Snack Food Market Report 2026

The snack food market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $248.77 billion in 2025 to $261.82 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.2%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to rising urbanization and busy lifestyles, increasing disposable income levels, expansion of organized retail channels, growing consumption of packaged foods, wider availability of diverse snack varieties.

The snack food market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $330.86 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to growing health-conscious consumer base, increasing demand for plant-based and protein-rich snacks, expansion of e-commerce snack distribution, rising focus on low-sugar and low-fat formulations, innovation in functional snack offerings. Major trends in the forecast period include growing demand for healthy and functional snacks, rising preference for clean-label ingredients, expansion of on-the-go snack consumption, increasing innovation in flavor and texture profiles, higher focus on portion-controlled packaging.

Rising awareness of health-conscious lifestyles is expected to drive the growth of the snack food market going forward. Health-conscious consumers are increasingly prioritizing nutritious choices in their diets and daily routines, seeking snacks that offer functional benefits, sustainable sourcing, and satisfying taste. This shift is fueled by growing concerns over wellness and preventative health measures. For instance, in August 2023, according to Koninklijke DSM N.V., a Netherlands-based health and bioscience company, 60% of consumers worldwide reported placing a higher priority on health following the pandemic, reflecting a stronger focus on leading healthier lives. Therefore, the shift toward health-conscious consumption is propelling growth in the snack food market.

Leading companies in the snack food market are innovating hybrid products, such as popcorn-pretzel combinations, to enhance consumer enjoyment through novel textures and flavor experiences. Popcorn-pretzel hybrids merge the airy crunch of popcorn with the baked crispness of pretzels, offering unique bite sensations that appeal to a wide range of snacking preferences. For example, in December 2024, Snack Factory, a U.S.-based baked snack company, launched Pop’ums, a popcorn-pretzel hybrid available in White Cheddar, Golden Mustard BBQ, and Sea Salt flavors in resealable packaging. These products enhance variety and support expansion into the broader salty snack segment.

In November 2025, The Hershey Company, a US-based food manufacturer, acquired LesserEvil for approximately US$750 million. This acquisition enables Hershey to strengthen its “better-for-you” snack portfolio and expand beyond traditional confectionery into organic and non-GMO snacks. LesserEvil specializes in premium snacks, including popcorn, puffs, curls, and cookies made without artificial colors or preservatives.

Major companies operating in the snack food market are PepsiCo Inc., Mondelez International Inc., Nestlé S.A., General Mills Inc., The Kellogg Company, Conagra Brands Inc., The Kraft Heinz Company, Unilever PLC, Hain Celestial Group Inc., Campbell Soup Company, McCain Foods Limited, Utz Brands Inc., Snyder’s-Lance Inc., Haldiram Snacks Pvt. Ltd., ITC Limited, Calbee Inc., Want Want China Holdings Limited, Tingyi (Cayman Islands) Holding Corp., Grupo Bimbo S.A.B. de C.V., Intersnack Group GmbH, Lorenz Snack-World GmbH.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the snack food market in 2025. North America was the second-largest region in the snack food market. The regions covered in the snack food market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the snack food market report are China, India, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, South Korea, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, New Zealand, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iran, Turkey, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa.

The snack food market consists of sales of salted, roasted, dried, cooked, or canned nuts, processed grains or seeds into snacks, peanut butter, potato chips, corn chips, popped popcorn, hard pretzels, pork rinds, and other snack food. The companies package and distribute their products through various distribution channels to both individual customers and commercial establishments. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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