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Oat Based Snacks Market

The market for Oat Based Snacks was estimated at $23.2 billion in 2025; it is anticipated to increase to $29.3 billion by 2030, with projections indicating growth to around $37.0 billion by 2035.

Report ID:DS1901080
Author:Debadatta Patel - Senior Consultant
Published Date:
Datatree
Food & Beverage
Packaged & Processed F&B
Oat Based Snacks
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Report Summary
Market Data
Methodology
Table of Contents

Global Oat Based Snacks Market Outlook

Revenue, 2025

$23.2B

Forecast, 2035

$37.0B

CAGR, 2026 - 2035

4.8%

The Oat Based Snacks industry revenue is expected to be around $23.2 billion in 2026 and expected to showcase growth with 4.8% CAGR between 2026 and 2035. This outlook underscores the strengthening position of Oat Based Snacks as a mainstream category within the global healthy snacks landscape, driven by rising awareness of whole grain snacks, preventive health, and convenient yet nutritious eating habits. The category benefits from strong retail penetration, with supermarkets/hypermarkets and online stores together accounting for 73.3% of distribution, ensuring high visibility both on physical shelves and through online grocery channels. Within the portfolio, the Snack Bars Product Type dominated the Oat Based Snacks industry revenue with $9.89 billion sales in 2025, reflecting the appeal of portable, portion-controlled formats aligned with on-the-go nutrition and busy urban lifestyles. These dynamics, supported by innovation in plant-based snacks, clean-label formulations, and high-fiber snacks, reinforce the ongoing relevance of Oat Based Snacks across diverse consumer segments.

Oat Based Snacks encompass a wide range of products, including snack bars, granolas, cookies, oat bites, and breakfast bars, all leveraging oats’ natural content of soluble fiber, particularly beta-glucan, to support heart health, satiety, and sustained energy release. Key features include their positioning as plant-based, often gluten-free snacks with balanced macronutrients, making them suitable as everyday convenience foods, meal replacements, and functional foods for weight management, sports recovery, and family snacking occasions. Major applications span retail packaged snacks, foodservice grab-and-go offerings, and digitally enabled direct-to-consumer lines, while recent trends center on higher protein claims, reduced sugar formulations, sustainable sourcing, and premium flavors. These trends, combined with expanding distribution through online grocery and evolving consumer demand for clean, minimally processed products, are increasingly shaping product development and marketing strategies in the Oat Based Snacks market

Oat Based Snacks market outlook with forecast trends, drivers, opportunities, supply chain, and competition 2025-2035
Oat Based Snacks Market Outlook

Market Key Insights

  • The Oat Based Snacks market is projected to grow from $23.2 billion in 2025 to $37.0 billion in 2035. This represents a CAGR of 4.8%, reflecting rising demand across Healthy Snacking Option, On-The-Go Breakfast, and Sports Nutrition.

  • General Mills Inc., Kellogg NA, and PepsiCo Inc. are among the leading players in this market, shaping its competitive landscape.

  • U.S. and Canada are the top markets within the Oat Based Snacks market and are expected to observe the growth CAGR of 3.4% to 4.4% between 2025 and 2030.

  • Emerging markets including India, Brazil and Indonesia are expected to observe highest growth with CAGR ranging between 5.3% to 6.7%.

  • Transition like Shift Towards Healthy Snacking has greater influence in United States and Canada market's value chain; and is expected to add $543 million of additional value to Oat Based Snacks industry revenue by 2030.

  • The Oat Based Snacks market is set to add $13.9 billion between 2025 and 2035, with manufacturer targeting key segments projected to gain a larger market share.

  • With

    rising health awareness and demand for clean label functional snack alternatives, and

    Urbanization and Busy Lifestyles Fueling Convenient Nutrient Dense Snacking Solutions, Oat Based Snacks market to expand 60% between 2025 and 2035.

oat based snacks market size with pie charts of major and emerging country share, CAGR, trends for 2025 and 2032
Oat Based Snacks - Country Share Analysis

Opportunities in the Oat Based Snacks

In rapidly urbanizing Asia-Pacific cities, young professionals and students seek affordable, convenient Oat Based Snacks that fit busy commuting lifestyles, creating white space for baked oat puffs and lightly seasoned oat crackers as portable on-the-go snacks. Reformulating traditional fried snacks into oven-baked, plant-based snacks with regional flavors can differentiate brands in modern trade and quick-commerce channels. Globally, puffs are also projected to rise from $3.54 billion dollars in 2025 to $4.70 billion by 2030, with this 5.8 percent CAGR driven strongly by Asia-Pacific demand.

