With more people on-the-go, snack bars are an easy, portable way to get nutrition without sacrificing on taste. Better-for-you bar companies have been hard at work innovating, and 2025 should bring a plethora of new and exciting offerings.

Market data

Per Chicago-based market research firm Circana’s data from the 52-week period ending December 1, 2024, the snack bars/granola bars/clusters category experienced a slight decrease of 0.2%, with $9.9 billion in total sales.

The nutritional/intrinsic health value bars category climbed by 3.6%, with $5 billion in sales. Category leaders included Clif Bar & Co., with $996.5 million but a 5.1% decrease in sales; 1440 Foods, with $656.4 million and a nice 7.9% uptick; and Quest Nutrition, parent company of Atkins keto-friendly bars, with $484.6 million in sales and 2.7% in growth.

The breakfast/cereal/snack bars/clusters category took a small dip, losing 1.8% in sales, but bringing in $2.45 billion overall. Kellanova led the pack, with $744.8 million in sales a decrease of 10.3%; and private label shone, with $415 million in sales and a small 0.4% downtick. Kind LLC, now owned by Mars, came in third, with $318.5 million in sales and growth of 0.2%.

The granola bars category experienced a 12.3% loss, with $1.76 billion in overall sales; General Mills brought in $759.7 million of that number, but experienced a 3.6% loss. Private label again was near the front of the pack, with $307.5 million in sales and a healthy 19.1% upturn; and Quaker Oats, a PepsiCo brand, brought in $156.5 million but lost 67.3% of its sales from the previous time period.

Finally, in the all other snack/granola bars/clusters category ($699.5 million in sales and 16.4% growth), Nature’s Bakery LLC brought in the lion’s share, with $303.7 million in sales and a large 19.8% uptick, with General Mills bringing in $132.6 million and experiencing a 28.3% rise in sales. Kellanova again made the top three here, with $99.6 million in sales and a 2.7% upturn.

Trends 

“We are increasingly seeing consumers want more flavor innovation, as well as more functional benefits when it comes to snacking, such as more protein and less sugar,” says a spokesperson from Kind. “However, consumers are also still seeking snacks that feel indulgent.”

The spokesperson says Kind likes to lean into cultural relevancy, because inserting the brand into pop culture is key to reaching consumers these days.

“We are consumer-obsessed and are constantly looking at insights and trends to meet our consumers where they are—through content—and to meet their needs (through innovation). The most important step to be relevant and stay relevant in culture, is to understand the human truths and insights that drive our brand audiences,” the spokesperson shares.

“The launch of our new allergen-free Kind Kids line was an example of how we played into cultural trends, like leveraging nostalgia by partnering with 90s and early 2000s stars Tori Spelling and Kristin Cavallari, to connect with our consumers—busy Millennial and Gen X parents. We kicked off the campaign during back-to-school, a time when parents are most stressed out preparing their families for the new school year and introduced a parent- and kid-approved new snack option to ease lunch packing,” they say.

Max Groner, brand director, Bobo’s, says shoppers are continuing to further seek cleaner ingredient labels, and ingredients they can recognize.

“Consumers want to feel good about what they’re buying for themselves and for their loved ones,” he explains. “Many consumers are also seeking foods that better fit into their lifestyle and/or health goals. Top-of-mind goals include digestive health, fiber, functional foods, and food free from major allergens.”

He says Bobo’s is constantly keeping a finger on the pulse of consumer interests through primary research (e.g. focus groups and surveys), secondary research (seeing what’s trending in syndicated data), and through industry news and thought leadership. Groner notes that similar to what the brand is seeing in other categories, gut/digestive health has started to show up as a functional benefit in the snack bars category.

“Perhaps most importantly, we pay close attention to what our core consumers tell us what they’re looking for. No matter how much consumer trends evolve, the one constant is the saying that ‘taste is king.’ We stay close to what the data is telling us for top-selling and top-growing flavors in the category. Additionally, we’re sure to monitor our own online sales as a great indicator of which of our long-tail list of skus are becoming fan-favorites and should be prioritized for distribution expansion,” he explains.

Julia Shapiro, VP, brand at Aloha, says she’s seen several shifts in consumer behavior around snack bars.

“First, consumers are demanding more value out of their food, especially in today's economic climate. They want health and wellness benefits without compromising on taste or breaking the bank,” she suggests. “Second, buying occasions have evolved post-pandemic. On-the-go consumption remains important, but we also see more in-home snacking moments. Our consumers’ number one [usage] is to satisfy a craving in between meals. In addition, we sometimes see bars as meal replacements, pre/post-workout fuel, delicious lunchbox protein additions (for both kids and adults), and as healthier dessert options.”

“Lastly, we’re witnessing the emergence of an increasingly researched and savvy shopper. From a recent survey, 74% of those shopping the bar aisle read food labels before a purchase. They spend a lot of time, energy, and money on personal wellness, but 71% also say they wish they didn’t have to do so much work to figure out what to eat. Because of this, there’s more demand for simple, healthy foods. That means a short list of ingredients, ones that you can actually pronounce that aren’t overly processed,” she adds.

