The COVID-19 pandemic has been a disaster for so many industries, but snack food products actually prospered during the chaos that defined 2020.

While global health experts agree that eating more plants is the single most important action people can take to enjoy happier, healthier lives, nine out of 10 Americans aren’t eating enough fruits and vegetables. NowThe California Walnut Board has partnered with the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) to introduce Have A Plant®: The Plant-Forward Eating Guide.

Whether it’s for a nutritious treat, comfort from stress, or a quick meal, US consumers increasingly turn to fruits, nuts, and ready-to-eat snack foods throughout the day, reports The NPD Group. Over the past five years, Americans added 25 between-meal snacking occasions per capita, from 505 between-meal snacking occasions per capita in 2015 to 530 in 2020, and consumption of snack foods at meals increased from 21% of eatings in 2010 to 26% in 2020.

The Takis® brand known for the iconic spicy rolled tortilla chip with intense flavor, announced a new addition to its snack portfolio – Takis® Hot Nuts. The daring taste that Takis® snacks fans know is expanding to the snack nuts category.

Prepared Foods showcases new products featuring nuts making a debut in October 2020.

The new nut snacks are available in five varieties, including Dry Roasted Peanuts, Honey Roasted Peanuts, Dry Roasted Sunflower Seed Kernels, Whole Cashews and Dry Roasted Almonds.

Mount Franklin Foods, LLC, a manufacturer of high-quality confections, nut products, mints and culinary plant-based proteins, announces it has acquired, through its affiliate, the assets and book of business from ARRO Food Processing Division, based in Hodgkins, Ill., and ARRO Ingredients Division, headquartered in Chicago.

For the first time, Mars Chocolate North America let consumers select the name of a new SNICKERS product through an exclusive vote on the brand’s Facebook page.

The acquisition includes a leased facility in Seattle and will add approximately 150 employees. The transaction, which is expected to close by the middle of September, is not anticipated to have a material impact on Smucker’s fiscal 2015 financial results.

Lofthouse Cookies, a brand of ConAgra Foods, Inc., announced that the brand’s main bakery in Ogden, Utah, completed a transition to becoming a nut-free facility on July 1.