Snack Is Booming!

Snack foods show no slowdown in growth as consumers more and more turn to convenient "eat-on-the-go" options, including substituting snacks for meals, whether it's salty, savory, sweet, or "better for you."

How big is snacking?

• 90% of U.S. consumers snack every day. (Source: "Snacking Trends" 2007)
• 21% of all "meals" are snacks. (Source: NPD 2009)

Big bucks for snack vendors and retailers.

• Consumers will spend almost $19 billion on snack foods this year with projected growth of +4.9% by 2010. (Source: Mintel/IRI/U.S. Census Bureau Consumer Expenditure Survey)

Fast-food chains jump on board by adding snack options to their menus including:

• McDonald's snack wraps.
• Taco Bell's "4th meal."
• Burger King's "sliders" or "shots."