Snack and Bakery Top Stories

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It's safe to say COVID-19 has made its mark on the food industry. People are cooking more at home than they used to.

The puffed and extruded snacks category has grown-up, and the market is seeing some diverse company.

The pretzel market continues to grow, with core offerings showing strength and strategic formulation twists bringing in some added diversity.

The popcorn category has enjoyed a very strong past year, with a particularly strong jump early in the year after the COVID-19 pandemic hit U.S. shores.

Snack Food and Wholesale Bakery recently was able to speak to Denis Gagnon, chief executive officer, Belt Technologies, Agawam, MA about steel belts and robotics during the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of the fascinating aspects of today's snack industry is the supreme flexibility of the term "snack." Almost anything can constitute a snack, given the right portion size, its relative convenience, and requisite craveability.

Crackers are a product category that has nearly universal appeal. Consumers are snacking more often, especially in light of the recent pandemic, and the expanding variety of crackers on the market today make them a natural fit for nearly any snacking occasion.

Flavor trends across the snack and bakery market can gain inspiration from any number of directions, including prevailing currents in foodservice, ethnic items gaining more-widespread appeal, interest in better-for-you foods, and more.

Potato chips are a staple in most Americans' pantries. While classic chips still command the bulk of U.S. market share, salty snack companies have begun to offer more better-for-you options, in addition to new and exciting flavor combinations.

In early 2020, as the COVID-19 crisis began to ripple through our global society, we largely retreated to our homes, and began snacking.