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.

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.

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

Whether consumers are looking to eat breakfast on the go, refuel after a workout, or indulge in a tasty but nutritious treat, there are more choices than ever when it comes to bars.

Mainstream consumers are steadily adopting stronger environmental and sustainable ideals, which is affecting how they make purchase decisions.

The past several years have been kind to the tortilla market. Tortillas and tortilla chips are essentials across U.S. retail and foodservice sectors, with steady growth over the past several years.