The snacks industry in 2025 is being reshaped by major mergers and acquisitions, with leading companies driving growth through strategic investments, innovation, and brand reinvestment. Value and sustainability remain central as top players prioritise affordability and operational investments to meet evolving consumer expectations. Meanwhile, health and wellness as well as cultural relevance are becoming increasingly needed to maintain competitive advantage in this challenging environment.
Delivery
This report comes in PPT.
Key findings
Major M&A activity is reshaping industry rankings
The snacks industry is undergoing significant consolidation through mergers and acquisitions. Notably, Mars’s acquisition of Kellanova is expected to unlock new sweet and savoury capabilities, and Unilever’s spin-off of its ice cream division (TMICC) and PepsiCo’s acquisition of Siete Foods are set to reshape the competitive landscape and drive focused growth in key categories.
Players are strategically focused on health, wellness, and cultural relevance
Industry leaders are adapting to evolving consumer preferences by investing in health and wellness, launching better-for-you products, and leveraging cultural snacking strategies. PepsiCo and Mondelez are modernising their brands and product assortments, while Mars and Ferrero are driving holistic snacking strategies that emphasise sustainability, innovation, and relevance.
Delivering consumer value remains essential amid ongoing budget pressures
As affordability concerns rise globally, snack companies are refining their value propositions to prevent consumer trade-offs. Strategies include offering value packs, optimising product assortments, and leveraging AI for cost efficiencies. PepsiCo, for instance, is focusing on value packs and smart pricing, while Hershey is mitigating cocoa price impacts through shrinkflation and reformulations.
Innovation is critical for growth, but funnels tighten with the support of quality frameworks
Top companies are reinvesting in brands through rebranding, product extensions, and strategic channel distribution. Mars’s M&M’s loyalty programme exemplifies efforts to secure consumer loyalty and drive sales. Innovation funnels are tightening as companies seek to optimise assortments and respond to pricing pressures and supply chain challenges.
Sustainability is central to industry leadership operations
Leading snack companies are prioritising sustainability through investments in regenerative agriculture, supply transparency, and labour wellness. Nestlé, for example, is reducing wastage through new chocolate production methods. The industry’s commitment to “better for me, better for planet” propositions aims to secure stable supply chains and meet higher expectations.
Scope
Key snacks market strategies
Key findings
Ferrero and Nestlé swap rank, Mars to see Kellanova boost, and Lindt rises to top 10
Big M&A moves expected to consolidate and reshape the snacks industry’s top ranks
Strategic industry actions and consumers’ resilient value in snacks drives more growth
More purposeful actions are needed in a time when value scrutiny is elevated
Leading players lean into unique strategies to make their snacks share robust
Manufacturers boost brand investment and upbrand in view of affordability concerns
Some shake-up to the industry top 10 is expected for a number of players
PepsiCo’s modernisation strategy spans across its branding, products, and marketing
PepsiCo advances cultural snacking and health and wellness strategy to maintain lead
Mondelez ranks second in overall snacking with a strong brand portfolio and footprint
The company’s category focus, omnipresence, and pack strategy hold its strong share
Mars maintains its leading industry rank with potentially stronger play in the future…
…finding premium pockets and driving cultural and holistic snacking strategies
Ferrero continues to grow industry share, in part through strategic acquisitions
The company is also backing its biggest brands and markets with strong innovation
Nestl é’s Kit Kat and self-named brand drive growth for the company
Nestl é is also increasing marketing spend and tightening its innovation funnel
The Magnum Ice Cream Company, now as its own entity, set to push ice cream growth
Hershey’s sweet and salty portfolio impacted by pricing, wellness, and shopper shifts
Kellanova and Lindt hold category leadership ranks – driving category growth
Lindt and General Mills act on the need for levelled-up productivity
Projected company sales: FAQs
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