Get on track with modern snacks
The American snack food market has grown to $21.5 billion in 2024—and it’s projected to grow each year about 15%, reaching $45.8 billion by 2029.1 With almost double projected growth, it begs the question, why are consumers snacking so much? For starters, consumers’ lives are becoming more complicated and busy—people are back to moving around all the time. Tastes are becoming more global and intricate, so the market is demanding nutritious, convenient food options that satisfy their complex tastes—on the go. And then there are the major disruptive trends, like the introduction of GLP-1 drugs. That means there are more consumers reducing their consumption overall, and also looking for foods that are nutrient-rich, with more protein and lots of vitamins.
Today’s snacks are no longer just a quick treat or a bridge between meals.
They can be full, functional meal replacements. Snacking is how many of us nourish ourselves.
#GirlDinner is for everyone.
In this new era of snacking, consumers want snacks that deliver on multiple fronts. They need functional benefits, support for their wellness habits or options that can fully replace breakfast, lunch or dinner. On top of it all, they’ve got to taste great. What can your brand do to tap into these opportunities?
1Snack Food – North America: Statista Market Forecast
2CS News, Three Snacking Trends to Watch in 2024
3Datassential Snacking Keynote Report
With snacks, there's no drawbacks
The Ardent Mills Insights Team dug into our data on the snacking market to uncover new opportunities. From breaking down the snacking occasion to seeing how often people are snacking–and what their snacking needs and wants are, we’ve got the insights to help you jump into this exciting market.
Make your next hit snack. Or reinvent your classics.
We see two huge opportunities for snack brands today:
- Reinvent your classics:
Build on brand loyalty and update your classic snack offerings to fulfill today’s market demands. Make a healthier version with new ingredients, or a version that can replace an entire meal. Experimentation is a great way to diversify your portfolio to connect with your consumers in a meaningful way. - Create a whole new snack (or category):
Tap into the opportunity of the paradigm shift in snacking and open a whole new revenue stream. Create a new snack—or a whole new category—by making something that meets today’s needs in a wholly unique way.
Innovate your snacks with the right partner
Bring your snacking revolutions to life with the optimal mix of products, services and insights that help customers move from idea to shelf faster—with less error and more confidence.
Insights
Where are the opportunities in the snacking market? Our Insights Team provides you with proprietary research, food industry market data analysis, macro societal trend analysis and more to help you succeed in the market.
Products
Traditional wheat remains a fantastic and popular ingredient for grain-based snacks. But today’s consumer is also looking to go beyond the classics. Get expert help to determine which ingredients you need to stand out in this growing market.
- Chickpea flour & whole chickpea
- Organic wheat flour
- Sorghum flour
- Sustagrain® whole grain barley flour & quick flakes
This is only a small sampling of our full ingredient portfolio. To explore the full range of our products, visit the Products section of our site.
Innovation
Whether you’re up against tighter budgets, shorter timelines or integrating cutting edge tech into your processes, innovating is never simple. That’s why Purpose-Powered Innovation™ is designed around your needs. Our team of agile experts and state-of-the-art network of Ardent Mills Innovation Centers will work hands-on with you to make your ideas a reality.
Let’s talk about snacks