Ready-to-Eat Popcorn

ready-to-eat popcorn
National Popcorn Day is January 19th.
Geographic reference: World
Year: 2018 and 2026
Market size: $2.53 billion and $6.22 billion, respectively.

“Have you ever pondered the miracle of popcorn? It starts out as a tiny, little, compact kernel with magic trapped inside that when agitated, bursts to create something marvelously desirable. It’s sort of like those tiny, little thoughts trapped inside an author’s head that―in an excited explosion of words―suddenly become a captivating fairy tale!”
Richelle E. Goodrich

Whether it’s buttered and salted, caramel-coated, or tossed with spicy buffalo sauce seasoning, popcorn is a favorite snack among those who are looking to indulge their cravings as well as those looking for better-for-you, healthier snack options. While certain coatings may negate some of its healthful benefits, popcorn contains concentrated sources of fiber, polyphenolic compounds, vitamin B complex, antioxidants, and assorted proteins. Air-popped popcorn has 31 calories per cup; oil-popped 55. Today’s market size shows the global revenues for ready-to-eat popcorn in 2018 and projected for 2026.

Many scholars agree that popcorn originated in the Americas. The oldest ears of popcorn ever found were discovered in a bat cave in west-central New Mexico in 1948. They are estimated to be 5,600 years old. Early North American explorers noticed Native Americans not only eating popcorn but also using it in necklaces and headdresses. European settlers ate popcorn as a breakfast food with milk or cream. During the Great Depression, popcorn became popular as a low-cost snack and with most of the supply of sugar used for the war effort, popcorn became an alternative to sugary snacks during World War II. 

Popcorn comes in two shapes: snowflake (or butterfly) and mushroom. The snowflake variety is larger and is the type sold in movie theaters, ballparks, and other entertainment venues. The snowflake variety is also the type people buy to pop at home. The mushroom variety is more compact and used in bagged snacks and in candy confections because it doesn’t crumble. 

In 2017, the last year for which data exist, there were 1,051 popcorn farms in the United States spanning more than 221,000 acres. In comparison, there were 304,801 farms (84.7 million acres) that grow corn for grain and 20,784 sweet corn farms (496,096 acres). Popcorn is grown in most states, with Nebraska harvesting the most crop, 368.62 million pounds shelled, in 2017. Indiana (352.39 million), Ohio (129.76 million), Illinois (93.29 million), and Missouri (46.84 million) round out the top 5 states. Together, they represent 92.5% of popcorn harvested that year. Almost all popcorn production in the U.S. is contracted with processors. Leading global ready-to-eat popcorn manufacturers include The Hershey Company, Conagra Brands Inc., Snyder’s-Lance Inc., Intersnack Group GmbH & Co. KG, PepsiCo, Eagle Family Foods Group LLC, Propercorn, Quinn Foods LLC, The Hain Celestial Group Inc., and Weaver Popcorn Company Inc.

Most of the popcorn consumed around the world is produced in the United States but popcorn is also grown in other parts of North America, South America, Europe, Australia, and South Africa. More than 80% of popcorn produced in the U.S. is consumed domestically. In the ready-to-eat segment, North America held 31.23% of the market in 2018. Consumers’ preference for convenience and a variety of flavors will spur demand through at least 2026. In the United Kingdom, 90% of popcorn sold in supermarkets is ready-to-eat, with most of the kernels sourced from the U.S., France, and Italy and then popped in the UK. The Asia-Pacific region’s market share is expected to increase the fastest over this time period as a growing preference for this type of snack and greater awareness of popcorn’s health benefits will create higher demand in the region.  

In 2018, the household segment claimed 53.23% of the market; commercial claimed the rest. With health departments shuttering movie theaters and other entertainment venues because of the coronavirus pandemic, the household segment is expected to dominate the market in 2020. In the United States, the ready-to-eat popcorn segment1 at retail amounted to $1.49 billion of the overall $26.7 billion salty snack market in the 52 weeks ended May 17, 2020, a 5% increase from the same period a year before. Although sales have been increasing in the last 5 years, the increases have been getting smaller. In 2015, this segment’s sales increased by 18.17%; In 2019, 4.1%. While the ready-to-eat segment has been increasing, the microwave segment has been declining year over year. Except in 2020. After declining an average of 3.39% from 2015 to 2019, sales jumped 13.3% in 2020 as more people stayed home with their families and binged watched favorite movies and TV shows. Raw kernel sales also saw a spike in sales. The convenience of ready-to-eat popcorn, which many may have reached for when life was busier, was eclipsed by the comfort of warm, home-popped, buttery (or sweet and savory) popcorn as people’s lifestyles slowed down dramatically.

