North America Meal Replacement Market Outlook - Forecast Trends, Market Size, Share and Growth Analysis Report (2025-2034)

The North America meal replacement market size reached around USD 5.05 Billion in 2024. The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.20% between 2025 and 2034 to reach nearly USD 10.12 Billion by 2034. The market growth can be attributed to the growing demand for natural and organic meal replacement solutions. Moreover, the adoption of transparent labelling practices by meal replacement companies in North America is expected to favourably impact the market dynamics in the coming years.

North America Meal Replacement Market Report Summary

Market Size 2024

• USD Billion 5.05

Market Size 2034

• USD Billion 10.12
• CAGR 2025-2034
• 7.20%

CAGR 2025-2034 - Market by Country

• Canada
• 7.8%

CAGR 2025-2034 - Market by Product

• Shakes
• 7.7%

CAGR 2025-2034 - Market by Distribution Channel

• Online Channels
• 10.9%

North America Meal Replacement Market Growth

The Canadian government has considerably strengthened the regulations for meal replacement manufacturers. As per its prescribed safety standards, any meal replacement product made available to consumers must have at least 225 calories per serving and a fixed quantity of proteins, vitamins, and minerals. An average consumer can gain a maximum of 35% of energy from the fat content of the product, and any presence of dairy products like milk is expected to be mentioned clearly on the product label. This is expected to increase the standards of product manufacturing and labelling practices adopted by companies, thereby leading to the North America meal replacement market expansion.

Meal replacement products are an effective solution for consumers looking to reduce their environmental footprint. These items can strengthen food supply chains and combat food insecurity. Based on market analysis, the United States discards nearly 60 million tons of food waste annually. This is roughly equal to 40% of the United States’s entire food supply, with each person discarding nearly 325 pounds of waste. Food waste accounts for 22% of the municipal solid waste discarded in US landfills and has an approximate worth of USD 218 billion, or around 130 billion meals. This has led to an increased demand for foods with long shelf lives and locally accessible ingredients, thereby favouring the North America meal replacement market dynamics.

Key Trends and Developments

Shift towards plant-based alternatives; increasing use of ponova oil; growing use of GMOs; and rising diabetes cases in the USA are the major factors driving the North America meal replacement market growth.

September 2024

Sperri, a leading Canadian plant-based meal replacement beverage manufacturer, obtained funding from Nàdarra Ventures to expand its market presence in the United States by launching its products on Amazon, a leading D2C digital brand.

March 2024

Aloha, a leading manufacturer of better-for-you plant-based protein bars, received USD 68 million of funding from Semcap Food & Nutrition, whose portfolio includes emerging food and beverage brands providing sustainable health and wellness solutions. The former has grown at a rate of 500% over 2020-23, with nearly two-thirds of its business being digital. This funding is expected to enhance its market reach, thereby increasing the North America meal replacement market value.

March 2023

In collaboration with Telviva, Aloha launched a new limited-edition protein bar featuring a blend of responsibly sourced ingredients from Hawaii, such as coffee and macadamia nuts. The Kona bar is formulated with ponova oil, which can enhance its appeal among eco-conscious consumers.

April 2020

Soylent Nutrition, Inc. relaunched its products in Canada after the Canadian Food Safety Authority permitted the company to introduce three meal replacement beverages and two powder mixes.

Shift towards plant-based alternatives

As per the Plant Based Foods Association and the Good Food Institute, the United States recorded USD 8.1 billion worth of retail sales of plant-based foods in 2023. This indicates a consumer shift towards natural and organic products.

Increasing use of ponova oil

The shift towards regenerative agricultural practices has prompted brands like Aloha to incorporate ponova oil into their protein bars. Ponova oil combines the benefits of both palm and soybean oil and can be easily cultivated on degraded lands. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids (55%), which makes it good for health.

Use of GMOs

Genetically modified organisms, which can enhance the health profile of meal replacement solutions, are expected to increase the North America meal replacement market size in the coming years. Biofortification, which involves the alteration of crop genetics to add new nutrients, is also expected to gain traction.

