Middle East and North Africa Extruded Snack Food Market - Forecast Trends, Market Size, Share and Growth Analysis Report (2025-2034)

The Middle East and North Africa extruded snack food market attained a value of USD 2.43 Billion as of 2024 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 4.00% during the forecast period of 2025 to 2034. One of the primary drivers for the Middle East and North Africa extruded snack food market is increasing demand for convenient, on-the-go snack foods, driven by hectic lifestyles and an increasing inclination towards flavored, healthy, and innovative types of snacks. The market is thus expected to reach a value of nearly USD 3.60 Billion by 2034.

Middle East and North Africa Extruded Snack Food Market Growth

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region extruded snack food market is witnessing tremendous growth, fueled by shifting consumer habits and transforming lifestyles in the region. The growing trend towards healthier snacks is one of the key drivers. As people are becoming increasingly health-aware, they are increasingly moving towards nutrition-driven snacks, including low-fat, high-protein, and gluten-free snacks. This trend is pushing manufacturers to create extruded snacks with healthier ingredients, which consumers are looking for guilt-free snacking options. B2B businesses can take advantage by providing healthier raw materials and new-age formulations, thereby promoting the growth of Middle East and North Africa extruded snack food market.

Another major driver is the increasing popularity of plant-based snacks. As the trend for vegan and plant-based diets gains momentum, there is a growing demand for plant-based extruded snacks made from ingredients like lentils, chickpeas, and quinoa. These snacks are for consumers that are looking for cruelty-free and plant-powered options. B2B players can gain by providing plant-based ingredients and assisting manufacturers in diversifying their offerings to suit this growing market. This trend is predicted to continue driving market growth in the MENA region.

Key Trends and Recent Developments

Healthier options, plant-based ingredients, convenient packaging, and bold, diverse flavour innovations catering to evolving consumer preferences are therefore shaping the Middle East and North Africa extruded snack food market dynamics and trends.

December 2024

Crunchy Food FZE expanded its product line to include premium potato twist pellets, entering the UAE market with a focus on quality and customer satisfaction. This move aligns with the increasing demand for visually appealing and flavorful extruded snacks in the region.

September 2024

Hayel Saeed Anam Group (HSA Group) acquired Kellanova’s majority stake in Bisco-Misr, a leading Egyptian biscuit manufacturer. The transaction, expected to close by Q1 2025, aims to enhance Bisco-Misr's growth and innovation in the Egyptian snack market.

February 2024

Hunter Foods introduced mushroom and okra chips at Gulfood 2024, responding to consumer demand for plant-based snacks. The UAE-based company also revamped its Hunter’s Ridges line and truffle-flavored crisps, aiming to triple sales within three years through innovation and expand market reach.

November 2022

Crunchy Food FZE launched its innovative bear-shaped potato snack pellets at the Gulfood Manufacturing exhibition in Dubai. This product features a unique recipe and is expected to be a bestseller, catering to the growing demand for creative snack shapes in the MENA region.

Health-Conscious Snacking

Consumers are moving towards healthier, low-fat, high-protein, and gluten-free extruded snacks. With increasing health trends, there is a growing demand for snacks that provide nutritional benefits without sacrificing taste. Manufacturers are looking at new ingredients such as quinoa and seeds to address these changing tastes, thus pushing the growth of the Middle East and North Africa extruded snack food market.

Plant-Based Snacks

The rise of vegan and plant-based diets is driving demand for extruded snacks made from legumes, pulses, and other plant-based ingredients. Consumers are seeking sustainable, cruelty-free alternatives, prompting snack producers to introduce plant-based snack options like lentil chips, pea crisps, and quinoa-based snacks.

Convenience and Portability

With increasing busy lifestyles, there is a need for convenience, easy-to-eat-on-the-go snacks. Single-serve packaging and resealable pouches are gaining more popularity. Convenient, portable extruded snacks are becoming a mainstream item in convenience stores and on the internet, meeting consumer demand for convenient, quick food choices, thereby helping to create new trends in the Middle East and North Africa extruded snack food market.

Flavored Extruded Snacks

Innovative and creative flavor options are at the forefront, with consumers trying new and exotic flavors. Manufacturers are emphasizing creative flavor profiles, such as spicy, sweet, and blend of savory, to meet different regional consumer preferences. This trend propels flavor experimentation and personalization in the extruded snack food market.

Middle East and North Africa Extruded Snack Food Market Trends

The Middle East and North Africa extruded snack food industry is experiencing new trends. One of the new trends is the growth of functional snacks, where foods are infused with added value such as probiotics, fiber, and adaptogens to enhance gut health, immunity, and overall wellness. This trend addresses consumer desire for snacks that provide more than flavor, thus shaping new trends in the Middle East and North Africa extruded snack food market.