Growth Opportunities in North America and Europe

In North America, Oat Based Snacks benefit from high acceptance of healthy snacks and strong awareness of plant-based snacks, with Supermarkets/Hypermarkets remaining the dominant distribution channel and Online Stores emerging as the key growth lever for discovery, bulk buying, and subscription models. Top opportunities lie in premium, high-fiber snacks that combine gluten-free oats with added protein oats and functional nutrition claims, supported by clean label formulations and indulgent yet permissible flavors in formats such as breakfast bars and granola bites. Competition is intense, with large cereal and snack corporations defending shelf space while fast-growing digital-native brands leverage Online Stores for direct-to-consumer engagement, personalized assortments, and rapid innovation cycles in Oat Based Snacks. Structural drivers include rising on-the-go snacking among busy professionals, strong penetration of modern grocery retail, sophisticated category management in Supermarkets/Hypermarkets, and growing consumer willingness to trade up for Oat Based Snacks that deliver both convenience and nutritionally dense profiles, supporting strategic investments in omnichannel brand building and data-driven assortment optimization.
In Europe, Oat Based Snacks are propelled by widespread adoption of flexitarian diets and stringent expectations around sustainability and ingredient transparency, making Supermarkets/Hypermarkets the most influential channel for volume while Online Stores gain relevance in markets with advanced e-grocery ecosystems. Key opportunities center on organic and eco-certified Oat Based Snacks, regionally tailored healthy snacks based on gluten-free oats, and collaborations with major retail chains for private-label ranges that emphasize clean label, reduced sugar, and plant-based snacks credentials. Competition is fragmented, with established biscuit and bakery players, niche Scandinavian oat specialists, and retailer brands all expanding their Oat Based Snacks portfolios, creating pressure on pricing and innovation speed but also opening room for differentiation through sustainable sourcing, localized flavors, and advanced packaging formats. Core regional drivers include strong regulatory pressure on sugar and additives, high consumer trust in supermarket brands, growing demand for convenient on-the-go snacking solutions such as portion-controlled breakfast bars, and accelerating digital grocery adoption, which together support strategic focus on premiumization, sustainability-led branding, and targeted investments in Online Stores and top-tier Supermarkets/Hypermarkets across priority European markets.

Market Dynamics and Supply Chain

01

Driver: Rising Health Awareness and Demand for Clean Label Functional Snack Alternatives

Growing health awareness is also driving consumers toward oat based snacks due to their perceived heart health, digestive, and weight management benefits. At the same time, demand for clean label foods is also accelerating, with consumers actively avoiding artificial additives and refined ingredients. Oats naturally align with this trend, supported by also advances in processing technologies that preserve fiber content and improve texture and shelf life. Innovations in flavor masking, protein fortification, and sugar reduction further expand product appeal across age groups. Together, these trends are also strengthening premiumization and boosting demand across retail, fitness, and wellness focused distribution channels.
Rapid urbanization and increasingly hectic lifestyles are also pushing demand for convenient, ready to eat snack options that also deliver nutritional value. Oat based snacks fit this niche by offering portability, longer satiety, and versatility across meal occasions. Manufacturers are also leveraging packaging innovations such as single serve packs and resealable formats to enhance convenience. This trend is also particularly strong among working professionals and younger consumers, directly supporting volume growth and frequent consumption patterns in developed and emerging urban markets.
02

Restraint: Price Sensitivity and Higher Production Costs Limiting Mass Market Penetration

Oat based snacks often carry higher prices due to premium ingredients, clean label requirements, and specialized processing. This price gap restricts adoption among cost sensitive consumers, especially in developing markets. Rising oat procurement and energy costs further pressure margins, leading to limited price flexibility. As a result, manufacturers may experience slower volume growth in mass segments, with demand concentrated mainly in premium and urban consumer groups.
03

Opportunity: US fitness enthusiasts seeking protein-rich oat based snack bars and Gluten-sensitive European consumers demanding clean label oat based cookies

In the United States, health-driven consumers and gym-goers increasingly replace sugary confectionery with Oat Based Snacks, particularly protein-enriched oat snack bars positioned as healthy snacks and functional snacks. Brands that combine high-fiber snacks with added plant protein, adaptogens, or sustained-energy breakfast bars can capture premium pricing in sports drink retail and e-commerce. Within the global market, snack bars already generate about $9.89 billion dollars in 2025 and are forecast to reach $12.38 billion by 2030, making performance-focused oat snack bars the fastest-growing bar subsegment.
Across Western and Northern Europe, rising diagnosis of celiac disease and wheat sensitivities is accelerating demand for gluten-free snacks, positioning Oat Based Snacks as a trusted everyday indulgence. Manufacturers that deliver clean label oat cookies and oat crackers with short ingredients lists, reduced sugar, and dairy-free options can penetrate pharmacy, specialty health, and mainstream retail. Globally, oat cookies are expected to grow from $5.35 billion dollars in 2025 to $6.64 billion by 2030, with crackers rising from $2.41 to $3.03 billion over the same period.
04

Challenge: Taste Perception and Texture Challenges Affecting Repeat Purchase Behavior

Despite health benefits, some consumers perceive oat based snacks as bland or overly dense compared to conventional snacks. Texture inconsistency and dry mouthfeel in certain formulations can negatively influence repeat purchases. Brands must invest in flavor innovation and sensory optimization, increasing development costs. If not addressed, these challenges can reduce brand loyalty and limit shelf rotation, directly impacting revenue growth and overall category competitiveness.

