by Naomi Sleeper
Director of Business Development
Imperial Distributors
As the sun makes an appearance in the summer, so do we…on bike paths, hiking and running trails, waterfronts, sports fields; any outside venue, really.
The seasonal upswing in outdoor activities, enhanced by a growing focus on wellness and active lifestyles, means a boost in the increasingly favored on-the-go snack: nutrition bars.
According to a study by Mintel, U.S. nutrition bar sales are expected to increase to $6.2 billion by 2018. The nutrition bar category consists of three segments:
1. Health and Wellness Bars: primarily used as a healthy snack alternative.
2. Sports Bars: used to fill the protein and energy needs of the physically active.
3. Diet Bars: designed for diet and weight loss.
Once popular as a diet-driven meal supplement (diet bars), nutrition bars are now appealing more to a growing population of on-the-go, physically active “health-conscious” consumers.
These shoppers appreciate the grab-and-go benefit of bars to satisfy between-meal snack cravings (health and wellness bars) and activity-driven energy and nutritional needs (sports bars). As the largest and fastest growing segment in supermarkets, health and wellness bars now represent 45 percent of bar sales, while sports bars represent 37 percent of the category and diet bars trail at 18 percent. Overall, retailers are enjoying a trifecta of increased growth in health and lifestyle bars: more shoppers buying greater quantities more frequently.
Nutrition bars now meet an array of specific dietary and consumer preferences. Today’s health-conscious shoppers are opting for foods containing increased antioxidants, heart-friendly fiber, whole grains and good fats to prevent aging and life-threatening illnesses.
Many health and wellness bars boast these nutritional attributes, while many sports-related bars feature high levels of protein for optimal post-workout macronutrients. Shoppers also can find nutrition bars with a broad range of dietary specifications, including gluten-free, vegan and paleo. Brands touting real-food ingredients also target followers of the “whole food” movement.
In addition, as environmental concerns become increasingly relevant to consumers’ buying decisions, nutrition bar varieties appeal to these customer needs. A recent study reported that 54 percent of consumers wanted more sustainable protein in their diets.
In response, bar producers have been exploring new sources of lean protein sourced from plants (e.g., pea protein) and insects (e.g., cricket flour). Growth and increased demand for natural and organic products have also brought bars made with certified organic ingredients to the market.
With the increased popularity of nutrition bars and evolving consumer preferences, supermarkets are devoting from 4 feet to 24 feet of space for assortments of the three bar segments. Allocating more space to nutrition bars, with particular emphasis on increased space for energy and protein varieties, is resulting in disproportionate sales growth.
Offering full caddies of bars (particularly multipacks), rather than just individual bars, also is driving revenues while meeting shoppers’ increased per-purchase quantity demands. Finally, merchandising bars at checkout, on separate racks and in the snack aisles further contributes to incremental sales.
The nutrition bar category remains robust due to growth in healthy living, product innovation and demand for convenient, healthy snacks. Retailers’ attention to this category not only supports shoppers’ lifestyles, but also takes advantage of one of the fastest growing categories in supermarkets.
