2024
9
US Snack, Nutrition and Performance Bars Market Report 2024
2024-02-07T10:04:36+00:00
REPBAB971E6_8AB1_47A9_B4E3_63D58CD0CC24
3695
170307
[{"name":"Snacks","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/industries\/food\/snacks"}]
Report
en_GB
US lifestyles have rendered meals relative; snack bars' versatility primes them to fit within today's definition and the next. Adriana Chychula, Analyst - Food, Drink & Nutrition…
  1. /
  2. All Industries
  3. /
  4. Food
  5. /
  6. Snacks
  7. /
  8. US Snack, Nutrition and Performance Bars Market Report 2024

US Snack, Nutrition and Performance Bars Market Report 2024

Consumer Reports - What's Included
  • Multiple Report Formats
  • Access to our Clients Portal
  • Interactive Databook
  • Custom Presentation Tool

Explore how the US food bar market is evolving and shifting to consumer needs with this in-depth report. Stay ahead of the curve and gain critical, data-backed insights. For this page, “food bar” refers to snack, nutrition, and performance bars. Below, we’ve summarized the key topics covered and offer hand-selected insights from the report document.

Key Topics Covered

  • Food bar type purchase and frequency.
  • Adult and kids’ food bar occasions and priorities.
  • Attitudes toward food bars.
  • External factors impacting bar purchase.
  • The food bar market and brand activity.

US Food Bar Market Overview

Food bar market size in the US is estimated to show respectable growth in 2023, following up on the near-double-digit growth in 2022. This reflects consumers’ cravings for convenient and filling food and shows the resilience of food bars despite inflation. Snack, nutrition, and performance bar versatility allow consumers to both indulge and fulfill health needs, with flavors and ingredients that are constantly evolving.

Food Bar Consumer Insights

Food bar purchase differences by type

As nutritional bar purchases decreased between 2022-2023, meal replacement bars increased in the same period. With money and time constraints, meal replacement bars may be an even simpler option for consumers on the go.

Adult food bar occasions

Bar pairings can reimagine the role of this versatile food. At-home and evening snacks lead food bar occasions, opening up consumers’ kitchens for low-effort culinary experimentation that aligns with eating patterns. Beverage pairings can shake up food bar occasions, such as a glass of chocolate milk post-workout. Brands can therefore bring fresh associations to food bar occasions.

What’s Next for Food Bar Brands?

All things considered, future success in the US food bar industry will be awarded to brands that maintain bold strategies and continue to strike a balance between taste, health, and concept innovation while evolving positioning and communication to align with shifting consumer needs and lifestyles.

Try this report alongside our Future of Snack Bars Report. Alternatively, browse the rest of our expansive food market research.

Products Covered in this Report

For the purposes of this Report, snack, nutrition, and performance bars are defined as:

  • Snack bars: cereal and snack bars, such as Quaker Chewy; and granola bars, such as Nature Valley.
  • Nutrition bars: health/nutrition bars, including food bars that contain additional nutrients, such as fiber, protein (nonathletic), calcium, etc; also includes bars positioned as meal replacements (non-weight loss).
  • Performance bars: athletic bars used for fuel during athletic endeavors or to enhance physical fitness or exercise, such as PowerBar; includes performance-focused protein bars.
  • Weight loss bars: bars meant for diet and weight loss/weight management, such as Slim-Fast and Zone bars.

Additional Features Included in Your Report

  • Different Digital Formats: PDF for conveniently sharing with your team, PowerPoint for quickly including in your presentations.
  • Custom PowerPoints: Incorporate our consumer research data into your own work so you can win over your clients and stakeholders. Select insights from your report to create a custom presentation that is ready to download in minutes.
  • Interactive Databook: Each Databook is provided as an interactive website where you can deep dive into our consumer research data on your chosen topic so you can draw your own conclusions.
  • Mintel’s Clients Portal: Our portal provides instant access to actionable analysis, podcasts, and trend pieces relevant to your industry that are published almost daily, as well as our annual Global Consumer Trends. You can also browse our extensive library of market research reports.

Expert Analysis

Leading food, drink, and nutrition analyst Adriana Chychula delivers expert industry commentary with this in-depth report.

US lifestyles have rendered meals relative; snack bars’ versatility primes them to fit within today’s definition and the next.