1 Includes caramel corn.

Sources: “Global Ready-to-Eat Popcorn Market is Expected to Reach USD 6.22 Billion by 2026: Fior Markets,” GlobeNewswire, March 3, 2020 available online here; 2017 Census of Agriculture, United States Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, April 2019 available online here; “Popcorn Statistics and Facts,” See California available online here; Romy Schafer, “Ready to Eat Popcorn Thrives: State of the Industry 2015,” Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, July 15, 2015 available online here; Douglas J. Peckenpaugh, “Snack Market Overview: State of the Industry 2016,” Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, July 11, 2016 available online here; Liz Parker, “State of the Industry 2017: Popcorn Offers More Choices for Consumers,” Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, July 18, 2017 available online here; Melissa Kvidahl Reilly, “State of the Industry 2018: Ready-to-Eat Popcorn Tops Other Varieties,” Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, July 17, 2018 available online here; Ed Finkel, “State of the Industry 2019: Popcorn Delivers on Healthy and Indulgent Options,” Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, July 19, 2019 available online here; Ed Finkel, “State of the Industry 2020: Popcorn Sales Explode,” Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, July 17, 2020 available online here; “Popcorn Profile,” United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, October 2018 available online here; “Popcorn: Ingrained in America’s Agricultural History,” United States Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library, Special Collections Exhibits available online here; “Popcorn Facts,” Popcorn Boss available online here; Key Facts About Popcorn in the UK,” SNACMA available online here; John Balint, “Popcorn 101: Butterflies, Snowflakes & Mushrooms (Oh My!),” Popcornopolis, November 11, 2015 available online here; “Popcorn Quotes,” Goodreads available online here;
Image source: John R Perry, “popcorn-candy-food-sweet-dessert-463660,” Pixabay, October 8, 2014 available online here. Use of image does not constitute an endorsement.

Back-to-College Spending

According to the National Center for Education Statistics fall college enrollment in 2010 was 21.0 million. Enrollment declined to 20.2 million in 2014 but is projected to increase to 20.9 million in 2017. Today’s market size shows the total amount spent on back-to-college items by students and their families in 2010, 2014 and 2017. The figure for 2017 is projected. In 2017, back-to-college shoppers plan on spending the most on electronics ($12.8 billion), followed by clothing ($8.0 billion) and snacks and other food items ($7.5 billion). Spending on dorm and apartment furnishings came in fourth at $5.9 billion. Spending on school supplies ranked seventh at $3.9 billion.

Geographic reference: United States
Year: 2010, 2014 and 2017 projected
Market size: $45.88 billion, $48.48 billion and $54.18 billion respectively
Sources: Smith, Ana Serafin, “Back-to-School and Back-to-College Spending to Reach $83.6 Billion,” National Retail Federation Press Release, July 13, 2017 available online here; U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, “Table 303.10. Total Fall Enrollment in Degree-Granting Postsecondary Institutions, by Attendance Status, Sex of Student, and Control of Institution: Selected Years, 1947 through 2025,” Digest of Education Statistics: 2015, December 2016 available online here.
Original source: Prosper Insights & Analytics

Bubble Gum

Today we look at the market for bubble gum and in particular the estimated value of sales of bubble gum in the U.S. domestic market this year.

Geographic reference: United States
Year: 2012 estimate
Market size: $206.9 million
Source: Andrew Adam Newman, “Change Comes to Playground Funny Papers,” New York Times, November 30, 2012, page B3.
Original source: Euromonitor International
Posted on December 7, 2012

Gluten-free Foods

Gluten is a protein found in various cereal grains, most notably wheat. This protein makes for the elastic texture of dough. It is also a protein that must be avoided by those with celiac disease, a condition which seriously interferes with the body’s ability to absorb nutrients. An in-depth epidemiological study whose findings were published in 2003 found that one in every 133 people in the United States suffers from celiac disease. Celiac disease sufferers and their immediate families are a natural market for gluten-free foods and the food industry has been increasing the number of gluten-free products on the market at a rapid pace in recent years. Those gluten-free offerings include bread, cookies, crackers, breakfast cereals, and cake mixes.