Supply Chain Landscape

1

Oat Farming

Cargill IncorporatedArcher Daniels MidlandGrainCorp
2

Whole Grain Processing

Richardson MillingGrain Millers Inc.Avena Foods
3

Oat Based Snacks

General Mills Inc.Kellogg NA Co.PepsiCo Inc
4

Healthy Snacks Retail

Supermarkets and HypermarketsOnline Retail Convenience Stores
Oat Based Snacks - Supply Chain

Use Cases of Oat Based Snacks in Healthy Snacking Option & Sports Nutrition

Healthy Snacking Option : Oat based snacks are increasingly positioned as healthy snacking options, with oat bars, baked oat bites, and oat crackers being the most commonly consumed formats among health conscious adults and working professionals. These products leverage oats’ natural beta glucan fiber, low glycemic index, and sustained energy release benefits. Brands such as Quaker, Kellogg’s, and Nature Valley hold strong positions due to clean label formulations, wide retail presence, and continuous innovation in low sugar and high fiber snack bars..
On-The-Go Breakfast : Oat based snacks serve as a convenient on-the-go breakfast, primarily through oat bars, overnight oat cups, and ready to eat oat clusters consumed by urban commuters and students. These formats provide quick preparation, portability, and balanced nutrition with fiber, protein supplements, and slow digesting carbohydrates. Key players such as General Mills, PepsiCo’s Quaker, and Nestlé leverage strong brand equity and packaging innovation to address time constrained consumers seeking nutritious breakfast alternatives without compromising taste or satiety.
Sports Nutrition : In sports nutrition, oat based snacks such as high protein oat bars, energy bites, and fortified oat granola are widely used by athletes and fitness enthusiasts for pre workout and post workout energy. Oats offer complex carbohydrates for endurance, combined with added plant protein and functional ingredients. Companies like Clif Bar, KIND, and MyProtein have established strong market positions by targeting clean energy, sustained performance, and natural ingredient preferences within the growing active lifestyle and sports nutrition segment.

Recent Developments

The popularity of oat based snacks has been rising lately as more consumers are opting for snack choices. Oats are known for their dietary fiber content and essential nutrients and are often regarded as a superfood. The inclusion of oats in snack items has made them more appealing to consumers. A notable trend in the market is the increasing demand, for free oat snacks.

December 2024 : Natures Path introduced a range of oat based snacks with unique flavor blends designed for millennials and Gen Z customers.
October 2024 : Introducing the new Crunchy Oats snack range, by PepsiCo along with a marketing push.
September 2024 : Kelloggs announced a program called From Farm to Market aiming to acquire entirely sustainable oats, for their snack items.

Impact of Industry Transitions on the Oat Based Snacks Market

As a core segment of the Packaged & Processed F&B industry, the Oat Based Snacks market develops in line with broader industry shifts. Over recent years, transitions such as Shift Towards Healthy Snacking and Expansion into Plant Based Ecosystems have redefined priorities across the Packaged & Processed F&B sector, influencing how the Oat Based Snacks market evolves in terms of demand, applications and competitive dynamics. These transitions highlight the structural changes shaping long-term growth opportunities.
01

Shift Towards Healthy Snacking

The accelerating shift toward healthy snacking is structurally reshaping the Oat Based Snacks market, particularly in the United States and Canada, where demand for high-fiber snacks and plant-based snacks is moving oats into the core of the snacking value chain. This transition is expected to generate an additional $543 million in Oat Based Snacks industry revenue by 2030, as manufacturers prioritize nutrient-dense, functional snacks that deliver credible health benefits alongside taste and convenience. Companies are rapidly expanding clean label Oat Based Snacks portfolios, innovating in formats, flavors, and fortification to capture health-conscious consumers and premium price points. As a result, the healthy snacking trend is not only diversifying product offerings but also materially enhancing margins, category penetration, and long-term growth potential for Oat Based Snacks brands.
02

Expansion into Plant Based Ecosystems

Oat based snacks are becoming integral to the broader plant based food ecosystem. Brands are aligning oat snacks with dairy free, vegan, and sustainable food positioning, supporting growth in plant based beverages and meat alternatives. This transition encourages supply chain investments in sustainable oat farming and traceability. The impact extends to packaging and agriculture industries, driving demand for eco friendly materials and regenerative farming practices linked to long term brand differentiation and consumer trust.