Now that the pandemic is receding, the snack bar category has been increasing in sales. That makes sense; people are on the go more often than before (back to the office, taking road trips, etc.), and a snack bar fits the bill when consumers want a quick and/or healthy snack to stash in a purse or glove compartment.

The puffed and extruded snacks category is having a great year: all of its subcategories are up from the same time period last year, per Circana data, and consumers are returning to gatherings where snacks like Cheetos, Funyuns, and other snacks are omnipresent.

The snack nuts feature California-grown walnuts coated in the sweet heat of spicy honey.

A World of Future Tastes offers a glimpse into snack and bakery flavors to watch.

In SF&WB’s latest webinar, a Circana market expert dives into current and emerging trends.

Companies in the market for new or improved mixers for snack and bakery dough applications have displayed a recent focus on specific features and benefits. These include efficiency, cost savings, pre-hydration, handling of ancient grains, automation of processes, and stepped-up sanitation and maintenance, especially in the wake of COVID-19.

Franz Haas provides some perspective on today’s snack market, including four snack concepts that align with prevailing consumer trends.

Bakery snacks, including key segments like pastries, doughnuts, muffins, snack cakes and more, remain a staple in Americans' snacking routines. Whether shoppers are looking for an indulgent snack or a better-for-you item, there's something for everyone.

Companies who make dough handling equipment like dividers, depositors and rounders say their customers want equipment that provides safety and sanitation, automation and the resulting labor savings, gentler handling of dough, and the flexibility to run a mix of high-throughput, and smaller, niche lines, depending on the job.

Sanitation, automation, efficiency, speed, ease of cleaning, the ability to handle larger capacities, and the ability to produce clean label-foods are among the top priorities for snack food and baked goods makers seeking to purchase dividers, depositors and rounders.

Automation, advances in sanitary design, greater worker safety and additional flexibility in packaging have been among the top requests that manufacturers of cutting, slicing and portioning equipment say they've been fielding from their customers this year.

Different shapes, quicker changeovers, better sanitation, a smaller footprint, more automation, and a balance of speed and safety are among the top-of-mind criteria for customers of slicing and cutting machines in the snack and bakery industry, according to machine manufacturers.

Cost, safety, efficiency, footprint, operator familiarity, and the ability to meet regulations are among the key factors that snack and bakery facilities need to consider when deciding whether to keep and refurbish an old piece of equipment, or send it to the scrap heap and buy new.

D’vash Organics is sweetening the snack aisle with three new products lines available now in select CVS and Whole Foods stores and through Amazon.

All new Dietz & Dats have four snack pack varieties containing healthy items, including nuts, dried fruits, premium meats, and artisan cheeses.

Fruits can add a pop of color, flavor, and texture to snack and bakery products, but with consumers being more mindful of health and wellness, the use of fruits has expanded beyond the traditional uses. 

When selecting ovens and proofers, labor savings and remote monitoring are at the top of bakers and snack makers lists.

Snack and bakery companies can produce Thanksgiving shortcuts for consumers.

Grains are a fundamental ingredient for snack and bakery products. They provide taste, texture, nutritional, and functional benefits. Consumers have a growing interest in wholesome plant-based foods and ingredients

The grain-based snack and bakery industry has a number of vital, perennially important food safety issues to consider as we move into a new year. Food safety has always been important in snack and bakery facilities, and it has ramped up this year due to COVID-19, as well.

Health-conscious consumers are driving growth in grains both old and new.

Sweet is one of the five basic taste sensations. While most people enjoy sweets, they are also mindful about the amount of sugar and carbs in their diet.

An expert from the company outlines trends in sweeteners, and how producers can deliver.

Our sister mag Refrigerated & Frozen Foods has released its annual ranking of the largest frozen food companies in the U.S.

The August 20 webinar will offer insights on boosting speed and cost savings.

Pipcorn Heirloom Snacks and Spudsy announced that they have sold their assets to newly-formed UpSnack Brands.

Stellar Snacks recently debuted grain-free pretzels crafted with superfood ingredients, now officially available at select grocery stores throughout the U.S.

