For a culture focused on convenience and clean-label nutrition, bars continue to deliver. Sales of snack and granola bars on the whole have grown 2.9 percent during the 52 weeks ending October 7, 2018, according to data from IRI, Chicago, hitting a value of $6.2 billion.
“When consumers ate a snack or meal outside of the house in the past, more often than not, health and wellness weren’t much of a concern,” says Paul Verderber, vice president of sales, Carolina Innovative Food Ingredients, Nashville, NC. Today, though, consumers have begun to seek more nutrition at snack-oriented eating occasions. “The rapid growth of the nutrition bar category is evidence of this shift,” he says. “Bars are a great option for health-conscious consumers who are seeking a nutrient-dense snack to munch on between meals, or even in place of a meal.”