Adriana Chychula, Food, Drink, and Nutrition Analyst

 

Adriana Chychula
Analyst, Food, Drink & Nutrition

Collapse All
  1. Executive Summary

    • What you need to know
    • Consumer trends: key takeaways
    • Market predictions
    • Opportunities
  2. Consumer Insights

    • The snack, nutrition and performance bar consumer: fast facts
    • Bar type purchase
    • Are meal replacement bars absorbing nutrition bar needs?
    • Graph 1: bar type purchase, 2022-23
    • Finances change bar type – but not overall engagement
    • Graph 2: bar type purchase, by financial status, 2023
    • Moms want hunger solutions; dads want tools
    • Graph 3: bar type purchase, by parental status and gender, 2023
    • Support kids' growing independence with bars
    • Graph 4: snack, nutrition and performance bar purchase, 2023
    • Bar frequency
    • Performance bars demonstrate role of routine
    • Graph 5: bar consumption frequency, 2023
    • Adult bar occasions
    • Creative pairings can expand bar occasions
    • Graph 6: adult bar occasions, 2023
    • Support entire financial spectrum with well-rounded solutions
    • Graph 7: bar occasions, by financial status, 2023
    • Generational differences point to shifting snacking behaviors
    • Graph 8: adult bar occasions, by generation, 2023
    • Children's bar occasions
    • Help parents control the chaos
    • Graph 9: children's bar occasions, 2023
    • Adult bar priorities
    • "Real" and filling top the charts
    • Graph 10: adult bar priorities, 2023
    • Priorities by financial health reflect widened dietary gaps
    • Graph 11: adult bar priorities, by financial status, 2023
    • Parents' own needs reflect US lifestyles
    • Graph 12: adult bar priorities, by parental status, 2023
    • Children's bar priorities
    • Bargaining with kids' palates wins out
    • Graph 13: children's bar priorities, 2023
    • Attitudes toward bars
    • Expand flavor horizons via casual introductions…without neglecting core
    • Graph 14: select attitudes toward bars, 2023
    • Get parents' attention via fun flavor innovation
    • Graph 15: attitudes toward bars, by parental status and gender, 2023
    • Own distinct bar identities
    • Graph 16: select attitudes toward bars, 2023
    • Younger generations set time and place for high-power formulations
    • Graph 17: attitudes toward bars, by generation, 2023
  3. Competitive Strategies

    • Launch activity and innovation
    • Flavor innovation showcases rich experiences in small packages
    • "Real" formulations: pare it down, jazz it up
    • Pared down…
    • …jazzed up
    • Think outside the bar
    • Opportunities
    • Versatility can expand even the most classic options
    • Tack on functionality to drive a premium
    • Graph 18: attitudes toward bars, 2023
  4. The Market

    • Market context
    • Market drivers
    • Flexible schedules encourage flexible solutions
    • Graph 19: work situation, 2023
    • Snacking as a way of life
    • Graph 20: snacking frequency, 2023
    • "Ozempic era" reflects blurring of pop and diet culture
    • Graph 21: interest in BFY benefits, 2023
    • Ultra-processing discussions may draw higher scrutiny of ingredient labels
    • Graph 22: attitudes toward bars, 2023
    • Market size and forecast
    • Bars' versatility will carry the category through 2028
    • Retail sales and forecast of bars
    • Market segmentation
    • Retail sales of bars, by segment
    • Graph 23: total retail sales and forecast of snack, nutrition and performance bars, by segment, at current prices, 2018-28
    • Snack bars: lean into on-the-go flavor
    • Retail sales of snack bars
    • Performance bars: maintain specialized identity
    • Retail sales of performance bars
    • Nutrition bars: quality, concentrated nutrition as a value proposition
    • Retail sales of nutrition bars
    • Weight loss bars: find new footholds
    • Retail sales of weight loss bars
    • Market share/brand share
    • Category leaders challenged by private label, "others"
    • Sales of bars, by company
    • Nature Valley maintains lead within snack bars segment
    • Nature Valley releases
    • Sales of snack bars, by company
    • Cliff holds half performance bar market, despite share loss
    • Sales of performance bars, by company
    • Quest secures quarter nutrition bars market
    • Sales of nutrition bars, by company
    • "Other" brand losses prop up leaders amid overall weight loss bar declines
    • Sales of weight loss bars, by company
  5. Appendix

    • Market definition
    • Consumer research methodology
    • Generations
    • Forecast
    • Forecast fan chart
    • Total market (inflation-adjusted)
    • Retail sales of snack bars (inflation-adjusted)
    • Retail sales of performance bars (inflation-adjusted)
    • Retail sales of nutrition bars (inflation-adjusted)
    • Retail sales of weight loss bars (inflation-adjusted)

Why Mintel?

Mintel is the world’s leading market intelligence agency. We show you how consumers think today and tomorrow. As a trusted partner to industry leaders, we deliver game-changing insights to businesses across the globe, fuelling their marketing and innovation strategies that will shape the future.

