Where the Gains Are
C-store sales of bars rose nearly 6%, according to IRI, with units up almost 3%. What IRI defines as nutritional/intrinsic health value bars—brands such as Clif, Kellogg’s Special K Protein, PowerBar and Kind—saw sales rise nearly 10% in 2014.
Nielsen divides the bar category somewhat differently but shows a similar growth trajectory, with dollars up more than 6% for the 52 weeks ending Jan. 17, 2015. The energy segment and healthy snack posted the biggest gains in c-stores during this time period.
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 28, 2014
| Bar type | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA* | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA* |
| Nutritional/intrinsic health value | $510.0 | 9.8% | 245.7 | 8.7% |
| Breakfast/cereal/snack | $162.4 | -0.3% | 142.3 | -2.8% |
| Granola | $96.0 | -2.6% | 120.4 | -1.2% |
| Total (including types not shown) | $772.0 | 5.8% | 510.3 | 2.9% |
Source: IRI
* Percent change from a year ago
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Jan. 17, 2015
| Bar type | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA* | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA* |
| High protein | $174.9 | 2.4% | 62.4 | 3.7% |
| Energy | $113.6 | 8.9% | 60.8 | 6.3% |
| Healthy snack | $70.1 | 26.0% | 37.6 | 23.1% |
| Diet plans | $58.4 | -4.6% | 30.6 | -5.5% |
| Total | $417.1 | 6.4% | 191.4 | 6.1% |
Sources: The Nielsen Co., U.S. Nutrition
* Percent change from a year ago
Market Share by Bar Type
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 28, 2014
Nutritional/intrinsic health value bars supplied nearly two-thirds of c-store bar dollar sales and just under half of unit sales, per IRI.
| Bar type | Dollar share | Unit share |
| Nutritional/intrinsic health value | 66.1% | 48.1% |
| Breakfast/cereal/snack | 12.4% | 27.9% |
| Granola | 21.0% | 23.6% |
| Other | 0.5% | 0.4% |
Source: IRI
Category Management Best Practice
The morning snacking occasion has a healthful skew, so retailers should consider a separate, dedicated set for breakfast and nutrition products near the coffee bar, separate from cookies and crackers.
“Breakfast snacks tend to be highly impulsive, and convenience shoppers are coming in looking for fast solutions,” says Kelly Fulford, category development manager for General Mills Convenience.
“In the morning consumers are not going as deep into the store, and they are not spending as much time in the store as in the afternoon. Convenience retailers should use coffee as a key destination and merchandise their ‘breakfast on the go’ category as close to coffee as possible, knowing that consumers will be most receptive after completing their coffee mission and on their path to purchase.”
CONTINUED: Snack Bar Sales Trends
Nutrition-Bar Trends
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Jan. 17, 2015
Clif and Kind brands saw the biggest c-store sales gains among nutrition bars in 2014, according to Nielsen figures.
Manufacturers
| Manufacturer | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA* | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA* |
| Clif Bar Inc. | $107.2 | 24.3% | 54.2 | 23.1% |
| Post Holdings Inc. | $86.5 | -8.5% | 36.4 | -11.8% |
| Kellogg Co. | $62.2 | -5.5% | 32.7 | -6.1% |
| U.S. Nutrition | $55.2 | -4.3% | 18.6 | -1.9% |
| Kind LLC | $33.1 | 106.2% | 16.5 | 106.9% |
Sources: The Nielsen Co., U.S. Nutrition
* Percent change from a year ago
Brands
| Brand | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA* | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA* |
| Clif | $106.5 | 24.7% | 53.8 | 23.4% |
| PowerBar | $60.3 | -4.2% | 28.3 | -8.7% |
| Kellogg’s Special K Protein | $58.0 | -2.4% | 30.6 | -3.3% |
| MET-Rx | $47.1 | -1.5% | 15.0 | 1.2% |
| Kind | $33.1 | 106.2% | 16.5 | 106.9% |
| Supreme Protein | $26.0 | -17.1% | 8.1 | -21.4% |
| Detour | $13.9 | -14.7% | 4.3 | -15.0% |
| Power Crunch | $7.6 | 14.9% | 3.8 | 17.8% |
| Quest Bar | $6.5 | ** | 2.2 | ** |
| Marathon | $6.1 | -21.8% | 3.0 | -20.3% |
Sources: The Nielsen Co., U.S. Nutrition
* Percent change from a year ago
** Increase greater than 1,000%
UPCs
| UPC | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA* | Unit volume (millions) | PCYA* |
| Clif (white chocolate macadamia nut, 2.4-oz.) | $21.2 | 21.5% | 11.2 | 21.9% |
| Kellogg’s Special K Protein (strawberry, 1.59-oz.) | $20.6 | 1.4% | 10.9 | 0.3% |
| Clif (chocolate brownie, 2.4-oz.) | $19.6 | 21.6% | 10.4 | 22.1% |
| Clif (peanut butter, 2.4-oz.) | $19.6 | 14.2% | 10.4 | 14.1% |
| Kellogg’s Special K Protein (chocolate peanut butter, 1.59-oz.) | $16.6 | -10.1% | 8.8 | -11.0% |
| PowerBar Protein Plus (chocolate peanut butter, 2.75-oz.) | $16.5 | 15.3% | 6.6 | 13.4% |
| MET-Rx Big 100 (chocolate chip cookie dough, 3.52-oz.) | $14.4 | -0.1% | 4.5 | 2.9% |
| PowerBar Protein Plus (vanilla, 2.12-oz.) | $12.6 | 11.1% | 5.0 | 10.2% |
| MET-Rx Big 100 Colossal (Super Cookie Crunch, 3.52-oz.) | $12.3 | 14.7% | 3.9 | 18.5% |
| Supreme Protein (caramel nut chocolate, 1.75-oz.) | $11.7 | -13.7% | 3.6 | -18.7% |
Sources: The Nielsen Co., U.S. Nutrition
* Percent change from a year ago
Consumer in Focus
According to Mintel’s latest report on the bar category, consumers who buy cereal or snack bars have a few key health attributes on their mind when making their choices. These include (in order of importance) high protein and fiber content, low/no/reduced fat/calories and sugar, and added vitamins and minerals.
Of those consumers who have not bought a bar in the past three months, the top reason was because of price. “This suggests that more expensive brands can do more to show how their products represent value in some other way, such as using natural/organic ingredients or being more convenient than other brands,” the Mintel report says.
Breakfast/Cereal/Snack and Granola-Bar Trends
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Dec. 28, 2014
Breakfast and granola bar sales were soft in c-stores in 2014, although a few of the top brands saw growth, according to IRI.
Breakfast/Cereal/Snack-Bar Brands
| Brand | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA* | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA* |
| Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats | $62.6 | 6.5% | 49.8 | 3.3% |
| Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Bars | $29.7 | -4.5% | 33.1 | -5.1% |
| General Mills Golden Grahams Treats | $11.3 | -19.7% | 8.3 | -20.6% |
| General Mills Lucky Charms Treats | $8.7 | -13.3% | 6.2 | -14.1% |
| General Mills Cinnamon Toast Crunch Treats | $7.8 | 2.2% | 5.5 | 1.0% |
| Total (including brands not shown) | $162.4 | -0.3% | 142.3 | -2.8% |
Source: IRI
* Percent change from a year ago
Granola-Bar Brands
| Brand | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA* | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA* |
| Nature Valley | $37.8 | -6.8% | 43.8 | -8.4% |
| Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut | $26.8 | 8.0% | 29.9 | 7.3% |
| Sunbelt | $13.8 | 12.0% | 28.1 | 11.1% |
| Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix | $7.9 | -3.4% | 9.2 | -3.5% |
| Quaker Big Chewy | $2.5 | -11.2% | 2.7 | -10.4% |
| Total (including brands not shown) | $96.0 | -2.6% | 120.4 | -1.2% |
Source: IRI
* Percent change from a year ago
High-Protein Trends
C-store sales, 52 weeks ending Jan. 17, 2015
Clif and Power Crunch brands saw c-store sales gains in the 52 weeks ending Jan. 17, 2015, according to Nielsen.
| Brand | C-store sales ($ millions) | PCYA* | Unit sales (millions) | PCYA* |
| MET-Rx | $46.5 | -2.5% | 14.8 | 0.1% |
| PowerBar | $36.6 | 5.4% | 14.7 | 4.5% |
| Supreme Protein | $26.0 | -17.1% | 8.1 | -21.4% |
| Clif | $20.4 | 43.3% | 8.3 | 39.0% |
| Detour | $13.9 | -14.7% | 4.3 | -15.0% |
| Power Crunch | $7.6 | 14.9% | 3.8 | 17.8% |
| Quest Bar | $6.5 | ** | 2.2 | ** |
| Gatorade Recover | $4.7 | ** | 2.0 | ** |
| Muscle Milk | $4.1 | -23.6% | 1.4 | -26.6% |
| Pure Protein | $3.1 | -32.7% | 1.0 | -27.8% |
| UPC | ||||
| PowerBar Protein Plus (chocolate peanut butter, 2.75-oz.) | $16.5 | 15.3% | 6.6 | 13.4% |
| MET-Rx Big 100 (chocolate chip cookie dough, 3.52-oz.) | $14.4 | -0.1% | 4.5 | 2.9% |
| PowerBar Protein Plus (vanilla, 2.12-oz.) | $12.6 | 11.1% | 5.0 | 10.2% |
| MET-Rx Big 100 Colossal (Super Cookie Crunch, 3.52-oz.) | $12.3 | 14.7% | 3.9 | 18.5% |
| Supreme Protein (caramel nut chocolate, 1.75-oz.) | $11.7 | -13.7% | 3.6 | -18.7% |
| Total (including UPCs not shown) | $174.9 | 2.4% | 62.4 | 3.7% |
Sources: The Nielsen Co., U.S. Nutrition
* Percent change from a year ago
** Increase greater than 1,000%
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