The functional snack aisle is more diverse than ever, moving beyond protein bars to nutrient-dense, wellness-focused options, with ingredients like protein, oats, adaptogens and collagen driving innovation, according to Alyssa Williams, manager of category insights at Spate.
Williams reports that Google and TikTok shares for protein are up 97.6% year-over-year. Searches for oats have surged an astonishing 719.7%, while interest in adaptogens such as ashwagandha and lion’s mane mushroom has climbed more than 1,000%. Collagen also remains a standout beauty-and-wellness crossover ingredient, with searches up 1,000%. Consumers are increasingly seeking snacks that deliver both health and energy, reflecting a broader demand for functional, convenient foods, she added.
Among the newcomers on the aisle is Day Out, a fast-growing, woman-owned brand that is reimagining what it means to snack smart. This month, Day Out expanded into 54 Costco locations across the Northeast, following a successful rollout into ShopRite stores. The growth comes on the heels of the brand winning the 2024 Wakefern Food Corp. Total Store Local Supplier Summit – a milestone that reflects the brand’s vision and the increasing demand for clean, protein-packed snacks.
How it started
For Day Out Founder Becky Dheri, the company began as a personal solution to a common problem. As a busy pharmacist, she often relied on ultra-processed snacks out of convenience, only to feel the toll they were taking on her health.
“During this time, I realized how hard it was to find the nutrition, ingredients and taste profile I was seeking in the current selection of packaged snacks on the market,” shared Dheri.
Determined to change her approach, Dheri turned to her own kitchen, experimenting with nutrient-rich protein balls that eliminated the gums, preservatives and fillers so often found in packaged foods. The result was a snack that delivered lasting energy through a balanced mix of macronutrients while still satisfying her sweet tooth.
What started as a personal fix soon grew into a larger vision: to reinvent the snack aisle with fun, approachable options that make it easy to get protein from whole-food sources, all while offering flexible portion sizes that adapt to different nutritional needs and lifestyles.
Growing pains and breakthroughs
Day Out’s move from direct-to-consumer to retail was anything but rushed. Dheri credits the brand’s five-year DTC foundation for giving her team the deep consumer insights and confidence needed to take the leap.
“Based on direct feedback from our online community, we knew we had built something special,” she explained.
As Day Out prepared for retail expansion, it underwent a full-scale brand refresh specifically designed for the retail environment and secured a new production partner with the ability to scale alongside the brand. The goal was to ensure that shoppers who had never heard of Day Out would be attracted to the products on-shelf and could immediately understand the brand’s points-of-difference.
The transition was not without hurdles. One of the biggest challenges, Dheri admits, was mastering inventory management and demand forecasting – an entirely different beast from the more predictable patterns of DTC.
“What’s really made the difference has been building strong relationships with our retail partners,” Dheri explained. “Having regular check-ins, keeping tabs on inventory and collaborating on promotional calendars has been a game changer. We’re now seeing this reliability that we can produce as a brand translate into increased retail interest and expanded shelf space.”
Through it all, maintaining brand voice and community connection has remained central. As a founder-led brand, Day Out leans on transparency and authenticity, with Dheri utilizing social media and email marketing to keep the community engaged, while fresh content – ranging from snack inspiration to simple, healthy recipes – ensures the brand continues to resonate whether someone discovers Day Out online or in the snack aisle. This balance of operational growth and authentic connection has been key to scaling without losing the heart of the brand, said Dheri.
Women in food: challenges, community and mentorship
As a woman building a food brand, Dheri has found the industry increasingly supportive.
“I’ve consistently found that retailers go above and beyond to create opportunities that elevate women-owned brands,” she said.
This sentiment combined with the camaraderie of the women-owned startup community has been a key advantage. Fellow female founders have offered guidance, introductions and emotional support, turning a shared journey into a network of practical and personal resources.
At the same time, Dheri acknowledges the unique challenges women entrepreneurs still face, particularly around fundraising and accessing capital. Mentorship and community have helped navigate these hurdles.
Programs and networks such as SCORE, Naturally New York, Startup CPG, and industry events like Wakefern Food Corp.’s Total Store Local Supplier Summit have provided critical business insight and connections, she said.
What’s next?
In the short-term, Dheri shares that Day Out will expand the brand’s flavors per customer requests, rolling out limited edition and seasonal options as soon as this fall.
Dheri also is keeping her eye on expanding the brands reach, securing more shelf space before the close of 2025 and expanding Day Out’s retail footprint in 2026 and beyond.
She said: “We plan to keep portability, indulgence and a clean nutrition label at the center of what we do, and we’re excited to explore new formats and categories that align with our mission to take the hassle out of snacking.”
