the following segments as part of the Salty Snacks Market:
- Meat snacks (jerky and other dried meat snacks)
- Cheese snacks (excluding cheese crackers)
- Popcorn
- Pretzels
- Corn snacks (excluding tortilla chips)
- Other salty snacks (pork rinds, chocolate covered salty snacks, snack mixes (eg Chex Mix), veggie chips, puffed snacks, multi-grain chips (eg Sun Chips), toasted corn nuts and so on. Included in this category are multi-packs of individual salty snack packages, such as Frito-Lay’s “Classic Mix,” which includes Lay’s Potato Chips, Doritos, Cheetos, Fritos and Sun Chips.
Note: This Report does not cover potato and tortilla chips, except, as noted above, as part of multi-packs containing a variety of different products. For information on chips, please see Mintel’s Potato and Tortilla Chips – US, 2025.
Value figures throughout this Report are at retail selling prices (rsp) excluding sales tax unless otherwise stated
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
This report was written by John Owen. John provides in-depth analysis and insight across a variety of categories, including household and home care, health and wellness, food and beverages, and consumer lifestyles. He brings extensive experience in advertising and shopper marketing, most of it with Saatchi & Saatchi.
Craving satisfaction is at the heart of the category, but a new generation of more frequent snackers is looking for more.
John Owen
Associate Director – Food and Retail
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Market size & forecast
- Market predictions
- What consumers want & why
- Opportunities
- First, satisfy the crave
- Align with younger snackers’ more purposeful view of snacking
- For retailers, an opportunity to build on the momentum
-
MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market context
- Market drivers
- Consumers remain uneasy about their finances, motivating many to look for ways to save on food
- Graph 1: salty snack purchase behaviors, by personal financial situation, 2024
- Consumers remain uneasy about their finances, motivating many to look for ways to save on food, including snacks
- Graph 2: assessment of personal financial situation, 2022-25
- Inflation has cooled, but significant risks loom
- Snacking as a way of life, especially for young adults
- Graph 3: snacking frequency, 2025
- Market size and forecast
- Opportunities for growth exist despite a slow-down in 2024
- Retail sales and forecast of salty snacks
- Market segmentation
- A diverse, multi-segment category
- Graph 4: segment share of total salty snack sales, 2024
- Segment trends a reflection of individual brands
- Retail sales of salty snacks by segment
- Graph 5: total retail sales and forecast of salty snacks, by segment, at current prices, 2019-24
- Retail sales of and forecast of salty snacks, by segment
- Market share/brand share
- Pepsico remains dominant, but private label and small players make inroads
- Sales of salty snacks, by company
- Chomps and smaller brands fuel growth and transformation in meat snacks
- Sales and share of meat snacks
- Pockets of opportunity for premium popcorn even as segment shifts to value
- Sales and share of popcorn
- Dot’s Homestyle continues to drive growth in pretzels
- Sales and share of pretzels
- Cheetos strengthens it lead in cheese snacks
- Sales and share of cheese snacks
- Cheetos spin-off Chester’s gains ground in corn snacks
- Sales and share of corn snacks
- Better-for-you brands thrive in diverse other salty snacks segment
- Sales and share of other salty snacks
-
CONSUMER INSIGHTS
- Consumer fast facts
- Consumption of salty snacks
- Salty snack consumption is near universal, but individual types have room to grow
- Graph 6: past-three-month consumption of salty snacks, 2024
- Young adults reach for a wider variety, especially meat snacks and alternative snacks
- Graph 7: past-three-month consumption of salty snacks, by age, 2024
- Motivations and associations for eating different types of salty snacks
- Snackers look for more from salty snacks, but satisfying tastes and textures are still key
- Graph 8: motivations and occasions for eating salty snacks – NET – any snack, 2024
- For younger snackers, salty snacks can be part of a busy life, not just a break from it
- Graph 9: motivations and occasions for eating salty snacks – NET – any snack, by age, 2024
- Motivations consistent across types, except for meat snacks, alternative snacks
- Graph 10: motivations and occasions for eating different types of salty snacks, 2024
- Similar motivations across retail channels, with a few notable exceptions
- Graph 11: motivations and occasions for eating salty snacks – NET – any snack, by primary salty snack retailer, 2024
- Salty snack purchase locations
- Younger shoppers more likely to look beyond supermarkets
- Graph 12: salty snack purchase locations – top three, by age, 2024
- Salty snack purchase behaviors
- Some shoppers cutting back or looking for ways to save
- Graph 13: salty snack purchase behaviors, 2024
- Younger, more frequent snackers especially attuned to savings
- Graph 14: salty snack purchase behaviors, by age, 2024
- Purchasing behaviors vary from channel to channel
- Graph 15: salty snack purchase behaviors, by primary salty snack retailer, 2024
- Interest in salty snack health concepts
- Beyond craving: salty snacks can also play a role in healthy eating
- Graph 16: interest in salty snack health concepts, 2024
- Health and wellness priorities shift with age
- Graph 17: interest in salty snack health benefits, 2024
- Interest in salty snack flavor/packaging concepts
- Flavor variety essential in meeting varied tastes
- Graph 18: interest in salty snack flavor/packaging concepts, 2024
- Interest in flavor exploration overall is ageless
- Graph 19: interest in salty snack flavor/packaging concepts, by age, 2024
- Salty snack attribute associations
- Types are similar overall with a few leverageable strengths and opportunities
- Graph 20: salty snack attribute associations, 2024
- Impact of GLP-1 usage
- GLP-1 usage has only modest impact salty snack consumption
- Graph 21: salty snack purchase behaviors, by GLP-1 usage/interest to curb food cravings, 2024
- Graph 22: use of and interest in use of GPP-1 drugs to curb food cravings, 2024
- GLP-1 usage contributes to shifting category preferences
- Graph 23: interest in salty snack health benefits, by GLP-1 usage/interest to curb food cravings, 2024
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INNOVATION AND MARKETING STRATEGIES
- Launch activity and innovation
- Growing interest in nutrient-dense snacks creates space for salty snacks featuring alternative ingredients
- Ample opportunity for fun flavor and texture combinations
- Pringles Mingles launch shows the potential for strong brands to cross segment lines and offer new taste and texture experiences
- Graph 24: [no title]
- Global inspiration
- Sized to go
- Private label capturing an increasing share of launches
- Graph 25: branded and private label share of salty snack product launches, 2019-24
- Aligning private label salty snacks with retailer strategies
- Marketing and advertising
- Chomps puts meat snacks into a new context
- More transformation in meat snacks
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APPENDIX
- Market definition
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast fan chart methodology
- Sales of salty snacks at inflation-adjusted prices
- Sales of meat snacks at current prices
- Sales of meat snacks at inflation-adjusted prices
- Sales of popcorn at current prices
- Sales of popcorn at inflation-adjusted prices
- Sales of cheese snacks at current prices
- Sales of cheese snacks at inflation-adjusted prices
- Sales of corn snacks at current prices
- Sales of corn snacks at inflation-adjusted prices
- Sales of pretzels at current prices
- Sales of pretzels at inflation-adjusted prices
- Sales of other salty snacks at current prices
- Sales of other salty snacks at inflation-adjusted prices
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