Packaged Pretzels Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Shape (Twists, Sticks , Minis, Others), By Type (Regular, Gluten Free), By Distribution Channel (Hypermarkets/Supermarkets, Specialty Retail Stores, Online Retail Stores , Others) And Regional Forecast, 2024-2032

In recent years, the consumption of snack-based food products is on the rise, and this growth can be attributed to the increase in stress levels owing to the busy lifestyle of the younger generation. Consumers across the globe are also looking for comfort food products such as packaged pretzels to satisfy their hunger.  

Pretzels are baked snacks, which are manufactured from wheat flour dough. These products are available in various forms and colors in the market. Pretzels are seasoned with salt, lye to provide a suitable texture and flavor to the products. The additional seasoning added in the pretzels helps improve the flavor, including the cheese, chocolate, cinnamon, and nuts, among others.

Consumers prefer snacks mainly based on the taste as well as features. Pretzels are products that are crispy and flaky, and provides a thick bite experience to the consumers. Additionally, the eating habits of consumers are slowly shifting from traditional three meals to frequent smaller meals throughout the day. This has resulted to the growth in demand for snack-based products such as pretzels.

Snack foods are associated with high levels of sodium content, which negatively affect the health of the people who consume such products. Excess consumption of sodium leads to health conditions such as high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease, stomach cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Thus, the high levels of sodium act as a major factor restraining the growth of the packaged pretzels market globally.

With the shift in consumer preferences, companies are working on developing innovative products that help them attract new customers and thereby increase their sales. This includes mixing pretzels with other products to create a new fusion of snacks. For instance, in 2018, Snyder's of Hanover and American Pretzel bakery introduced five new flavors of pretzel snacks, including Cheddar Ale Pretzel Pieces and Cinnamon & Sugar Pretzel Pieces Gluten-Free Hot Buffalo Wing Pretzel Pieces among others.

Key Players Covered:

The key players operating in the global packaged pretzels market are Snyder's-Lance, Inc., Pretzels Inc, Nestle S.A., Mars, Incorporated, J&J SNACK FOODS CORP. Other prominent players include Herr Foods Inc., PepsiCo, Auntie Anne's, Inc, and Conagra Brands, Inc.

With the adoption of automation in various food processing industries, the use of robots for the production and packaging of products has increased significantly. Hence, companies such as J&J snacks foods has started to use robots to pack soft pretzels. This also helps them to decrease the packaging time and increase the efficiency of packaging the pretzels.

Packaged pretzels are available in various forms such as twist, sticks, and others. The twist form of pretzels is more commonly available and popular in the market. Several companies are involved in developing new varieties and shapes of pretzels due to the growing demand.  

Gluten-based food products are associated with several auto-immune diseases such as celiac disease. Hence, there would be an increasing demand for gluten-free snack products such as gluten-free pretzels among health-conscious customers. These products have low-calorie content and are suitable to fight obesity.

Supermarkets account for the largest share of distribution channels for the pretzel market. These brick-and-mortar stores enable the customers to inspect the wider range of products and make an informed decision. Distribution through online channels have also increased in recent years, as it provides the option to the customer to purchase products from the comfort of their home.

Regional Analysis:

North America is expected to exhibit strong growth in the market as gluten-free pretzels are considered to be low calorie healthy snack food. Hence, health-conscious customers consider it as a better alternative among other salty snacks. Packaged pretzels also provide convenience to the customers, who lead a busy lifestyle, to consume these snacks on the go. Keeping in mind the increasing demand among the customers, companies are also bringing other new flavors of these products to attract new customers and suit the evolving customer preferences. 

Additionally, the packaged pretzels market in Asia-Pacific is also expected to register promising growth in the upcoming period. As the lifestyle of the people in this region is becoming more hectic, the demand for on-the-go food products such as pretzels is on the rise. Private companies and international brands are thus launching local flavors of pretzels in the market to attract more customers and increase their presence in the region. For instance, Aunt Anne, an American pretzel chain, is increasing its presence in the Japanese market by launching a new flavour of pretzels such as strawberry, milk cream-flavored pretzels to draw more customers.

Segmentation

Key Industry Developments

• In 2021, Ben’s Soft Pretzel, a US based company, announced the launch of a new store in Owensboro, Kentucky, US.