Snack and bakery product developers can use a variety of natural sweeteners in healthy formulations that do not compromise on taste or quality.

This past year was unlike any other throughout our history as a nation, and the snack and bakery industry saw significant impact.

The latest advances in convenience packaging options, single-serve, re-sealable, portion-controlled, on-the-go, offer retailers and consumers greater convenience, reliable containment, and sustained freshness. Increased recyclability and sustainability are other features. This is good news for bakery and snack producers who are striving to meet consumer demand.

Through the years, an overall shift toward clean eating has generally benefited the snack and granola bars market, encouraging consumers to reach for bars instead of candy, cake, cookies, and other snacks.

Leavening is a fundamental ingredient category in baking that performs some serious heavy lifting. Leavening agents help create the textural quality in many baked goods.

Revenue from the U.S. grain-based snack and bakery industry accounts for over $100 billion in annual retail sales, and a significant portion of that total comes from the top 50 companies, ranked according to annual revenue.

Puffed and extruded snacks never go out of style. Top brands like Cheetos and Fritos will probably always will be staples in many Americans' homes.

Consumer interest in foods that support holistic health and well-being is increasing. According to the 2020 IFIC Food and Health Survey, over half of consumers report that healthfulness has more of an impact today versus 10 years ago on their food and beverage purchase decisions.

These days, you can have your cake and eat it, too. Today's sweet bakery treats like cakes, pies, cheesecakes, and cookies often combine the best of multiple worlds, bridging apparent gaps between indulgence, better-for-you and specialized dietary choices, clean label, sound functionality, and globally minded sustainability.

The term "sustainability" embodies a number of different meanings. According to the Oxford English dictionary, one definition refers to the "avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance."