Protein Snack Growth Outpaces Overall Snacking Category
CHICAGO — Although consumers actively seek protein on snacking occasions (36%), protein snacks make up less than a quarter (19%) of retail sales, new research from Chomps finds.
Despite the gap, protein-forward snacks are outpacing the overall snacking category three times in growth within the $126 billion snacking industry, with protein snacks accounting for $24 billion — yet the retail landscape and product innovation pipeline have struggled to keep pace with shifting consumer habits, the study revealed.
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"Consumers are actively seeking high-quality, protein-forward and real ingredient snack options, yet the snacking industry has been slow to respond with meaningful innovation," said Matt Landen, senior vice president of business development at Chomps. "At Chomps, we're seeing firsthand how new consumer groups — especially millennials, Gen Z and women — are embracing protein snacks in new ways. This is not just a trend; this is a permanent shift in how people snack."
In a study of 2,250 consumers, Chomps found:
Protein Demand vs. Fulfillment Gap
The U.S. snacking market includes seven core need states, with protein playing a major role in 36% of snacking occasions, particularly for "efficient nutrition," "healthy fuel" and "grazing satisfaction." However, protein is only being fulfilled in 19% of purchases, leaving a major opportunity for brands and retailers to close the gap.
Retail & Product Innovation Lag Consumer Demand
Protein-focused snacks are growing fast, but innovation has not kept pace. While the share of new protein-based products has nearly doubled since 2017 (now roughly 13%), it still lags behind protein's share of total sales (roughly 19%), showing the need for greater investment.
Younger Consumers Are Driving Growth
Generation Z and millennial consumers are driving protein snacking, representing roughly 34% of protein snack consumers today (vs. 29% in 2019).
GLP-1 Medications Are Changing Snacking Habits
GLP-1 users are shifting spending toward protein snacks, including meat snacks, yogurt and nutrition bars, reinforcing a broader consumer movement toward protein-forward snacking.
Snacking is Changing — And Protein is Leading the Shift
The $126 billion U.S. snacking market spans major categories such as salty snacks ($41 billion), cookies ($14 billion) and yogurt ($11 billion). Protein snacks are gaining value and volume share, reshaping the market and pushing more brands to prioritize protein innovation.
The consumer study was conducted in August 2024 and collected unique consumer survey responses, such as recent snacking occasion details like time of day, location, products and brands consumed for each to inform this work. Respondents were not affiliated with Chomps.
Chicago-based Chomps is a fast-growing food and snack brand. Crafted from 100% grass-fed, grass-finished beef and venison, and antibiotic-free turkey, each Chomps meat stick delivers 10 to 12 grams of high-quality protein without sugar, hormones, soy, dairy, artificial preservatives, artificial nitrates or MSG. As a minority-owned, family-operated business, Chomps prioritizes thoughtful sourcing and is free of the top nine allergens.