This report provides comprehensive and current information and analysis of the US Snack, Nutrition, and Performance Bars market including US Snack, Nutrition, and Performance Bars market size and market share, anticipated market forecast, relevant market segmentation, and industry trends for the Snack, Nutrition, and Performance Bars market in the US.

Current market landscape

77% of US adults purchase bars for their household, marking a notable increase from the pre-pandemic consumer base. While the increase can in part be credited to recovery as a portion of consumers returned to out-of-home routines, the incremental growth is an indication that the category continues to also attract new consumers. Dollar sales are unfortunately not telling the same story, and are not expected to fully recover and surpass pre-pandemic performance until 2024. This suggests that while more households are purchasing bars, consumers are opting for lower-priced offerings.

Out-of-home eating is still challenged by pandemic circumstances. Even as the pandemic conditions fade, a societal shift towards more time at home (eating, shopping, working out, and socializing) is well underway. Bars must establish their relevance and value at home and, longer term, should prepare to meet consumers’ hybrid routines and needs.

Future market trends in US snack, nutrition, and performance bars

58% of bar buyers agree they prefer to eat other snacks (not bars) when they are home. Brands must develop new at-home sell stories and concepts, or risk falling further behind in the snacking category

Four in 10 parents in the US anticipate buying more bars in 2022. Parents, especially dads, are already a core target in the bar category, purchasing for themselves and their children and overindexing across segments. Brands will find success by delivering products that meet the personal needs of parents (such as energy support) as well as child-related concerns (emotional health and stress).

Read on to discover more about the US Snack, Nutrition, and Performance Bars consumer market, read our US Better for You Eating Trends Market Report 2021, or take a look at our other Food and Foodservice market research reports.

Quickly understand

  • COVID-19 impact on bar purchases and segment performance.
  • Current priorities, attitudes and behaviors in health, taste and snacking.
  • Concepts, occasions and use cases to be competitive in at-home snacking.
  • Retaining core consumers and engaging new demographics.

Covered in this report

Brands include: Lara Bar, Quest Nutrition, Nature’s Bakery, GNC Total Lean, Lidl Fiber Up!, Special K, Atkins, General Mills, Kellogg, Clif Bar & Company, Mars Incorporated, The Simply Good Foods Company, PepsiCo Inc, Nature Valley, Kind LLC, Kashi, Quaker, KKR & Co Inc, Pure Protein, MET-Rx, Power Crunch, BioNutritional Research Group, Mondelēz International, Perfect Bar, Think!, Slim Fast.

Expert analysis from a specialist in the field

This report, written by Sydney Olson, a leading analyst in the Food and Drink sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis in this snack bars market report to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.

Following loss brought on by steep pandemic-driven decline in away-from-home and on-the-go eating, with the help of evolved strategies for boosting at-home usage, the bars category has begun an uphill climb. Total recovery and future success are reliant on the ability for bar brands to meet next-normal needs, not just related to location of consumption, but in health, taste and recreation.

Sydney Olson, Food and Drink AnalystSydney Olson
Food and Drink Analyst

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  1. Overview

    • What you need to know
    • This Report looks at the following areas
    • Definition
    • Market context
    • COVID-19: US context
    • Economic and other assumptions

  2. Executive Summary

    • Top takeaways
    • Market overview
      • Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of snack, nutrition and performance bars, at current prices, 2016-26
      • Figure 2: Snack, nutrition and performance bars outlook, 2022-27
    • Opportunities and challenges
    • Bars as fuel for holistic health goals
      • Figure 3: Illness experienced, 2021
    • Snacking frequency holds steady, but motivations change
      • Figure 4: Snacking motivations, 2022
    • Falling importance of brand name and the rise of private label
      • Figure 5: Bars purchase attributes of importance, 2022
    • Inspiring new usage through cooking and customization
      • Figure 6: bar customization and cooking, 2021
    • Deliver on the personal and parental needs of adults with children
      • Figure 7: Bar types purchased, by parent status, 2022
      • Figure 8: Dessert-inspired bar launches, 2021

  3. Market Size and Forecast

    • Bars recalibrate in 2021; complete recovery falls short
      • Figure 9: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of snack, nutrition and performance bars, at current prices, 2016-26
      • Figure 10: Total US retail sales and forecast of snack, nutrition and performance bars, at current prices, 2016-26

  4. Segment Performance

    • Snack bars see full recovery
      • Figure 11: Total US retail sales and forecast of snack bars, at current prices, 2016-26
    • Continued loss of relevance for weight-loss bars
      • Figure 12: Total US retail sales and forecast of weight-loss bars, at current prices, 2016-26
    • Performance bars perform
      • Figure 13: Total US retail sales and forecast of performance bars, at current prices, 2016-26
    • Reviving sales in c-stores by supporting channel strategies
      • Figure 14: Total US retail sales of snack, nutrition and performance bars, by channel, at current prices, 2016-21
    • Bars on the menu