Today’s market size is the estimated size by value of the gluten-free market in the Untied States.

Geographic reference: United States
Year: 2011
Market size: $6.3 billion
Source: Keith O’Brien, “Beat the Wheat,” The New York Times Magazine, November 27, 2011, page 50, available online here.
Original source: Spins, a market research firm.
Posted on November 30, 2011

Chewy, Juicy, Gooey Candy Market

Most of us think of candy as, well, candy. But within the industry, of course, candy is divided up into segments and tracked carefully. One of those candy segments is called the “chewy candy sector” and includes such things as gummies, jelly beans, Twizzlers, Sweet Strings ‘n Sour Rings, Starbursts, Gummibursts, etc. Some refer to this segment of the market as gummies and jellies.

Today’s market size is the estimated total sales of chewy candies in the United States in 2010.
Happy Halloween!

Geographic reference: United States
Year: 2010
Market size: $2.2 billion
Source: Grace Weitz, “Companies Juiced with New Gummy Products,” Candy Industry, April 28, 2011, available online here
Original source: Mintel
Posted on October 31, 2011

Functional Foods Market

At the most elemental level, we eat to supply our bodies with the nutrients necessary to maintain life. So by definition, food has a rather important function. However, the term functional food refers to processed foods and drinks that are marketed as having “health-promoting or wellness-maintaining properties”. The labels on such foods often include messages such as heart healthy, helps reduce cholesterol, clinically shown to improve kids attentiveness, helps support your immune system or your digestive system or your nervous system, etc.

Geographic reference: United States
Year: 2009
Market size: $37.3 billion
Source: Singer, Natasha, “Food With Benefits, or So They Say,” The New York Times, May 15, 2011, page B1, available online here.
Original source: Nutritional Business Journal

Peanuts

The size of the market presented here is based on values at the wholesale level, farm receipts for sales of peanuts.

Geographic reference: United States
Year: 2009
Market size: $800 million
Source: “U.S. Farm Sector Cash Receipts from Sales of Agricultural Commodities, 2006-2010F,” a table on the USDA’s Economic Research Service website, available online here.
Original source: Economic Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture

Halloween Market

The size of the market for all Halloween holiday spending is rather hard to measure as it incorporates many things: candy, snacks, costumes, pumpkins, scary decorations, etc. The results of a much-quoted survey undertaken by the National Retail Federation are what we present here. They represent an increase of 17% over estimated spending on Halloween in 2009. Shall we take this as a good sign, a sign of people feeling freer to spend money on nonessentials?

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween

Geographic reference: United States
Year: 2010
Market size: $5.8 billion
Source: “Halloween Spending Expected to Rise this Year,” Kansas City Star, October 11, 2010, available online here.
Original source: National Retail Federation

Global Market for Premium Chocolate

In terms of market share, Europe accounts for just over half of the world premium chocolate market. In terms of per capita consumption of all chocolate, by country, the leaders are: Switzerland with 22.4 pounds, Austria with 20.13 pounds and Ireland with 19.47 pounds. The United States comes in 8th on the list with an average of 11.7 pounds counsumed annually by each American. Please note, however, that these per capita consumption rates are for all chocolate not just premium chocolate. The market size presented below is the size of the premium chocolate market.

Geographic reference: World
Year: 2007
Market size: $6.9 billion
Source: “AROQ’s Global Market Review Series,” November 2008, page 3
Original source: just-food

Premium Chocolate Market

Europeans eat a lot of chocolate. In fact, the three nations with the highest per capita consumption of chocolate in the world are in Europe: Switzerland, Austria and Ireland. Premium chocolates represent about 12% of the overall chocolate market in Europe.

Geographic reference: Europe
Year: 2007
Market size: $3.8 billion
Source: “AROQ’s Global Market Review Series,” November 2008, page 3
Original source: just-food

Size of the Cracker Market

The three leading companies in the cracker business are Kraft, Kellogg and Pepperidge Farms and together they represent 75% of the market.

Geographic reference: United States
Year: 2008
Market size: $3.2 billion
Source: “U.S. Cracker Industry Update,” 2010 available online here.
Original source: Information Resources Inc., InfoScan and Mintel