22% of consumers now replace meals with snacks. Glanbia Nutritionals' BarPro® proteins, Crunchie™ inclusions, and functional bioactives solve the texture and taste challenges that have plagued high-protein snacks for years.
After decades of unhealthy ultra-processed foods everywhere in sight, the snacking landscape has fundamentally shifted, and for the better. What once served as simple between-meal treats now functions as legitimate high-protein meal replacements, with 22% of consumers replacing full meals with snacks, marking a dramatic jump from just 8% in 2018.[1] This "snack as staple" trend creates massive opportunities for brands that can deliver meaningful nutrition in convenient, craveable formats.
Enter Glanbia Nutritionals with a comprehensive protein snacking platform that solves the industry's biggest challenges while meeting consumer demands for better-for-you options. Through their innovative BarPro® protein series, Crunchie™ semi-finished inclusions, and functional bioactives like KetoSure® MCT and Prolibra®. Glanbia has cracked the code on creating high-protein snacks that don't compromise on taste, texture, or manufacturing efficiency.
From extruded cereals (mentioned on Episode #174 of our Podcast with Rachel Schreck and Brent Petersen) to protein bars to ready-to-drink applications, Glanbia's Q3 campaign showcases how advanced protein science can transform snacking categories that have struggled with protein incorporation for decades. These aren't just ingredient improvements, they're enabling technologies that open entirely new product possibilities.
Four key market drivers show positive momentum for protein-fortified snacks, from increased healthy snacking trends to taste-focused success factors, with only 42% category penetration indicating significant growth potential.
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The Challenge: Making Protein Work in Snack Applications
For years, formulators have battled the same protein incorporation challenges in snack manufacturing. Traditional protein powders create dense, chalky textures that consumers overwhelmingly reject. In extrusion applications, standard proteins cause equipment problems like extruder clogging while producing snacks with glassy, powdery mouthfeel and off-flavors that require extensive masking.
A diverse array of protein-enriched extruded pieces showcasing Glanbia's BarPro, BarFlex, BarHarvest, and Crunchie technologies designed to solve texture and taste challenges in snacking applications.
The texture challenge goes deeper than most realize. Wildly interesting research from food scientists reveals that consumers fall into distinct "mouth behavior groups":
- Crunchers
- Chewers
- Smooshers, and
- Suckers
Each of these has specific texture preferences. For instance, crunchers prefer foods that fracture on biting and gravitate toward products that "let them eat with their ears" through audible crunch. This represents a significant consumer segment that protein snacks have traditionally failed to satisfy.
Research confirms great taste ranks as the #1 most important attribute while high protein comes in #2, yet 64% of consumers cite taste and texture as primary barriers to consuming protein products.
The manufacturing side presents equally complex challenges. Standard proteins behave poorly in extrusion, creating processing headaches that increase costs and limit product possibilities. When you combine poor functionality with unsatisfactory sensory experiences, it's no wonder that truly successful high-protein snacks remain rare in the marketplace.
Glanbia Nutritionals recognized these interconnected challenges and developed a systematic approach to solve them through advanced protein engineering and semi-finished solutions that work from day one.
BarPro® Series: Revolutionizing Protein Extrusion
The BarPro® series represents functionally optimized proteins designed specifically for extrusion applications:
BarPro® Technology Overview
Unlike standard proteins that fight the extrusion process, BarPro® proteins are engineered to deliver exceptional starch-like textures without requiring high quantities of actual starch.[2]
Glanbia's BarPro milk proteins, BarFlex whey proteins, and BarHarvest plant proteins are functionally engineered to deliver superior textures for inclusions, snacks, and cereals without requiring flavor masking.
The breakthrough centers on protein chemistry modifications that allow better expansion during extrusion while eliminating the chalky, powdery, and glassy characteristics that plague standard protein applications. This isn't just about adding protein to existing formulations, it's about creating entirely new texture possibilities that consumers actually want to eat.
Ashley Bacchiarello, Glanbia's Senior Director of Product Strategic Management, explains the innovation: "Through our understanding of the intricacies involved in protein chemistry, along with its unique processing parameters, we were able to develop a range of proteins optimized to allow for better expansion within the extrusion process."[2]
Side-by-side comparison shows Glanbia's protein solutions achieve better texture, improved flavor, and enhanced chewdown characteristics compared to standard proteins, enabling higher protein levels without compromising quality.
BarPro® Product Range
The BarPro® portfolio addresses different application needs with specific protein solutions:
- BarPro® 100 targets small inclusions in products like bars, cookies, and clusters, delivering the protein boost without disrupting existing manufacturing processes. This milk protein concentrate provides clean flavor that requires no masking, which is a critical advantage for formulators dealing with tight cost structures.