Rising diabetes cases in the USA

Over the past decade, the incidence of diabetes has increased by nearly 22% in the United States. Middle-aged consumers aged 45 to 64 years are over 5 times as likely as an average person to be diagnosed with diabetes. This is expected to increase the sales of meal replacement products in the coming years.

North America Meal Replacement Market Trends

In 2023, every 6 out of 10 American households purchased plant-based foods. These accounted for 1.1% of the total value of retail sales of food and beverage products in the United States. Plant-based creamers, baked items, desserts, and protein liquids and powders and liquids, witness sustained growth in value and volume of sales in 2023. This is creating a favourable North America meal replacement market outlook.

Diabetes costs nearly USD 412 billion in direct and indirect healthcare costs in the United States. As per a report in the journal Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, nearly 10 American states witnessed an increase of over 25% in the number of diabetes cases, such as Arkansas, Nebraska, Texas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Illinois, Alabama, Massachusetts, Delaware and West Virginia. In 2022, nearly 1 in 10 overweight Americans were suffering from type 2 diabetes. This has led to a rise in sales of weight loss products, which is favourably influencing the North America meal replacement market dynamics.

North America Meal Replacement Industry Segmentation

The report titled “North America Meal Replacement Market Report and Forecast 2025-2034” offers a detailed analysis of the market based on the following segments:

Breakup by Product

• Soups
• Shakes
• Others

Breakup by Purpose

• Slimming
• Body Building

Breakup by Flavour

• Vanilla
• Berry
• Chocolate
• Cookies and Cream
• Others

Breakup by Distribution Channel

• Hypermarkets/Supermarkets
• Convenience Stores
• Specialty Stores
• Online Channels
• Others

Breakup by Country

• United States of America
• Canada

North America Meal Replacement Market Share

Based on country, the market is segmented into the United States of America and Canada. The market forecast suggests that the demand for such products in Canada is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.8% between 2025 and 2034 due to rising consumers’ preference for quick and nutritious meal options. Moreover, rapid urbanisation and rising consumer disposable incomes in the United States are also expected to sustain the market growth.

Based on distribution channel, the market is divided into hypermarkets/supermarkets, convenience stores, speciality stores, and online channels, among others. Over the forecast period, online channels and speciality stores are expected to grow at a rate of 10.9% and 7.6%, respectively, between 2025 and 2034 due to the growing appeal for digital shopping experiences and the parallel rise of experiential retail.

CAGR 2025-2034 - Market by

• Distribution Channel
• Online Channels
• 10.9%
• Specialty Stores
• 7.6%

Hypermarkets/Supermarkets

• Convenience Stores
• Others

Leading Companies in the North America Meal Replacement Market

Major players are shifting towards the incorporation of plant-based ingredients into meal replacement products to enhance their appeal among eco-conscious consumers. Moreover, they are using genetically modified organisms to enhance the perceived value of their products among consumers. This has increased the North America meal replacement market revenue.

Soylent Nutrition, Inc.

Soylent Nutrition, Inc. was founded in 2013 and is based in California, United States. It specialises in producing and distributing nutritious health and wellness products worldwide.

Abbott Laboratories Limited

Abbott Laboratories Limited, established in 1888, is headquartered in Illinois, United States. It specialises in producing healthcare devices and nutritional solutions and is well-known for producing high-quality generic medicines.

GNC Holdings, LLC

GNC Holdings, LLC was founded in 1935 and is based in Pennsylvania, United States. It is involved in selling health and wellness products (including vitamins, minerals, and supplements) across 50 countries in over 9000 locations.

Kellanova

Kellanova was founded in late 2023 and is headquartered in Illinois, United States. It is a leading food and beverage manufacturing company and specialises in producing cereals, noodles, snacks, and plant-based foods.

Other players included in the North America meal replacement market report are Herbalife Nutrition Ltd., SlimFast & WorldPantry.com LLC, Nestle SA (Orgain, LLC), Vega US, LLC, Pepsico, Inc. (Cytosport, Inc.), BellRing Brands, Inc., and among others.