More than once over the course of my ongoing research into the expansive bars category through the years, I’ve found myself reeling in the baffling array of new concepts that continually stream onto the market. Peruse the multiple bars sections of almost any grocery store—often in snack, breakfast, natural and pharmacy aisles—and the choices are staggering.
Consider the segments: snack, granola, breakfast, cereal, nutritional, intrinsic health value (think sports-nutrition protein powerhouses, but also true meal-replacement bars). And within each of those segments, bars gain further definition through targeted demographic variables like gender and age—Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, Generation Z… Consider established and emerging shopper preferences for traits like gluten-free, clean-label, non-GMO, organic, natural—not to mention price point, geographical inclinations, kosher, allergens—and your head starts to swim. Add in flavor profiles—classic, fruity, salty, sweet, savory—you’re losing focus, spinning…