Smarter snacking starts here

Small bites, big opportunity

Create the snacks consumers crave

Today’s consumers want more from the foods they eat—and that includes their snacks, too. People are looking for snacks that are more filling, sustainable, convenient, great tasting and full of trusted ingredients that give us the nutritional benefits we prioritize for our health. As the American snack food market grows – $53 billion in 2025, with a projected growth of 1.4% in 2026¹– you need the right mix of ingredients and insights to take advantage of new opportunities in snacking.

Today’s snacks are no longer just a quick treat or a bridge between meals.

Consumers’ lives are busier than ever and meals are continuing to get smaller. That means people are looking for portable, portion-controlled foods that can sustain them on the go—whether it’s for wellness, comfort or convenience. And with recent disruptions in the market like the increasing use of GLP-1 medications and a desire for cleaner eating, formulating snacks that win on shelf is becoming more complex.

Snacks optimized with trusted ingredients – like chickpea, lentils and gluten-free grains – help shoppers get more of the benefits they expect from the foods they’re eating. Today’s consumer is seeking 7.82 benefits from their food, and for those taking a GLP-1 medication, that number rises to 9.33. At Ardent Mills, we see snacking as more than a traditional treat. It’s an opportunity to provide desired nutrition, memorable sensory experiences and trusted product performance—stacking your snacks with more of what consumers want and that help you build your brand in this growing category.

The fastest growing snacking motivation?

The snacks that succeed today? They’re full of functional benefits, support new consumer wellness habits and are made with trusted ingredients that align with nutritional goals. On top of it all, they’ve got to taste great. What can your brand do to tap into these opportunities?

With smarter snacks, there's no drawbacks

The Ardent Mills Insights Team understands the snacking market. We’ve uncovered trends that can point to new opportunities for your portfolio and your brand. From breaking down snacking occasions to understanding evolving snacking habits, we've got the insights to help you modernize your snack portfolio and deliver what consumers want.

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Make your next hit snack. Or reinvent your classics.

We see two huge opportunities for snack brands today:

Reinvent your classics: Build on brand loyalty and update your classic snack offerings with trusted, whole-grain ingredients that deliver nutrient density and great taste. By integrating ingredients like chickpea, lentils or other alternative grains, you can give consumers more of what they want from the snacks they already know and love.

Create a whole new snack (or category): Tap into the opportunity of the paradigm shift in snacking and open a whole new revenue stream. Create a new snack—or a whole new category—by making something that meets today’s needs in a wholly unique way.

The right partner for snacking success

Bring your snacking ideas to life with the optimal mix of ingredients, insights and support that help you move from idea to shelf faster—with less error and more confidence.

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Insights that can put you ahead in the market

What’s driving opportunities in the snacking market? Our Insights Team provides you with proprietary research, market data and analysis, macro societal trend analysis and more to help you succeed in the market and move faster with purpose.

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Pack your next product with the benefits consumers want

Traditional wheat remains a staple ingredient for grain-based snacks. But today’s consumer is also looking to go beyond the classics as they start to view snacking as an opportunity to boost their nutrition. Get expert help to determine which ingredients have the built-in benefits consumers want – and the supply stability you need – to stand out in the market.

Ready to learn more about our full range of ingredients? You can access our full ingredient section here.

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Innovate smarter with Ardent Mills

Whether you’re dealing with tighter budgets, shorter timelines or integrating new ingredients into your formulations, innovating is never simple. That’s why Purpose-Powered Innovation™ is designed around your needs. Our team of agile experts and state-of-the-art network of Ardent Mills Innovation Centers will discuss with you to make your ideas a reality.

Innovate with us

Snacking inspiration at your fingertips

Access some of the latest on-trend snacking applications made with Ardent Mills ingredients.

Click on a snack to see what product it's made with.

Chickpea pita crackers with hummus

Made with chickpea flour

Texture and taste that can't be beat. These crispy crackers are the perfect complement to a creamy and delicious hummus.

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Chickpea flour

Whole chickpeas
Chickpea & sorghum crisps

Made with chickpea flour and ancient & heirloom grains sorghum

Light and crispy, these bites bring the flavor and the crunch. This snack works perfectly with dips or alone—you won't forget it.

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Chickpea flour

Sorghum flour
Organic wheat bread

Made with organic bread flour

A wholesome base for a delicious snack. This organic wheat bread is a tasty vessel for whatever you can top it with.

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Organic wheat flour

Sustagrain® granola balls

Made with Sustagrain® barley

Better-for-you on-the-go. These scrumptious snacks are a sweet way to get some extra fiber in real quick—with Ardent Mills' proprietary high-fiber, beta-glucan Sustagrain® barley that provides 14 grams of fiber per serving.

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Sustagrain® barley
Sorghum dulce de leche cookies

Made with sorghum flour

A trendly, gluten-free treat with a Mexican-style twist. These cookies use acient grains to create some big, modern flavors.

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Sorghum flour
Mini brownies

Made with Ardent Mills® Cocoa Replace

Give consumers the innovative, delicious and indulgent chocolatey treats they desire—and use up to 25% less cocoa.* This sweet little treat uses Ardent Mills® Cocoa Replace, while still maintaining that deep chocolatey flavor that consumers crave—and delivering significant cost savings.

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Ardent Mills® Cocoa Replace

*Based on tests conducted by FMSS, Inc., a CLT with 54 consumers and a sensory screening by a highly trained sensory panel.

Let's talk about snacks

Looking to innovate your current snacks? Or maybe create a new hit that stacks more of the benefits consumers want from snacks today? Fill out the form below and an Ardent Mills sales contact will reach out to you shortly.