Another emerging trend is sustainable packaging solutions. As more environmental issues are being raised, MENA snack producers are shifting towards green packaging materials such as biodegradable and recyclable ones to minimize their environmental impact. It appeals to the enhanced consumer need for sustainability and is part of the overall green movement in the food industry.

Middle East and North Africa Extruded Snack Food Industry Segmentation

The report titled “Middle East and North Africa Extruded Snack Food Market Report and Forecast 2025-2034” offers a detailed analysis of the market based on the following segments:

Market Breakup by Type

• Potato
• Corn
• Rice
• Tapioca
• Mixed Grains
• Others

Market Breakup by Distribution Channel

• Supermarkets/Hypermarkets
• Convenience Stores
• Specialty Food Stores
• Online Retail
• Others

Market Breakup by Country

• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates
• Egypt
• Iran
• Israel

Middle East and North Africa Extruded Snack Food Market Share

The Middle East and North Africa extruded snack food industry is witnessing significant growth in different types of snacks. Potato-based snacks remain dominant as they are well known, offer flavor variety, and have a desirable texture. As per the Middle East and North Africa extruded snack food industry analysis, potatoes are the prime ingredient in snacks such as chips, crisps, and puffs and are popular among consumers in MENA. The growth in demand for convenience snacks, coupled with innovation in tastes (including spicy, tangy, and exotic ones), has fueled the success of potato-based extruded snacks. Moreover, their ease of mass production and packaging, coupled with convenience, is complemented by the active lifestyles of MENA consumers, which has further driven their ongoing momentum.

Corn-based snacks have also seen a big push in the market, led by the growing appeal of healthier snack options. Corn is normally regarded as lighter and healthier when compared to potato, particularly among areas that have become increasingly health-conscious. High availability and value for money combined with corn's capacity to pair well with powerful flavors have placed it as the preferred snack production choice. Corn-based extruded snacks like popcorn and corn chips are growing in the MENA market, especially as health-aware consumers look for low-calorie, gluten-free substitutes to conventional potato snacks.

According to the Middle East and North Africa extruded snack food market analysis, the rice-based snack market has been on the upswing with increasing demand for gluten-free and allergen-free products. Rice, as a neutral ingredient, is easily adaptable to either savory or sweet formulations for consumers, thereby being extremely versatile. Likewise, tapioca-based and blended grain snacks are also attractive to health-oriented consumers, particularly those in search of alternative grain sources high in fiber and other nutrients. The trend toward plant-based diets and demand for functional snacks have driven growth in these segments, with manufacturers concentrating on nutrient-dense, innovative snacks that appeal to changing consumer trends toward healthier alternatives.

Competitive Landscape

Leading Middle East and North Africa extruded snack food market players are emphasizing innovation, healthy products, and flavor diversity to meet changing consumer tastes. They are looking to launch healthier snack options, including plant-based and gluten-free snacks, as well as test new and bold flavors. Sustainability is also increasingly important, with companies investing in green packaging and minimizing their carbon footprint. Through addressing these trends, Middle East and North Africa extruded snack food companies aim to increase product attractiveness and enlarge their market share within the competitive area.

Hunter Foods LLC

Founded in 1985 and with headquarters in Dubai, UAE, Hunter Foods LLC is known for its innovative, gourmet, and better-for-you snack products. Hunter Foods produces a wide variety of products such as hand-cooked potato chips, vegetable chips, quinoa chips, and organic superfoods. Hunter Foods stands out from other players in the industry by emphasizing premium quality, non-GMO ingredients, and novel flavors such as black truffle and foie gras. Their dedication to healthy snacking is reflected in their utilization of sunflower oil and lack of artificial colors and MSG. With a strong distribution network within the UAE and exports to more than 65 nations, Hunter Foods remains a leader in the MENA snack food market.

Al-Rimal Group

Established in 1990 in Sharjah, UAE, Al-Rimal Group is the leading producer of potato chip pellets and snacks across the GCC region. Al-Rimal Group makes all kinds of potato chip shapes, i.e., large flat, small flat, wavy, and ring, under 16 brands. Al-Rimal Group stands out from the rest by supplying semi-finished potato chip pellets to the producers of snacks to be customized in flavor and texture. This reflects their dedication to quality through adherence to international standards of manufacturing as well as facilities in the UAE, Iraq, and Jordan. With a personnel base of over 600 workers, Al-Rimal Group reaches customers in over 20 nations, delivering promptly through its fleet dedicated to customers.