Snack Food Manufacturers

The 626 snack food manufacturers in the US produce a variety of salty snacks, including nuts, chips, popcorn, pretzels, peanut butter, and other grain or seed-based snack foods. Related product categories include dried and dehydrated foods and confectionary products. The industry does not include crackers or cookies.

Large Firms Dominate

The snack food industry is highly concentrated; the 50 largest companies account for 86% of revenue, and the top four companies account for 50%.

Health Concerns

The nutritional content of traditional salty snacks, such as chips and pretzels, has come under public scrutiny due to the connections between processed foods and the rising incidence of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Jul 30, 2026 - Snacking With Health Benefits in Mind

• Circana's 2026 Global Snack Unwrap report shows the US snack market grew 3.2% over the past year to $231 billion as consumers increasingly replace meals with snacks and prioritize products that deliver health benefits, Supermarket News reports. More than half of US consumers now eat three or more snacks daily, while growing use of GLP-1 weight-loss medications is shifting demand toward protein-rich, high-fiber, and nutrient-dense snacks and away from chocolate, sweets, and fried products. For snack food manufacturers, the trends favor investment in functional ingredients, smaller portion sizes, and products that support energy, digestion, and weight management. At the same time, manufacturers must balance demand for premium flavors and clean-label products with growing competition from private-label brands and optimize product information to improve visibility in AI-powered shopping searches, according to the report.
• In a pivot to functional snacking, PepsiCo is cutting nearly 20% of its SKUs in the US, Washington Morning reports. PepsiCo’s move to streamline its snack portfolio signals broader shifts impacting the snack food manufacturers. By eliminating underperforming SKUs, the soda-and-snack giant is prioritizing operational efficiency, cost control, and margin protection amid inflation and rising supply chain complexity. This approach allows manufacturers to focus production, distribution, and marketing on high-volume, high-margin products, improving inventory management and retailer relationships. PepsiCo’s snack reset also reflects changing consumer preferences, as demand shifts toward healthier, simpler, and functional snacks. Manufacturers may need to reduce legacy or niche offerings to free up resources and shelf space for innovation aligned with wellness trends. Changing consumer eating habits and economic pressures are pushing brands to focus on top-performing brands and SKUs and become more data-driven and selective, while balancing cost pressures and changing consumer preferences.
• New research from consumer insights firm Circana finds that households using GLP-1 medications for weight‑loss or diabetes are projected to account for 35% of all US food and beverage units sold by 2030, up from about 23% at present. Because GLP‑1 users are increasingly focused on weight management, their shopping patterns are shifting dramatically. They’re buying fewer carb- and sugar-heavy snacks, while favoring higher‑protein, high‑fiber, and healthy‑fat foods. Even though their total retail food spending dips, they still outspend non-users overall. For snack‑food manufacturers, especially those reliant on sugary, high‑carb snacks, this trend signals reduced demand. To stay relevant, companies will likely need to reformulate or expand into products aligned with health‑centered, high‑protein, low‑sugar diets and adjust their marketing to appeal to this growing group of shoppers.
• Producer prices for snack food manufacturers fell 1.2% in June compared to a year ago, after rising 2.4%% in the previous June-to-June annual comparison, according to the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. At retail, snack prices rose 1.3% year over year in June and 0.2% versus May, according to the Labor Department’s June 2026 Consumer Price Index report. Employment by the industry shrank 4.2% YoY in May, while the average wage at food manufacturers rose 2% YoY in June to a new high of $24.54 per hour, BLS data show. Producer prices and wages at snack food manufacturers are at or near record high levels amid declining after-tax profits for food companies.

Industry size & Structure

The average snack food manufacturer employs 104 workers and generates $68.9 million annually.

• The snack food manufacturing industry comprises about 626 firms that employ 65,200 workers and generate $43 billion annually.
• The industry is highly concentrated; the top 50 companies account for 86% of industry revenue.
• The biggest firms with snack food manufacturing operations are multinational companies with large portfolios of food and beverage products and include PepsiCo (Frito-Lay), Hormel (Planters, Corn Nuts, Skippy), and Campbell's (Pepperidge Farm, Snyder’s-Lance, Cape Cod and Kettle Brand potato chips).
• Roasted nut and peanut butter manufacturers account for 36% of firms and 33% of industry revenue.
• Other snack food manufacturers account for 64% of firms and 67% of revenue.