  5. Market Factors

    • The evolving definition of “healthy”
      • Figure 15: Desired health claims – Select claims, by age, 2021
      • Figure 16: Illness experienced, 2021
    • A seat at the kitchen table
      • Figure 17: At-home cooking barriers, 2021
    • Ethics check – impactful claims look within
      • Figure 18: Percentage of bar launches with ethical or environmental claims, 2018-21
      • Figure 19: Attitudes towards brand social engagement, 2021
    • Pandemic-driven snacking motivations
      • Figure 20: Snacking motivations, 2022

  6. Market Share/Key Players

    • Majority of leading companies are rebuilding from pandemic loss
    • Sales of snack, nutrition and performance bars by company
      • Figure 21: Multi-outlet sales of snack, nutrition and performance bars, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2020 and 2021
      • Figure 22: Select Rice Krispy launches, 2021
      • Figure 23: Nature Valley launch, 2021
    • The rise of private label
    • Company/brand sales by segment
    • Snack bars: Mars is moving in
      • Figure 24: Multi-outlet sales of snack bars, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2020 and 2021
      • Figure 25: Select Kind snack bar launches, 2021
    • Performance bar: Clif continues to win through dedication to athletics
      • Figure 26: Multi-outlet sales of performance bars, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2020 and 2021
      • Figure 27: Clif athletics Instagram posts, 2021
      • Figure 28: Clif environmental packaging, 2021
    • Nutrition bars: Quest comeback
      • Figure 29: Select Quest nutrition bar launches, 2021
    • Perfect Bar takes segment by storm
      • Figure 30: perceptions of rfg/frozen bar launches, 2021
      • Figure 31: Multi-outlet sales of nutrition bars, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2020 and 2021
    • Weight-loss Bars: Special K shows movement in the right direction
      • Figure 32: Multi-outlet sales of weight-loss bars, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2020 and 2021
      • Figure 33: perceptions of Special K v Atkins launches, 2018-21

  7. Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities

    • Power the unwind
      • Figure 34: Exercise motivations, 2021
      • Figure 35: Outdoor activity motivations, 2021
    • Customization through toppings, pairings and cooking
      • Figure 36: Bar customization and cooking, 2021
    • Extend my brand
      • Figure 37: Kind brand extensions, 2020-21
    • Improving upon kid-specific innovation
      • Figure 38: Kid-specific launches, 2021
    • Inspired by dessert
      • Figure 39: Change in food and drink choice factors during COVID-19, 2021
      • Figure 40: Dessert-inspired bar launches, 2021
    • The growing prevalence and power of “third spaces”
      • Figure 41: “Third space” brand concepts, 2022

  8. The Snack, Nutrition and Performance Bar Consumer – Fast Facts

  9. Consumer Profiles

    • The bar category has broad appeal
    • Hispanic consumers are a strong opportunity audience
      • Figure 42: Bar purchases, by Hispanic origin, 2022
    • Build on engagement of urban communities through distinct strategies
      • Figure 43: Bar purchases, by area, 2022
    • Parent engagement strengthens; lean in on supporting dads
      • Figure 44: Bar purchase (any bar), by parent status, 2020-22
    • Reach older consumers through positive aging
      • Figure 45: Bar purchase, by age, 2022
    • Snack bars reach coveted Gen Z audience
    • Nutritional bars resonate with higher-income households; consider premium offerings
      • Figure 46: Bar purchase, by household income, 2022
    • Performance bars fall behind with women
      • Figure 47: Bar purchase, by gender, 2022

  10. Bar Purchases

    • Bars purchases up 8% over pre-pandemic
      • Figure 48: Bar types purchased, 2020-22
    • Snack bars enjoy largest consumer base and fuel category growth
      • Figure 49: Bar types purchased, 2022
    • Older consumers drive growth
      • Figure 50: Bar purchases (any bar), by age, 2020-22
    • Parents are avid bar buyers – and not just for their children
      • Figure 51: Bar types purchased, by parent status, 2022
      • Figure 52: Bar purchase for who, parent status by gender, 2021

  11. Consumption Occasions

    • Evolving strategies for the primary consumption location: home
      • Figure 53: Adult bar occasions – Location, 2022
      • Figure 54: Kid bar occasions – location, 2022
    • Meal replacing behavior indicates growth potential for meal replacement bars
    • Extend bar snacking to the evening hours
    • Meal pairings to boost “part of” occasion
    • Refresh bars’ role in fitness through at-home workout regimens
    • Occasion-based variety packs
      • Figure 55: Adult bar occasions – meal/snack type, 2022
      • Figure 56: Kid bar occasions – meal/snack type, 2022