The new addition to the Myna Snacks lineup is made with real cheese and Italian herbs and seasonings that deliver the taste of pizza in a convenient, crispy, nutritious format.

Demonstrating how much the company has grown over the years, John B. Sanfilippo’s impressive 1-million-sq.-ft. production facility/corporate headquarters/distribution center in Elgin, Ill., is outfitted with speedy, state-of-the-art equipment and technology to produce thousands of nut products, snacks and nut mixes.

Family-owned Ballreich Bros., Tiffin, Ohio, has a large fan base that pines for its various potato chips as well as crispy new shoestring potato sticks, popcorn, pretzels and other snacks. 

Ballreich Bros.’ 75,000-sq.-ft. potato chip and snack plant churns out 2,000-5,000 lb. of product an hour. Manufacturing product on a just-in-time basis, the family owned and operated company in Tiffin, Ohio, also produces new Sweet Potato Chips and shoestring Potato Sticks in three flavors.

Snacking is really evolving this year, serving as a meal substitute in daily eating, rather than just as ‘a quick bite.’ Snacks are also becoming healthier, or at least attempting to do so. 

Using advanced technology, a cross-functional operational strategy and effective collaboration tools, Blue Diamond’s ‘dream plant,’ a multimillion-dollar almond-processing facility in Turlock, CA, is a reality. The nearly 200,000-sq.-ft. site sets new standards of excellence for food safety, processing and building innovation. 

In a move toward boldly-flavored, healthful products, manufacturers are finding innovative ways to meet the needs of consumers who favor sweet and savory bakery foods and snacks. Starting with the dessert first, familiar flavors and healthful benefits can be found in many of Wholly Wholesome’s pie products.

According to the website, ideafinder.com, we consume more than 4.3 billion lb. of snack food a year, which could be why snacks may soon end up becoming America’s favorite meal.

Harris Interactive recently released the results of its 2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend study, which analyzed the responses of more than 38,500 consumers on key measures of brand health for more than 1,500 lifestyle, product and service brands. When questioned about the brands they are likely to reach for when craving a salty snack, respondents chose Lay’s Potato Chips—the top-ranked salty snack for the past eight years—followed by two other Frito-Lay North America brands, Doritos and Tostitos.

Pretzels have been around for more than a thousand years, originating in southern Europe around 610 A.D., according to historians. Today, crispy, hard pretzels are consumed by people in many of the countries represented at the 2012 Olympics.

Rudolph Foods’ Second Annual Pork Rind Appreciation Day campaign will culminate on the biggest football day of the year 

We’re always multitasking, so when you can’t decide whether to have something sweet or savory, why not have both? Consumers can, with a variety of new sweet and savory options.

Demand for chocolate in snack and bakery items is driven by two core consumers: Luxury seekers; and healthy snack eaters who both share a common desire for great-tasting chocolate produced in a sustainable fashion. 

What entices each bite of a mini salted-maple, toasted-almond Cronut—as I recently relished at Donut Savant in Oakland, CA..

Snack producers and bakers have expanded their explorations into sweet-savory profiles, with sweet-salty, sweet-spicy and sweet-herbal all gaining favor.

The global processing and packaging provider will highlight its start-to-finish solutions for the snack industry via an interactive booth experience at SNAXPO in Houston.

The flexibility to produce different flavors, shapes, sizes and types of products is high on the list of qualities that snack and bakery makers are seeking from manufacturers offering griddle equipment and fryers.

Fryers continue to see ongoing improvements related to hygienic design, oil management and energy efficiency. Equipment suppliers are also offering models that occupy a smaller physical and carbon footprint, and that include adaptability to handle a diverse array of products.

PPM Technologies has updated its Snack Frying System.

Olli Salumeria and That's it. Fruit Bars bring new snack packs to retaill.

The companies are empowering consumers to "act" and make an impact with every bar.

The gluten- and peanut-free formulation is designed to be school-friendly.

Each box contains eight individually wrapped bites, and they are available in Apple Cinnamon and Double Chocolate flavors.