Author: Mintel Group Ltd.
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Snack and Nutrition Bars - US - March 2014
Scope and Themes
 
What you need to know 
The US snack and nutritional bar market is forecast to grow slowly in the coming years, as the top segment—cereal and snack bars—declines and the nutritional bar segment grows rapidly but not enough to speed up overall market sales. The market is driven by demand for healthy foods, which likely hurts sales of many cereal and snack bar brands, as many contain high levels of sugar, but spurs sales of nutritional bars, which are perceived as healthier than snack and cereal bars. The growing snacking trend is also driving sales, as consumers lead busier lives and look for food products that conveniently hold them over between or occasionally take the place of meals, or provide them with a minor indulgence. This report focuses on these factors, as well as the following:

●	how demographic factors play into sales
●	how the nutritional bar segment is outpacing growth in the cereal/snack bar segment
●	the top companies in the market and their advertising and product development strategies
●	innovations in the market, including focus on all-natural, whole grain, gluten-free, and indulgent product trends
●	consumer buying behaviors, including their attitudes toward snack and nutritional bars, desired product attributes, and reasons for not buying snack and nutritional bars.

Definition 
For the purposes of this report, Mintel has used the following definitions: 

This report builds on the analysis in Mintel’s Cereal Bars and Snack Bars—US, March 2013, as well as the March 2012 and March 2010 reports of the same title, and Cereal Bars—US, November 2008, as well as the December 2007, September 2006, and September 2005 reports of the same title. For the purposes of this report, snack and nutritional bars are covered as per the following definitions:

●	cereal and snack bars, such as Nutri-Grain; and granola bars, such as Nature Valley
●	health/nutrition bars, including food bars that contain additional nutrients, such as fiber, protein, calcium, etc; bars meant for diet and weight loss/weight management, such as Slim-Fast and Zone bars; athletic bars used for fuel during athletic endeavors or to enhance physical fitness or exercise, such as PowerBar.

Excluded from this report are cookie/cake bars, nut-based confectionery bars, and other sugar confectionery.

Value figures throughout this report are at retail selling prices (rsp) excluding sales tax unless otherwise stated. 

Data sources
Sales data
Market Size, Forecast, and Segment Performance: Total retail sales based on Information Resources, Inc. InfoScan Reviews; USDA Economic Research Service; Progressive Grocer’s Consumer Expenditures Study

Retail Channels: Based on Information Resources, Inc. InfoScan Reviews; USDA Economic Research Service; Progressive Grocer’s Consumer Expenditures Study; except supermarket and drugstore sales, which are based on Information Resources, Inc. InfoScan Reviews.

Leading Companies and Brand Share: Based on MULO sales data from Information Resources, Inc. InfoScan Reviews. MULO is defined as Multi Outlet, representative of the following channels: total US Grocery, Mass, Total U.S. Drug, Total Walmart, Dollar, Military, and Club. Note that the values shown in this section differ from the Market Size/Forecast and Segment Performance sections of this report. Companies and brands sales data encompasses only sales through MULO channels, while Market Size/Forecast and Segment sales cover the entire retail market.

Consumer survey data
For the purposes of this report, Mintel commissioned exclusive consumer research through GMI to explore consumer consumption of/attitudes and behaviors toward snack and nutritional bars. Mintel was responsible for the survey design, data analysis, and reporting. Fieldwork was conducted in January 2014 among a sample of 2,000 adults aged 18+ with access to the internet.

Mintel selects survey respondents so that they are proportionally balanced to the entire US adult population based on the key demographics of gender, age, household income, and region. Mintel also slightly oversamples, relative to the population, respondents that are Hispanic or black to ensure an adequate representation of these groups in the survey results. Please note that Mintel surveys are conducted online and in English only. Hispanics who are not online and/or do not speak English are not included in the survey results.

Mintel has also analyzed data from Experian Marketing Services (EMS), using the Simmons National Consumer Study (NCS) and the Simmons National Hispanic Consumer Study (NHCS).

The Experian Marketing Services, Simmons NCS/NHCS was carried out during July 2012-September 2013 and the results are based on the sample of 24, 219 adults aged 18+, with results weighted to represent the US adult population. 

While race and Hispanic origin are separate demographic characteristics, Mintel often compares them to each other. Please note that the responses for race (white, black, Asian, Native American, or other race) will overlap those that also are Hispanic, because Hispanics can be of any race.

Abbreviations and terms
Abbreviations
The following abbreviations are used in this report: 

ALA | Alpha Lipoic Acid
AMA | American Medical Association
BFY | Better-for-You
BMI | Body Mass Index
BMX | Bicycle Motorcross
CPI | Consumer Price Index
FDA | Food & Drug Administration
FSC | Forest Stewardship Council
g | gram
GMO | Genetically Modified Organism
GNPD | Global New Products Database
GPS | Global Positioning Satellite
MULO | Multi Outlet, representative of the following channels: total U.S. Grocery, Mass, total U.S. Drug, total Walmart, Dollar, Military, and Club
NASTAR | NAtional STAndard Race
NHCS | National Consumer Study /National Hispanic Consumer Study (Experian Marketing Services)
Oz. | ounce
Q&A | Question & Answer
QR | Quick Response
rBGH | Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone
rBst | Recombinant Bovine Somatotropin
rsp | Retail selling price
URL | Internet Shortcut (file name extension)
USDA | US Department of Agriculture
XL | Extra Large
YTD | Year-to-Date

Generations are discussed within this report. They are defined as: 

World War II/Swing Generations | Members of the WWII generation were born in 1932 or before and are aged 82 or older in 2014. Members of the Swing Generation were born from 1933-1945 and are aged 68-81 in 2014.
Baby Boomers | The generation born between 1946 and 1964. In 2014, Baby Boomers are between the ages of 50 and 68.
Generation X | Born between 1977 and 1994, Millennials are aged 20 to 37 in 2014.
Millennials* | The generation born between 1977 and 1994. In 2013, Millennials are between the ages of 19 and 36.
iGeneration | Born between 1995 and 2007, members of iGen are aged 7 to 19 in 2014.
Emerging Generation | The newest generation began in 2008 as the annual number of births declined sharply with the recession. In 2014 members of this as-yet unnamed generation are under age 7.

*Also known as Generation Y or Echo Boomers; includes the oldest members of the iGeneration, aged 18-19

In order to provide an inflation-adjusted price value for markets, Mintel uses the CPI to deflate current prices. The CPI is defined as follows: 

CPI

The Consumer Price Index is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services.

The CPI and its components are typically used to adjust other economic series for price changes and to translate these series into inflation-free dollars. Examples of series adjusted by the CPI include retail sales, hourly and weekly earnings, and components of the national income and product accounts. In addition, and in Mintel reports, the CPI is used as a deflator of the value of the consumer’s dollar to find its purchasing power. The purchasing power of the consumer's dollar measures the change in the value to the consumer of goods and services that a dollar will buy at different dates. 

The CPI is generally the best measure for adjusting payments to consumers when the intent is to allow consumers to purchase, at today’s prices, a market basket of goods and services equivalent to one that they could purchase in an earlier period. It is also the best measure to use to translate retail sales into real or inflation-free dollars.

Based on Bureau of Labor Statistics definition.

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