  12. Purchase Attributes

    • Flavor leads bar buyers’ purchase decisions
      • Figure 57: Bars purchase attributes of importance, 2022
      • Figure 58: Bars purchase attributes of importance, by bar type purchased, 2022
    • Protein is the leading driver among health attributes
      • Figure 59: Bars purchase attributes of importance, Protein, by age, 2022
    • Brand name falls low among bar buyers’ priorities
      • Figure 60: Bars purchase attributes of importance, brand name, by bar segment, 2022
    • Price is most important to young consumers
      • Figure 61: Bars purchase attributes of importance, by age, 2022

  13. Motivating bar trial

    • Concepts
    • Consumers are most excited by functional ingredients
      • Figure 62: Encouraging bar trial, concepts, 2022
      • Figure 63: Encouraging bar trial, concepts, by bar type purchase, 2022
    • Refrigerated, frozen and bars that can be heated are poised for at-home occasions
      • Figure 64: Encouraging bar trial, concepts, by age, 2022
    • Total taste experience combines taste and texture
    • Segment Performance Evolving weight-loss and meal replacement bars through specialized diets
      • Figure 65: Encouraging bar trial, concepts, by bar type, 2022
    • Ingredients/flavors
    • Driving trial with oats and oatmeal inspiration
    • Associate nut-butter fills with protein to boost nutrition bar segment
      • Figure 66: Encouraging bar trial, flavors/ingredients, 2022
      • Figure 67: Encouraging bar trial, flavors/ingredients, by bar type 2022
    • Winning flavor combinations
      • Figure 68: TURF Analysis: Motivating bar trial – flavor, 2022
      • Figure 69: Table – TURF Analysis – Motivating bar trial – flavor, 2022

  14. Future Purchases

    • Eight in 10 US adults anticipate buying about the same or more bars in 2022
      • Figure 70: Anticipated change in bar purchases, 2022
    • Weight-loss bar buyers are most likely to anticipate buying more
      • Figure 71: Anticipated change in bar purchases, by bar type, 2022
    • Four in 10 US parents will buy more bars in 2022
      • Figure 72: Anticipated change in bar purchases, by parent status, 2022
    • New health goals lead among motivations for purchasing more bars
    • Prepare for increases in kid consumption
    • Continued value in convenience
      • Figure 73: reasons for anticipation of increased consumption, 2022
    • 7% anticipate cutting back on bars in 2022, driven by young consumers
    • Competition from other snacks threatens future purchases
      • Figure 74: reasons for anticipation of decreased consumption, 2022

  15. Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations

    • Data sources
    • Forecast
    • Consumer survey data
    • TURF analysis methodology
    • Abbreviations and terms
    • Abbreviations

  16. Appendix – The Market

      • Figure 75: Total US retail sales and forecast of snack, nutrition and performance bars, at current prices, 2016-26
      • Figure 76: Total US retail sales and forecast of snack, nutrition and performance bars, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2016-26
      • Figure 77: Total US retail sales and forecast of snack, nutrition and performance bars, by segment, at current prices, 2016-26
      • Figure 78: Average household spending on snack, nutrition and performance bars, 2016-21
      • Figure 79: Total US retail sales of snack, nutrition and performance bars, by segment, at current prices, 2019 and 2021
      • Figure 80: Total US retail sales and forecast of snack bars, at current prices, 2016-26
      • Figure 81: Total US retail sales and forecast of snack bars, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2016-26
      • Figure 82: Total US retail sales and forecast of performance bars, at current prices, 2016-26
      • Figure 83: Total US retail sales and forecast of performance bars, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2016-26
      • Figure 84: Total US retail sales and forecast of nutrition bars, at current prices, 2016-26
      • Figure 85: Total US retail sales and forecast of nutrition bars, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2016-26
      • Figure 86: Total US retail sales and forecast of weight-loss bars, at current prices, 2016-26
      • Figure 87: Total US retail sales and forecast of weight-loss bars, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2016-26
      • Figure 88: Total US retail sales of snack, nutrition and performance bars, by channel, at current prices, 2019 and 2021
      • Figure 89: US supermarket sales of snack, nutrition and performance bars, at current prices, 2016-21
      • Figure 90: US convenience store sales of snack, nutrition and performance bars, at current prices, 2016-21
      • Figure 91: US sales of snack, nutrition and performance bars through other retail channels, at current prices, 2016-21

  17. Appendix – Companies and Brands

      • Figure 92: Multi-outlet sales of snack, nutrition and performance bars, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2020 and 2021
      • Figure 93: Multi-outlet sales of snack bars, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2020 and 2021
      • Figure 94: Multi-outlet sales of performance bars, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2020 and 2021
      • Figure 95: Multi-outlet sales of nutrition bars, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2020 and 2021
      • Figure 96: Multi-outlet sales of weight-loss bars, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2020 and 2021

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