New market data reveals a structural shift in how the UK snacks, with the healthy end of the cereal bar category powering ahead. Wholebake, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of healthy snack bars, is investing £3 million in new high-speed production lines launching later this year to meet the rising demand.
The way Britain snacks is changing. Consumers are increasingly moving away from traditional confectionery towards cleaner, more functional alternatives – choosing snacks that are higher in protein, lower in sugar, free-from and made with recognisable ingredients. The trend is clear: people are not snacking more, they are snacking better.
Wholebake is at the heart of this movement. NIQ EPOS data shows the manufacturer sold more than 145 million bars over the past year, with volume (kg) up +10% and value sales up +18.7% year on year – an acceleration from +16% the previous period, and well ahead of the wider category. Its own brands are expanding too, with Brynmor bars recently introduced into the Baltic market.
This structural change is reshaping what brands and retailers ask of their manufacturers – and it is driving significant investment across the food manufacturing industry. Wholebake is responding directly. The business is investing £3 million in two new high-speed production lines, launching later this year, which run at 360 bars per minute compared with 120 on its existing lines – a threefold increase in output. The new lines add capacity on top of current production rather than replacing it, giving customers the headroom to grow. To support the expansion, Wholebake is recruiting skilled operators and engineers, with applications welcomed at hr@wholebake.com.
The latest NIQ market data underlines the scale of the shift. The total cereal bars market is now worth £819 million over the past year and growing at +3%, up from +2.4% in the previous year. Protein bars, now worth £261 million, are growing at +8.3% year on year and account for 83% of the category’s value growth. Within everyday snacking bars, the health segment is booming, with value growth accelerating to +22.3% (from +18.6%). Strikingly, that growth has been driven by a +27% increase in average price alongside a -3.5% dip in volume – clear evidence that consumers are willing to pay more for functional, lifestyle-relevant products.
Other research points the same way. According to Mintel, 54% of UK snack eaters now snack to boost their nutritional intake and 59% seek specific health benefits, while 77% prefer products with few, recognisable ingredients. Despite cost-of-living pressures, 52% say they would pay more for healthier snack attributes.
John McMullen, Chief Executive Officer of Wholebake, commented, “The way Britain snacks is undergoing a structural shift. People aren’t snacking more, they’re snacking better, trading traditional confectionery for healthier alternatives made with ingredients they recognise. The data makes clear this is not a passing fad but a lasting change in behaviour, and one where consumers are willing to pay more for snacks that fit their lifestyle. As a manufacturer, our job is to help brands and retailers keep pace with that demand. That’s exactly why we’re investing in new high-speed production lines this year, to give our customers the capacity, quality and flexibility they need to grow in one of the fastest-moving parts of the food industry. Wholebake has spent more than 25 years building expertise in healthy snacking, and the shift we have seen in that timeframe has been monumental.”
With demand for high-protein, low-sugar, plant-based and free-from formats continuing to accelerate, and further investment planned for 2026 and beyond, Wholebake continues to strengthen its position as the manufacturer built to meet the demand reshaping the category.
For more information about Wholebake, please visit: https://www.wholebake.com
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