Snack Food Manufacturers NAICS 31191

Sep 30, 2025 - New SBA Loan Program

• The US Small Business Administration has launched what it calls its first-ever loan program dedicated to supporting America’s small manufacturers by providing additional credit for working capital needs. Effective Oct. 1, the Manufacturers' Access to Revolving Credit (MARC) Loan Program will provide a maximum of $5 million to borrowers engaged in manufacturing (NAICS 31-33), according to the agency. The money must be used for working capital needs, such as inventory purchases or new projects. MARC capital can be structured as a term loan for up to 10 years or a revolving line of credit for up to 20 years. MARC loans can be used in combination with other SBA and conventional commercial loans. The new working capital loan program is part of the Trump administration’s larger effort to strengthen US manufacturing.
• Nearly half (48.8%) of US consumers snack three or more times per day, up 2.7% over last year, according to a new report from market research firm Circana. Circana’s Snack Unwrap report published in April found consumers between the ages of 18-44 are the most frequent snackers. Nearly two-thirds of consumers (63.7%) say they want snacks that provide an energy boost, and 61.4% want high-protein snacks. The top categories for unit growth per the report are yogurt and yogurt drinks (up 4.9% year over year), followed by dried meat snacks, and crackers and frozen fruits. Chocolate posted the largest unit sales decline (down 3.4%). Given inflation’s impact on food prices, it’s no surprise that the retail channels that saw the largest rise in unit sales were dollar stores, up 6.6% YoY, and buy-in-bulk club stores, up 3.9%, last year.

• A growing emphasis on health and wellness among consumers is transforming the snacking industry, according to the Food & Flavour Outlook 2025 by food ingredient maker Griffith Foods. Consumers today are looking for snacks that do more than just taste good and satisfy hunger. Instead, they’re shopping for functional snacks that offer health benefits, leading to a rise in so-called functional snacking, with ingredients intended to enhance mental clarity, boost immunity, or improve digestion. Examples include gut-friendly snacks like granola bars infused with probiotics, fermented vegetable chips, yogurt-covered nuts, and collagen-boosting treats, according to Griffith Foods. As a result, start-up companies and major players like Mondelez and Nestlé are investing heavily in functional snack innovation. A report from The Business Research Company predicts that the global functional food market will reach $315 billion this year.
• Producer prices for snack food manufacturers rose 1.5% in August compared to a year ago, after rising 4.3% in the previous August-versus-August annual comparison, according to the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Employment by the industry shrank 1.2% year over year in July, while average wages at food manufacturers rose 2% YoY in August to $23.98 per hour, easing from their record high in January, BLS data show. Prices and wages at snack food manufacturers are near record high levels despite declining food industry sales, which fell 2.9% YoY in Q2 and eased 1.1% from Q1, Census Bureau figures show.