Consumers looking for a quick, convenient snack bar option are met with a host of possibilities in the market today, ranging from antioxidant-rich varieties, to cereal bars to help manage weight, to protein-rich options that would once have seemed to cater more to a muscle-bound audience. Manufacturers are turning to superfruits and added vitamins and minerals to stand out from the crowded cereal bar market, but consumers are not limiting their snacking options only to that segment.
In fact, as Packaged Facts noted in a report earlier in 2012, cereal and granola bars have met with competition from not only nutrition and energy bars, but also with an array of other snacks perceived as healthier—including cheese, yogurt and trail mixes.