2026 Category Catalysts: Better-For-You Snacking and Brioche

2026 Category Catalysts: Better-For-You Snacking 

The global better-for-you (BFY) snacking market is expected to surpass $65 billion by 2035. With a focus on cleaner ingredients and functional nutrition, Venus Brands appeals to health-minded consumers.

“Our big focus right now is building Venus Brands as a portfolio of distinct, complementary brands, each created for a specific moment around food,” shared Ahmad Islam, CMO of Venus Brands.

“South Shore Puff Snacks is for better-for-you snacking. Nejaime’s Lavash is for gathering around a meal. CäPeachio’s is for entertaining,” Islam expanded. “Our philosophy is simple: Every brand has a purpose, and every product has a home. That clarity makes it easier for retailers to merchandise our products and easier for shoppers to know which product to reach for.”

Consumer behavior trends, such as choosing snacking over meals and seeking protein-forward options, are inspiring Venus’s growth. Islam commented, “Entertaining is a real bright spot for us. Charcuterie boards, grazing, and casual entertaining are no longer reserved for holidays and special occasions. They’re increasingly part of how people gather and connect every day.”

“CäPeachio’s and Nejaime’s are both well positioned for that shift. The CäPeachio’s Trio Assortment is particularly appealing because it offers three varieties in one box,” said Islam. “On the snack side, South Shore Puffs are connecting with consumers who want the best of both worlds: something that feels indulgent but is made with better ingredients. Our puffs are made with ancient grains and deliver the crunch and bold flavors people crave. Flavors like Fuego Mango Queso and Agave Cocoa BBQ create curiosity and drive trial, while the ingredient story gives consumers another reason to make South Shore part of their regular snacking routine.”

The company recently transitioned key products to olive oil as part of a move toward seed-oil-free options. Other ways the company is responding to consumer trends: “Clean, inclusive labels: Non-GMO, vegan, and kosher options are increasingly important as consumers look for foods that accommodate different preferences and dietary needs,” said Islam. “We want our products to be easy choices for a wide range of shoppers and occasions. Bold, globally inspired flavors: Consumers are increasingly adventurous, particularly in snacking. Sweet-heat combinations and unexpected flavor pairings are creating excitement.” 

He continued, “Convenience and portion flexibility: We’re offering South Shore in both 2.5-ounce and 1.25-ounce snack sizes, giving consumers more ways to enjoy the product while opening opportunities in convenience, grab-and-go, and everyday snacking.”

Islam concluded, “Ultimately, we believe consumers shouldn’t have to choose between great taste, quality ingredients, and convenience.”

2026 Category Catalysts: Brioche

For St Pierre, growth in 2026 has come from a combination of increased distribution, continued investment in the brand and a relentless focus on giving shoppers a reason to trade up within bakery, according to company leaders. 

“That approach is delivering. Year to date, St Pierre is growing in both dollar sales and volume, while private label is in value decline,” said Kayleigh Swift, US Brand Manager. “St Pierre holds a 77% share of the in-store bakery brioche segment, leads the category in household penetration and lays claim to America’s No. 1 brioche burger bun and three of the five best-selling brioche products in in-store bakery.¹”

“Importantly, we see category leadership as being about more than market share,” Swift continued. “Our role is to use that scale and understanding of the shopper to help retailers unlock incremental growth. Premium bakery can encourage shoppers to trade up across the wider meal, from the carrier to proteins, cheeses, sauces and accompaniments. That gives St Pierre an opportunity to create value well beyond the bakery fixture.”

Swift credits St Pierre’s core brioche range as fundamental to the brand’s success, but also points to innovation as an important growth driver. “Particularly Brioche Burger Buns and Hot Dog Rolls, but innovation has provided another important growth lever in 2026,” she said. “This year we launched Spicy Brioche Buns, the brand’s first limited-edition product. Developed around growing consumer interest in ‘swicy’ flavors and restaurant-quality experiences at home, the launch allowed us to bring something genuinely new to bakery while remaining true to the premium quality shoppers expect from St Pierre. It has also created opportunities for retailers to build the basket through cross-merchandising with complementary products such as hot honey, sauces and cheeses.”

She continued, “Alongside NPD [New Product Development], we continue to invest in demand creation. Our media activity is focused around the key summer grilling period for buns and rolls, supported by in-store execution and shopper activation. One retailer activation around July 4th delivered unit growth of 200%, 64% and 58% respectively across its three best-performing stores, demonstrating what can happen when strong distribution is supported by visibility and shopper engagement.”

The key is how to grow the overall value of the bakery category—not simply compete for share within it. “Consumers still want affordable ways to make everyday meals feel more special, and premium bakery has a powerful role to play,” Swift said. 

“The opportunity is to think about the occasion rather than an individual SKU. Shoppers are not necessarily setting out to buy a brioche bun. They are planning burger night, entertaining friends, breakfast with the family or looking for a small indulgence.”

“That changes the conversation we want to have with retailers,” she continued. “Through our Commercial Excellence capability, we are combining category management, shopper insights, analytics and customer strategy to identify opportunities around assortment, merchandising, innovation and cross-category activation.”

“Looking ahead to 2027, innovation will remain important, particularly around emerging behaviors such as small indulgence and on-the-go snacking, but innovation has to solve a genuine shopper need,” she added. “Ultimately, our ambition is not simply to put more St Pierre products on the shelf. It is to work with retailers to make premium bakery more inspirational, create new reasons for shoppers to buy and grow the value of the category as a whole.”

Source 1: Circana, Total Baked Goods/Bread/SBG Multi Outlet+, YTD / L52W ending 09/06/26