Chomps Study Highlights Unmet Demand for Protein Snacks

A new study from Chomps explores consumer demand for high-protein snack options versus the fulfillment gap in the U.S. snacking market.

Of the findings, the snack brand found that consumers actively seek protein in 36% of snacking occasions, but protein snacks currently make up only 19% of retail sales.

Despite this gap, protein-rich snacks are growing at a rate three times faster than the overall U.S. snack market, which is valued at $126 billion, according to Chomps’ results. 

Protein snacks specifically make up $24 billion of that total. Other major categories in the market include salty snacks ($41B), cookies ($14B) and yogurt ($11B). 

Chomps infers that despite this rise in consumer demand, retailers and product developers have been slow to adapt and keep up with changing consumer habits.

Key findings from the study include:

• Younger Consumers Leading Growth: Gen Z and Millennial consumers are driving high-protein snacking, representing about 34% of protein snack consumers today (compared to 29% in 2019).
• GLP-1 Medications Influencing Choices: GLP-1 users are shifting spending toward protein-focused snacks, including meat snacks, yogurt and nutrition bars, indicating a broader consumer movement.
• Innovation: The share of new protein-based products has nearly doubled since 2017 (now approximately 13%).
• Unmet Demand: The U.S. snacking market includes seven core “need states,” with protein playing a particularly key role in consumers’ search for “efficient nutrition,” “healthy fuel” and “grazing satisfaction.”