Access high-quality market research with every purchase of Mintel’s consumer reports. Here’s what else is included in your report purchase:

  • Multiple Report Formats: Mintel’s reports are available in PDF and PPT formats, and arrive in your inbox alongside an Excel datasheet, so you can easily share Mintel’s market intelligence.
  • Access to Mintel’s Clients Portal: After your purchase is completed, you’ll receive an invitation to join Mintel’s Clients Portal, providing instant access to supplementary insights from Mintel’s industry experts.
  • Interactive Databook: Mintel’s bespoke consumer data is presented as an interactive website, so you can deep dive into your chosen topic, explore demographics and download specific statistics.
  • Custom Presentation Tool: Easily incorporate selected research data and analysis into a tailor-made presentation to win over clients and stakeholders.

Take a look at a sample PDF report below:

Please Note: All of the figures, graphs, and tables in this sample report have been redacted.
£ 3,695 (Excl.Tax)
  • Instant access when you pay by credit card.
  • Save 10% on all purchases with the code: INSIGHTS2024. Offer available until 31st December.
Buy now

Is this report right for you?

From consumer reports to customised growth strategies. We have an option to suit your business requirements.

Find out more

Popular Related Reports

Global Outlook on Sustainability: A Consumer Study 2024-25

£ 5,000£ 21,600

Mintel’s 2024-25 Global Outlook on Sustainability: A Consumer Study is designed to help you understand what brands and companies should prioritise in order to educate consumers and ensure...

Find out more

Snack Food in US (2024) – Market Sizes

£ 495

Snack Food - US by Mintel Market Sizes provides you with annual year-end market size data, most recently updated in 2024. This market covers packaged snacks comprising crisps,...

Find out more

US Frozen Snacks Market Report 2024

£ 3,695

Frozen snacks remain a household staple for many, as convenience and ease of preparation allow them to work across occasions. Benefitting from consumers' continued blurring of snacks and...

Find out more

US Nuts, Seeds and Trail Mixes Market Report 2024

£ 3,695

Nuts, seeds and trail mix tick a lot of boxes as the perfect snack, yet opportunities exist to more greatly meet their potential in the competitive snack space....

Find out more

US Potato and Tortilla Chips Market Report 2024

£ 3,695

Brand loyalties and habits are salient in the chip category. Yet, interest in flavor and BFY innovation also suggest that chip fans want to explore more ways to...

Find out more

US Salty Snacks Market Report 2024

£ 3,695

Salty snacks are all about the crave, creating an ever-present opportunity for fun new flavors and textures. John Owen, Associate Director - Food and Retail ...

Find out more

Trusted by global industry leaders

Working in a customer-obsessed organization means that data and insights have to be at our fingertips. Mintel’s reports help us support anecdotes with real quantifiable insights. The summary sections (which I really like) helps save time by giving a birds eye view of the content before spending time combing through the pages.

Our business review discussions are strengthened by the relevancy of the reports to help us better understand our customers. In addition, the customer service received from the team (especially in crunch periods) makes the process of understanding customer behavior even better.

Ngozi Ngonadi-Nkwoji, Senior Marketing Manager, Amazon

One of the biggest challenges we face is the need to get smart on a business or category real quick.

We are talking to clients who live and breathe their category every day and the expectation is that we will be able to get caught up very quickly, and bring the thinking that can help them.

We need to do that often in a matter of days, so it’s not a small ask. Mintel gives us a very articulate view of category conditions and does so at the speed we need it.

Jeff White, Business Development Director, Deutsch

We use Mintel Reports, mostly for financial services and ecommerce markets, plus a few retail and technology ones.

As a leading payments provider, we value additional insights into consumer behaviour, opinions and trends that are shaping the many different markets we operate in. Mintel is a very good and very quick way for us to obtain those insights.

We use Mintel to get a view on where a particular market is going, which can support us in product development and help us identify opportunities or indeed risks, it is a very useful barometer of a market’s potential.

 

Andrew Neeson, Market Intelligence Manager, VocaLink

We have such a great working relationship with Mintel on lots of different levels. As an insight partner, they have helped us to develop our business planning in specific categories as well as supporting our creative process but they’ve also been super helpful with facilitating our events in their inspirational offices near St Paul’s.

They’re an innovative company, with a client-focused team that always delivers.

Abby Carvosso, Group Managing Director, Bauer Media Group

When I’m investigating specific sectors I tend to use Mintel reports for their forecasting, which I’ve always found to be very accurate.

They also offer really broad and deep coverage in their reports. They are very, very detailed. For example, we were able to gain insight across a wide range of business areas from just one report, proving that Mintel is excellent value for money.

So overall, it’s the level of detail and the quality of forecasting that really stand out for me.

Rebecca Green, Market Insight Manager, Wincanton

Is this report right for you?

From consumer reports to customised growth strategies. We have an option to suit your business requirements.

Find out more