Snacks in 2025: The big picture
The snacks market in New Zealand is entering a phase of cautious recovery in 2025, as economic headwinds begin to moderate and consumer behaviour adjusts to a new normal. While elevated living costs and high interest rates continue to influence household budgets, signs of inflationary easing and stabilised supply chains are fostering a more favourable trading climate. This has led to a gradual rebound in retail volume sales across core snacks categories, although demand remains below pre-pandemic highs. Consumers are still spending carefully, but their snacks purchases are now guided more by value-for-money perceptions than pure necessity, with multipacks, bulk formats, and private label options gaining ground.
Key trends in 2025
The redefinition of traditional snacking occasions continues to gain momentum in New Zealand, driven by the resurgence of structured routines linked to back-to-school and return-to-office dynamics. As consumers adapt to busier lifestyles, there is heightened demand for convenient, on-the-go formats that fit seamlessly into lunchboxes and which are suitable for eating while commuting and pursuing active schedules. In response, manufacturers are innovating with portable, portion-controlled, and nutritionally balanced offerings such as breakfast bars, mini biscuit packs, and shelf-stable fruit snacks. These formats cater not only to impulse snacking but also to planned, functional consumption throughout the day.
Competitive Landscape
Mondelez New Zealand continues to hold the leading position in the country’s snacks market, supported by a balanced strategy that combines portfolio strength, local investment, and long-term brand equity. With a powerhouse portfolio including Cadbury, Pascall, Oreo, and The Natural Confectionery Co, Mondelez maintains strong consumer penetration across both indulgent and health-aligned snacking occasions. These brands have become household staples in New Zealand, offering a wide range of options that cater to evolving consumer preferences, from occasional treats to everyday functional snacking. Strategic moves such as the acquisition of Gourmet Food Holdings have further expanded Mondelez’s footprint in the premium and wellbeing segments, reinforcing its leadership across a diverse range of snacks categories.
Channel developments
Supermarkets continue to serve as the primary destination for snacks purchases in New Zealand, cementing their position as the most influential and resilient channel within the category. In a climate of elevated cost-of-living pressures, supermarkets have strengthened their dominance by offering a compelling mix of affordability, accessibility, and a broad product assortment. Their ability to seamlessly integrate leading brands, health-forward innovations, and value-driven private label lines allows them to meet the needs of both budget-conscious and quality-seeking shoppers. Retail giants such as Woolworths New Zealand and Foodstuffs have strategically expanded their category influence by refining on-shelf curation, accelerating health-focused innovation, and deploying high-impact promotional tactics ranging from multi-buys and price rollbacks to loyalty-linked discounts.
What next for snacks?
Over the forecast period, New Zealand’s snacks market is projected to maintain steady value growth, underpinned by a further recovery in volume demand as economic conditions stabilise. While easing inflation and improved consumer confidence are expected to support purchasing behaviours, unit prices are expected to remain volatile over the forecast period, primarily due to sustained external pressures such as climate change and ongoing geopolitical tensions. These factors continue to disrupt global commodity supply chains particularly for inputs like cocoa, dairy, and grains leading to fluctuations in production costs.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Snacks industry in New Zealand with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
Key trends are clearly and succinctly summarised alongside the most current research data available. Understand and assess competitive threats and plan corporate strategy with our qualitative analysis, insight and confident growth projections.
Data and analysis in this report provides further detailed coverage dedicated to a comprehensive range of core packaged food categories.
If you're in the Snacks industry in New Zealand, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty.
The Snacks in New Zealand report includes:
- Analysis of key supply-side and demand trends
- Detailed segmentation of international and local products
- Historic volume and value sizes, company and brand market shares
- Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth
- Robust and transparent research methodology, conducted in-country
This report answers:
- What is the market size of Snacks in New Zealand?
- Which are the leading brands in Snacks in New Zealand?
- How are products distributed in Snacks in New Zealand?
- How is the rise of e-commerce and/or the expansion of modern grocery retail impacting traditional retail?
- What are the key health and wellness concerns driving, or challenging, sales in Snacks?
- How significant are vegan and vegetarian dietary requirements in determining sales growth in New Zealand?
- How has COVID-19 impacted consumer demand? To what extent have lockdown, home seclusion and stockpiling boosted sales? Will the longer term economic repercussions of the pandemic stimulate or suppress future growth?
