Whether for breakfast, a snack, or a meal replacement, the nutrition bars category is ubiquitous, and its products can be consumed at any time of day. Sales have rebounded after a flat period, and innovation is ongoing in the category.

The tortilla category did well over the past year, possibly because people are now staying home and working at home more often, and thus able to cook more elevated lunchtime meals.

The grain-focused snack and bakery industry accounts for over $100 billion in annual retail sales. The core of those offerings originate from a select group of businesses, some who have served American consumers for many decades.

Even though we are now nearing the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers have become comfortable with snacking more at home, including snacking on tortilla chips. This trend will continue through 2021, but consumers are also searching for better-for-you and plant-based tortilla chip options.

Brands in the snack-mix and nut spaces could be forgiven for waxing a little Dickensian as they look back on the year that was. For while the events that characterized 2020, and that persist, to an extent, today, don't quite measure up to "the best of times" or "the worst of times," they do tell something of "A Tale of Two Snacking Scenarios."

Puffed and extruded snacks have been a staple in pantries for many years. Recently, however, manufacturers have been upping their game, using clean-label ingredients and a variety of different flavors to attract new consumers to the category.

The hard pretzel category grew steadily in the past year as consumers stuck at home continued to snack, although fortunes varied significantly from brand to brand. During the past year, consumer focus on cleaner labels and healthier ingredients has ramped up, while manufacturers have continued to experiment with a wider variety of flavors. Pretzel product and ingredient makers predict those trends will continue.

As Americans stayed home for another year during the COVID-19 pandemic, popcorn sales steadily rose, especially in the ready-to-eat popcorn/caramel corn category.

The COVID-19 pandemic has multiple lessons for the snack industry. Overall, the snack industry has had a strong, up year. But the degree of a "COVID bump" varied from category to category. As we emerge and plan for the future, recent, and current, product purchase behaviors can help provide a roadmap for what's to come.