The crackers category is home to multiple iconic brands synonymous with snacking, including Cheez-It, Goldfish, and Ritz, all billion-dollar brands. As part of the foundation of the grain-based baking industry, crackers also present significant opportunities for growth through incrementally better-for-you offerings and highly innovative nutrition-forward products, as well as premium and specialized lines.

In many ways, the tumultuous COVID-19 pandemic has catalyzed continued growth of existing patterns across snacking. For many consumers, day-to-day snacking increased, sometimes fueled by external pressures related to disrupted work, school, and the overall societal status quo. We seek solace in comfort, and the snack industry delivered.

Since 2016, Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery has annually recognized two highly innovative, newly launched products—one snack and one baked good—with all products published on SnackandBakery.com/Products during the year eligible for "Best New Snack & Bakery Product" honors.

They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So, too, is "better-for-you," the catch-all classification that drives so many consumers these days and, as such, is driving snack and bakery development, as well.

Category data and market analysis for bakery snacks like snack cakes, snack pies, muffins, including COVID-19 pandemic impact.

Strategies for better-for-you, nostalgic, and bold sensory experiences in snack and bakery products.

Over the past few months, as I went through the process of developing SF&WB's annual "Top 50 Snack & Bakery Companies" list, I felt a renewed sense of admiration for the inherent power of merging true nutrition with indulgence.

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.