- BarPro® 120 steps up to direct expanded snacks and cereals with larger sizes, allowing lower starch levels while achieving higher protein content without compromising texture. This opens opportunities in traditionally starch-heavy categories like extruded cereals and puffed snacks.
- BarPro® 130 takes the concept further by combining milk protein concentrate with soluble tapioca fiber, enabling high-protein, high-fiber formulations with reduced net carbs. This addresses multiple consumer trends simultaneously while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
Plant-based options through BarHarvest pea proteins bring similar extrusion advantages to vegan and plant-forward products, expanding the technology's reach across dietary preferences.
Crunchie™ Semi-Finished Solutions: Ready-to-Use Protein Inclusions
For the crunchers out there, Glanbia Nutritionals also has your applications covered:
Glanbia's Crunchie line offers semi-finished extruded pieces in multiple shapes and protein sources, delivering exceptional starch-like textures with 40-85% protein content and clean flavors requiring no masking.
Crunchie™ Technology Platform
Building on BarPro® protein innovations, Glanbia developed Crunchie™ semi-finished extruded pieces that solve the "last mile" challenge for many manufacturers. Rather than requiring extensive R&D to optimize protein extrusion in-house, formulators can incorporate ready-made high-protein inclusions with guaranteed performance characteristics.
Crunchie™ products utilize BarPro®, BarFlex, and BarHarvest protein solutions in controlled extrusion processes that deliver exceptional starch-like textures without starch dependence.[3] The result is consistent shape, size, color, and most importantly, sustained crunch throughout shelf life.
The clean flavor profile requires no masking, addressing one of the biggest formulation headaches in protein applications. When taste panels consistently reject protein-fortified products due to off-notes, having an inclusion that actually tastes good becomes a competitive advantage.
Crunchie™ Product Portfolio
The Crunchie™ range addresses different size and application requirements:
Comprehensive range includes milk, whey, and pea protein options across crisps (3-5mm), bites (10-12mm), loops, and flakes, with cocoa variants available and custom extrusions possible for specific applications.
- Crunchie™ Crisps (3-5mm diameter) serve as ideal bar and snack inclusions, containing >70-85% high-quality milk protein, >70% whey protein, or 40-63% pea protein depending on the variant. The small size integrates seamlessly into existing bar manufacturing while providing significant protein boosts.
- Crunchie™ Bites scale up to larger sizes perfect for direct snacking or cereal applications. The satisfying crunch appeals to texture-focused consumers while delivering exceptional protein content that traditional snacks can't match. Cocoa variants provide flavor variety without artificial additives.
- Crunchie™ Loops and Curls expand shape possibilities for visual interest and mouthfeel variety. The circular and curved configurations create different eating experiences while maintaining the core protein and texture benefits.
Glanbia's in-house coating capabilities add another layer of convenience. Formulators can specify custom seasonings or coatings and receive finished inclusions ready for incorporation or even direct packaging, eliminating multiple processing steps.
Glanbia supports both slurry coating and topical seasoning applications for Crunchie pieces, with full process flow from protein and starch blending through final packaging in Gaylord totes.
Applications and Market Opportunities
Crunchie™ applications extend far beyond traditional protein bars. The breakfast cereal market, struggling with flat growth due to competition from protein-rich alternatives, gains new opportunities through high-protein extruded pieces that maintain familiar cereal experiences.
Detailed process flow shows six key stages from raw material blending through finished product packaging, including extrusion, drying, and optional coating steps with specialized equipment at each stage.
In fact, Glanbia Nutritionals has seen the #1 use of protein cereal for snacking. So the snacking applications make sense: Rather than creating entirely new manufacturing capabilities, snack companies can incorporate Crunchie™ pieces into trail mixes, create protein-forward snack blends, or use them as toppers for yogurt and dessert applications.
Leading extruded protein cereal brands achieved +6% total category growth while regular cereals declined -1.4%, now accounting for 1.9% of the ready-to-eat cereal market up from 0.31% in 2021.
The texture research showing distinct consumer preferences for crunch aligns perfectly with Crunchie™'s value proposition. For the significant population of "Crunchers" who prefer foods that fracture on biting, these inclusions satisfy textural needs while delivering functional nutrition benefits.
BarPro® 700: The Unique Texture Innovation
BarPro® 700 deserves special attention for its distinctive positioning. This milk protein concentrate with lactic acid creates a "short, dense yogurt/cheesecake-like texture that enhances fruit flavors". While other BarPro® variants focus on neutral, starch-like textures, BarPro® 700 enables entirely different sensory experiences that align with specific flavor profiles.
Unlike other BarPro proteins focused on neutral textures, BarPro 700 creates an indulgent yogurt and cheesecake-like mouthfeel that enhances fruit flavors while maintaining superior shelf stability.
