The $148 billion snack food market is undergoing major changes driven by evolving consumer desires for robust flavors, healthier options and a growing demand for globally inspired products, according to the first annual Future of Snacking report released Wednesday by Conagra Brands, Inc.
Similar to its annual Future of Frozen Food report, Conagra analyzed large datasets from Circana and other sources to show the biggest trends in the industry.
The report noted five trends reshaping the U.S. snack market: new flavors, international options, health-conscious choices, co-branded products and on-the-go convenience.
Bob Nolan, senior vice president of demand science (insights & analytics) at Conagra Brands, said meat snacks and ready-to-eat popcorn are two of the biggest winners.
Right behind chips and crackers, popcorn was the most frequently Googled snack for the year ending May 2025, Nolan said.
He added that Americans eat about three snacks a day, and the average household keeps about 11 varieties of snack foods in their pantries, demonstrating consumers’ continued desire for variety.
Mini snack flexibility
This taste for a wider range of snacks also favors mini varieties that can be consumed in smaller servings.
“People love this concept that they can make their own portions so they can have one or two of something – if it’s just a quick bite, they need some fuel – or they can have a bunch of those bites of minis and make a whole meal out of them,” Nolan said. “That’s been growing faster than all the other spaces across all of the food in the last few years, and it’s really starting to replace some of the more traditional foods and the forms on snacking.”
Flavor explosion
The trend toward adventurous flavors is largely driven by Millennial and Gen Z consumers, Megan Bullock, director of demand science at Conagra.
“Think Sriracha, garlic parm, hot honey, dill pickle or even spicy dill pickle – blending two hot flavors that we’re seeing rapid, rapid growth for, and it’s bringing a lot of excitement into the snack space,” she said.
Pickle-flavored products are particularly having a “huge moment,” Bullock noted.
“A lot of this is driven by food service, I think,” she said. “Popeyes has a full pickle-flavor menu – pickle lemonade, pickle slushies – so it’s more than just getting your pickles to snack on. It’s about having that tangy, spicy, adventurous flavor profile.”
So-called “nostalgia snacking” is also on the rise with products flavored like classic desserts, such as tiramisu, cinnamon bun, strawberry cheesecake and churro.
“Having these as approachable flavor profiles, or flavor profiles for snackable, approachable formats, is huge,” she said.
Snacking without borders
The adventurous spirit of younger shoppers also is increasing sales of globally inspired flavor profiles, according to the report.
Snacks with flavors like teriyaki, curry and habanero are carving out their own place in the market, Bullock said.
“We were pretty shocked when we sized this whole space within snacking, and it was over $5 billion in retail sales and growing at double-digits,” she said.
Teriyaki-flavored snacks alone enjoyed $750 million in annual sales as of April, while newer flavors like enchilada captured $17.4 million. Other emerging flavors include ramen at $10.1 million and masala at $4.6 million.
This trend includes an insurgence of new formats like seaweed chips and edamame- and chickpea-based snacks, Bullock added. Chickpea snack sales were up 214% as of April, and seaweed increased 74%, according to Circana data.
“I would not be surprised if Dubai chocolate is the next flavor profile you see for cookies,” she said, referencing the high-dollar pistachio cream chocolate bars that have gone viral on social media.
Better-for-you snacks
Gen Z and Millennial consumers are also a driving force behind nutrient-focused snacking, but the rise of shoppers using GLP-1 drugs – about 7% of all adults in the US – is also increasing demand for healthier snacks.
Naturally protein rich snacks, like nuts, and fruit-based snacking options are leading the growth. The report noted that dried meat snacks are the fastest-growing subcategory compared to three years ago.
“There are the snacks that are just inherently … full protein themselves, if you think about meat snacks or nuts, or just like fruit-based snacking options, and they’re seeing a ton of growth,” she said. “But there’s also this new set segment of more mainstream snacks that are trying to keep up with the pace and infuse these better-for-you attributes.”
That has resulted in a focus on protein, fiber and lower sugar. “I’m seeing chips that have added fiber, or Pop-Tarts with added protein,” she said.
The report noted that products that claim to help manage sugar experienced 14% year-over-year volume growth.
Better together
New, adventurous flavors and a focus on health are only part of the equation when it comes to product innovation, according to the report. The tried and true method of co-branding products is also intriguing shoppers.
Brands partnering with restaurants, such as Buffalo Wild Wings/Slim Jim Chicken Sticks, reported a combined $965 million in annual sales as of April, and those partnering with Hollywood franchises and cartoon characters reached $466 million. Meanwhile, retail brand crossover product sales reached $678 million, up 32% from three years ago.
Meats, salty snacks and seeds are among the biggest winners, but sour and chocolate candy brands also are making inroads. Snack Pack’s partnership with Dove Dark Chocolate offers familiarity and “instant crave appeal,” Bullock said.
“Rather than a dark chocolate pudding, you’re getting the Dove quality dark chocolate pudding, right? So, it’s also that level of credibility on top of that familiarity,” she said.
Snacks on the go
Snacking away from home is growing, and consumers increasingly are eating them within 30 minutes of purchase.
Grocery and mass merchandise stores are still the biggest winners in candy sales, but online, gas and convenience and club stores are experiencing the fastest growth, according to the report.
Conagra says winning with snacks means offering the right product at the right time. That means everywhere from gas stations to home improvement stores.
“It’s all about showing up in more places more often, and in the right format to meet that occasion,” Bullock said.
