Nutrition bar sales were once at a flat period but are now rebounding as they are becoming the ‘anytime snack.’ Whether it be for breakfast, an on-the-go snack, or a meal replacement, consumers are enjoying nutrition bars anytime and everywhere.
According to IRI Chicago, for the 52 weeks ending February 20, 2022, the “snack bars” subcategory grew 13.3% and had $6.85 billion in total sales. In the “nutrition bars” category, CLIF led the way with $790 in sales, a 19.8% increase. Following CLIF was Atkins who brought in $302 million in sales, and KIND came in third with $294 million in sales. In the granola bars subcategory, Nature valley brought in $610 million in sales with Quaker coming in second with $397 million.
“The market for bar products has changed since the start of the pandemic. Bars are typically consumed on the go; however, during the peak of the stay-at-home, we saw the bar category take a hit,” explains Linda Zink, chief marketing officer at Simply Good Foods, Quest Nutrition. “To pivot Quest’s protein bar relevance and consumption during this period, we had to reframe our bars for an at-home eating occasion.” Protein bars in particular are recovering as consumers turn towards them for convenient forms of meal replacement and snacking.
Consumers are looking for products that are low in carbs and sugar, high in protein, and have a good taste. Consumers seek to fulfill multiple needs through nutrition bars. CLIF’s research shows that when it comes to snacking, consumers think most about flavor, nutrition, and sugar content. This research opened the door for new innovations for CLIF as they most recently launched CLIF Thins, snacks made from plant-based ingredients that nourish the body and support a healthy planet.
Nutrition and snack bars are on the rise as consumers are demanding simple, healthy, and nutrient-dense ingredients. Our infused dried fruit ingredients provide distinct flavor and natural nutrition, two important things that consumers look for when snacking. Our proprietary process converts fresh, flash frozen fruit into premium dried fruit ingredients that retain their vibrant color and nutrients. Our ingredients deliver exceptional color, taste, texture, and nutrition to elevate all nutrition and snack bars as well as other commercial food applications. Are you ready to hop on the trend? Order your samples today!