Shapiro shares that the brand actually makes a conscious effort not to chase too many trends.

“We believe there’s a big difference between being ‘trend-right’ vs. ‘trendy,’ and we strive for the former. ‘Trend-right’ means we’re truly adding value to our consumer’s life and, in doing so, living up to our food philosophy. If it doesn’t, we go back to the drawing board. It’s why knowing ourselves, and our consumers, are the most important parts of our business,” she explains. “For taste trends specifically, our team tracks other food and beverage launches, attends trade shows, and monitors culinary trends that could translate well to bar format”

She says the Aloha team has been very excited by the great work in regenerative agriculture lately.

“As a B-Corp and climate-neutral business, the impact our food has on the planet is a vital factor in our food philosophy. And being good for the planet is also good for business. In our latest consumer survey, over three quarters of respondents said they make a conscious effort to eat in a way that aligns with their values. More than any one trend or ‘fad’ we see a shift from ‘goal-based’ eating to ‘holistic’ health. This approach considers physical, mental and social health factors simultaneously,” Shapiro finishes.

Margaret Wishingrad, CEO/co-founder, Three Wishes, says right now, the brand is seeing two approaches to the snack bar category.

“One focuses on macros at all costs. These bars can be super functional, but don’t always have the cleanest ingredients. The other approach (and where we [fit in]), are snack bars that are better for you across the board. We try to hit great macros by increasing protein and fiber and reducing sugar, while still using ingredients we’re proud of,” she notes.

“We really focus on overarching trends and not immediate fads. We built our brand as a better-for-you option that had more protein and less sugar than the other stuff on the shelves. Sticking to our core mission, and not trying to satisfy every new health fad, has proven to be a great recipe for success. As we notice new consumer interests emerging, we evaluate their staying power, and start working on how our products can grant these customers’ wishes,” Wishingrad adds.

“The most exciting innovations right now are built around better ingredients. For years, snack bars have been dominated by artificial or non-nutritive ingredients. We’re seeing fewer of these types of bars enter into the market and more better-for-you options,” she shares.

Mark Collis is chief snacking officer, Skout Organic, a brand that makes snack bars for both children and adults. He says the company continues to see variety playing well, but when it comes down to it, kids love dessert flavors: Brownie, Cookie Dough, Chocolate Peanut Butter, etc.

“At Skout, we've found the best way to innovate is by testing new flavors with our online customers. It keeps our lineup fun and exciting, adds an element of scarcity, and allows us to see exactly what customers like and dislike. We've launched over 20 small-batch kids’ bar flavors over the last three years, [and] our customers are always excited to see the variety of flavors like Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Coconut, and Mango Mayhem,” he notes. “We're seeing people gravitating towards better-for-you brands made with simple and clean ingredients. We've also seen some interesting products using brain-friendly ingredients to support child development. At Skout we try to avoid a lot of the noise and focus on building products and flavors that our customers are looking for.”

The Kind spokesperson says snack bar innovations are directly related to consumer trends and behaviors, so they’re continuing to see more functional snack bars, like higher protein, hit shelves.

“In response, we launched the new Kind Protein Max bars, which offers 20 g of protein and have a delightful, slightly crispy texture, differentiating itself from typical chalky protein bars,” the spokesperson finishes.”

New products 

“We can't share anything in the new product categories, but we're working on something in the salty/savory snack category. We are also planning on testing 5-8 new small batch cookie flavors in 2025,” reveals Collis of Skout.

Groner comments Bobo’s just launched Fig Bars in October 2024, which are baked with a 100% whole-grain oat crust filled with a fig jam. Flavors include Original Fig and Blueberry Fig, and they debuted at Whole Foods in November 2024 and are gluten-free, non-GMO, soy free, kosher, and vegan.

“[In addition], based on consumer feedback, we’re modernizing some of our packaging to focus on product differentiation and brand consistency,” he shares.  

The spokesperson from Kind says, starting this year, the brand is launching new flavors for some of its most popular products, like an Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Bar, which will join its existing Kind Breakfast Protein line.

“We will also roll out a revamped, expanded line of existing products to better match the needs of consumers. When it comes to innovation, we seek to be consumer-led and deliver unique solutions that unlock new white spaces for consumers in the snacking category,” the spokesperson shares.

Shapiro says she is particularly excited about Aloha’s third special-edition Hawaiʻi bar, which will launch in March.

“It’s part of our ongoing initiative to bring awareness to farms rooted in sustainability and support local communities,” Shapiro predicts. “[This] year’s bar features an ingredient that is deeply rooted in Hawaiian tradition and history: taro. The taro for this bar is cultivated in Kauaʻi’s Hanalei Valley using natural irrigation methods. We combined it with sustainably farmed macadamia nuts from Hamakua Macadamia Nut Company and Panova Oil, to make a bar that honors the land from which it’s grown.”

Shapiro finishes by offering, “Bars are a great, low-cost way to satisfy a craving while also providing the nutrients your body needs to thrive.” she suggests.