In recent years, the picks and downfalls in food trends mostly follow the social media wave, but not in this case. Bars begun as a trend but are rapidly establishing their position as a top food choice for all, healthy eating afficionados and eat-all alike. In other words, bars are here to stay.
According to Hippocrates’ famous aphorism, the secret to health is to “let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. And he should know, being the Greek “father of medicine”, the first to use prognosis and clinical observation in people, and the first to attempt a systematic categorization of diseases. But over the years the notion of what constitutes a healthy diet has been genera-ting strong controversy. Products such as bread and cow’s milk have gone from riches to rags (some of these products, albeit few, back to riches), still sparking debate. For other pro-ducts, though, there seems to be convergence of opinions.
Bars begun as a more sophisticated way to enjoy dried nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews etc.), usually combined with some oat and honey, three types of food that do good, hands down. To date, nobody challenges the fact that dried nuts, oat and honey, when consumed moderately, are excellent sources of natural fibers, vitamins, mineral and trace elements super important for our body’s proper function and overall wellbeing. This was probably the best steppingstone for the new trend: a product that is easy to carry, it is tasty, healthy, and relatively low in calories.
Claims, flavors and more
According to last April’s report by Innova Market Insights, milk chocolate is the most popular flavor for cereal and energy bars (18.2% of all launches), except for North America, where it is slightly less popular than peanut butter. Peanut is the second most popular flavor, at 8% of all launches. The next most popular flavors are almond, peanut butter, and dark chocolate, while other flavors growing in popularity since 2023 are berry, pistachio, blueberry, apple cinnamon, and banana. As for the claims, gluten-free is the most popular, seen on 35% of cereal and energy bars, followed by high source of fiber, high source of protein, vegan etc.
Diving into the Bars World
Talking a closer look at the bars world today, we see trends emerging within the trend, but before any of that, we see definite category growth: According to the latest report by Mordor Intelligence, the cereal bar market size is estimated at USD 8.92 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 11.57 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 5.32% during the forecast period (2024-2029). And this makes total sense, taking into account the hectic rhythm of everyday life and the busy schedules that try to come to terms with the need for easy-to-access and ready-to-eat nutritious food. Convenient and healthier snacking options, combined with modern consumers’ growing health consciousness, encourage manufacturers to launch new products. It would be safe to say that the following aspects help drive and further enrich the category.
Innovation: Thanks to food technology that has been making leaps, all kinds of new ingredients are being transformed in such a way as to be able to fit both the form and the fact that bars are shelf products. In addition to ingredients, other elements are also added, protein and vitamins being the top choice for many brands.
Low Sugar/No Added Sugar: Comprising mostly of naturally sweet dried fruit and dried nuts that need no added sugars, the bars were the closest thing to a desert for people who got the chills at the sound of the word “sugar”.
Different formats: when the bars trend first begun, one could usually find one or two sizes, and a limited range of flavors. During the last two years, brands have been introducing sizes to fit all, from 20g. mini bites to full 100-150g sizes.
On the go: This is the category of consumers who buy impulsively, at kiosks and smaller shops, usually between errands, jobs and places to be, people who need to eat something “here & now”, and pick a bar as a healthier alternative, compared to sweets or puff pastry products that usually contain butter, therefore saturated fat. According to market experts, these are the consumers who drive trial into the category as they are most likely to try a new flavor.
Greek brands on the rise: Given the excellent reputation of Greek products that serve as raw material for bars, such as dried nuts, fruit, honey etc., Greek companies enjoy a special momentum, which can potentially become an international exports success.