- Where is future growth expected to be most dynamic?
- How significant will values-based claims, such as sustainability and ethical labelling, be in supporting future growth and brand equity?
Snacks in New Zealand
Snacks in 2025: The big picture
Key trends in 2025
Competitive Landscape
Channel developments
What next for snacks?
DISCLAIMER
Chocolate Confectionery in New Zealand
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Cocoa prices rise forcing companies to rethink their strategies
Whittakers benefits from strong brand equity, innovation and local authenticity
Supermarkets remains the key channel for chocolate lovers
Cost pressures could push players to adjust their long-term strategies
Experiential retail could reshape the market for premium chocolate confectionery
Health and wellness set to redefine chocolate innovation
Gum in New Zealand
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Shifting from impulse refreshment to functional wellness driven by innovation and routine recovery.
Wrigley leads gum thanks to local investment and functional innovation
Grocery retailers drive gum sales as routine and impulse behaviours converge
Consolidated market, rising health demands, and evolving retail dynamics shape trajectory
Functional gum set to unlock growth opportunities
Sustainability will become a growing focus
Sugar Confectionery in New Zealand
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Sugar confectionery sales supported by positioning as an affordable indulgence
Mondelez defends its lead while Morinaga sets the pace for innovation and growth
Supermarkets and convenience retailers dominate sales
Volume sales set for full recovery
Convenience retailers emerges as a strategic growth channel for sugar confectionery
Health-led innovation reshaping the future of sugar confectionery
Ice Cream in New Zealand
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Take-home formats drive ice cream sales
Froneri dominates while Fonterra stands out thanks to premium innovation
Supermarkets benefit from success of premium and value-driven take-home formats
Format-led innovation and premiumisation to drive steady value growth
Plant-based ice cream holds long-term potential but obstacles remain
E-commerce set for bigger role in take-home ice cream
Savoury Snacks in New Zealand
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Savoury snacks expanding with a greater focus on healthier options
Bluebird Foods leads while Arnott’s drives growth through innovation
Supermarkets strengthens its grip on savoury snacks
Health-forward snacking set to reshape category growth
Savoury snacks set for a greener future as sustainability comes to the fore
Rising momentum for high protein and gluten-free claims
Sweet Biscuits, Snack Bars and Fruit Snacks in New Zealand
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Demand for on-the-go nutrition driving strong growth in snack bars
Griffins Foods and Arnott's New Zealand collectively dominate sales
Supermarkets retain their dominance
Growth set to be fuelled by health, convenience and value-led innovation
Rejuvenation of fruit snacks with healthier options hitting the market
Experiential snacking and the rise of at-home bake-it-yourself options
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Snacks
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- Chocolate Pouches and Bags
- Boxed Assortments
- Chocolate with Toys
- Countlines
- Seasonal Chocolate
- Tablets
- Other Chocolate Confectionery
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- Bubble Gum
- Chewing Gum
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- Boiled Sweets
- Chewy Candies
- Gummies and Jellies
- Liquorice
- Lollipops
- Medicated Confectionery
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- Power Mints
- Standard Mints
- Toffees, Caramels and Nougat
- Other Sugar Confectionery
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- Frozen Yoghurt
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- Single Portion Dairy Ice Cream
- Single Portion Water Ice Cream
- Plant-based Ice Cream
- Unpackaged Ice Cream
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- Bulk Dairy Ice Cream
- Ice Cream Desserts
- Multi-Pack Dairy Ice Cream
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- Bulk Water Ice Cream
- Multi-Pack Water Ice Cream
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- Nuts, Seeds and Trail Mixes
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- Potato Chips
- Tortilla Chips
- Puffed Snacks
- Rice Snacks
- Vegetable, Pulse and Bread Chips
- Savoury Biscuits
- Popcorn
- Pretzels
- Meat Snacks
- Seafood Snacks
- Other Savoury Snacks
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- Dried Fruit
- Processed Fruit Snacks
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- Cereal Bars
- Protein/Energy Bars
- Fruit and Nut Bars
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- Chocolate Coated Biscuits
- Cookies
- Filled Biscuits
- Plain Biscuits
- Wafers
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This report originates from Passport, our Snacks research and analysis database.
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