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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 11 S E P T E M B E R 8 , 2 0 2 5 F O C U S S TA R T U P S / E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P While confectionary accounts for close to a third of the market, increas- ing interest in better-for-you packaged nibbles is prompting new takes on traditional "junk" foods from Quest's protein-baked peanut butter cups and tortilla chips to oat milk chocolates by Lindt and Lindor. Gen Zers are taking snacking to a whole new level, with more than three out of four surveyed by the International Food Information Council in 2022 snacking at least once a day and one out of three doing so twice a day. While hunger or thirst are the main motiva- tors, so are boredom and the need for an energy boost. In another report, Mondelez International — the global conglomerate behind Ritz Crackers and Wheat ins — found that 96% of global consumers engage in what is known as mindful snacking and 69% look for snacks that are portion- controlled. Also, as people lead busier lives, snacks are increasingly becom- ing meal substitutes in a trend dubbed "snackification." While noshing really took off dur- ing the pandemic, the trend continued through 2023's TikTok "girl-dinner" trend of fast-prep cheese-and-fruit plates. Even mainstream brands are getting in on the action, with cereal giant General Mills Inc. introducing high-protein strawberry and cinnamon Cheerios last December and Mondelez's new Zero Sugar Oreos expected to hit U.S. grocery store shelves this year, three years after they were introduced in China. But good old-fashioned, protein- rich dairy is growing the fastest, led by Greek yogurt and cottage cheese. One reason for the protein obsession is the influx of weight-loss drugs that have been associated with muscle loss. Now protein comes in an ever-growing num- ber of forms to build back muscle. C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » We are all about creating this community of fishers and canners, and hope we can bring back the industry to what it once was. — Joshua Scherz Maine Canned Fish