The fruit enhancement properties make BarPro® 700 particularly valuable for bars and snacks targeting dessert-like experiences without the sugar load. The yogurt-reminiscent texture taps into familiar comfort food associations while delivering superior protein content.
This demonstrates Glanbia's sophisticated approach to protein functionality: recognizing that different applications benefit from different textural characteristics rather than pursuing one-size-fits-all solutions.
Accelerated storage testing shows BarPro 700 stays significantly softer over time compared to standard whey protein isolate and milk protein concentrate, solving the common bar hardening problem.
Functional Bioactives: Adding Health Benefits to Snacking
Lower-carb dieters have some great options too, but quickly note that the ingredients like MCT below aren't just for low-carb dieters.
Specialized ingredients including ketogenic MCT, body composition support, thermogenic compounds, and custom vitamin premixes that add targeted health benefits beyond basic protein nutrition.
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KetoSure MCT®: Ketogenic Snacking Support
KetoSure® addresses the intersection of low-carb dieting and convenient snacking through a unique combination of coconut-based MCT-C8 and whey protein isolate. The ketogenic market has shown remarkable growth, with MCT inclusion in sports nutrition and supplement launches jumping from 11% in 2015 to 16% in 2019.[4]
The C8 fatty acid focus provides superior ketogenic potential compared to mixed MCT oils, while the whey protein carrier enables easy incorporation into powder drink mixes, hot beverage powders, and crucially, bars and snacks. This clean-label approach avoids additives and carriers that complicate labeling and consumer acceptance.
Technical specifications for BarPro extrusion proteins and complete Crunchie semi-finished pieces portfolio, showing size ranges, protein content, and application recommendations for each variant.
KetoSure®'s rapid solubility and clean flavor profile solve traditional MCT incorporation challenges. Standard MCT oils create formulation difficulties in solid applications and often produce unpleasant sensory experiences. By combining C8 with functionally optimized whey protein, Glanbia created a ketogenic ingredient that actually works in real-world applications.
The low-carb snacking market represents significant untapped potential. Most low-carb and keto dieters rely on whole foods like nuts and cheese for between-meal options, but those aren't protein-leveraged and quickly add a tremendous number of fat calories that consistently trip these dieters up. Manufactured snacks offering superior convenience and controlled macronutrient profiles could capture substantial market share among committed keto consumers.
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Prolibra®: Weight Management Through Better Body Composition
Prolibra® takes a sophisticated approach to weight management by focusing on body composition rather than simple weight loss. This whey protein fraction, high in leucine and bioactive peptides, demonstrated impressive clinical results in supporting healthy body composition changes.
The research results speak for themselves: Prolibra delivered 5.8% body fat reduction versus 2.3% in the placebo group, with 79% of weight lost being fat compared to 51% in the control group.[5] This represents the kind of body composition improvement that weight management consumers actually want: losing fat while maintaining lean muscle mass.
Comprehensive overview of Glanbia's protein solutions spanning whey, milk, and plant-based options, each optimized for specific texture characteristics from short and dense to smooth and chewy applications.
Unsurprisingly, the active women market shows interest in products supporting body composition goals. Sixty percent of women aged 18-45 exercise three times weekly or more, and they demonstrate higher awareness of health-beneficial ingredients compared to less active women.[5]
Prolibra's inclusion in bars and snacks creates products that align with active lifestyle goals while fitting into busy schedules. Rather than requiring dedicated supplement regimens, consumers can support their body composition goals through convenient snacking choices that taste good and provide satiety.
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Supporting Bioactives
CapsiAtra® provides thermogenic benefits without the pungency and side effects associated with traditional capsaicin supplements. This synthetic dihydrocapsiate supports weight management and endurance without elevating heart rate or blood pressure, making it suitable for broader consumer populations than traditional thermogenic ingredients.
Custom premix solutions round out the functional offerings by providing comprehensive vitamin and mineral fortification tailored to specific product needs. Rather than generic nutrient blends, these premixes optimize nutritional profiles for target demographics like active women, children, or elderly consumers.
BevWise 1000: RTD Applications
Finally, BevWise 1000 extends Glanbia's snacking innovation into ready-to-drink protein applications through superior heat-stabilizing milk protein concentrate designed for neutral pH beverages. While not traditionally considered snacking, RTD protein beverages increasingly serve snack replacement functions for busy consumers.
Heat-stable milk protein concentrate designed for neutral pH ready-to-drink applications, offering superior solubility and emulsification for UHT processing and high-heat manufacturing requirements.
The key benefits of good solubility, excellent emulsification, excellent nutritional value, and high heat stability provided here solve persistent formulation challenges in high-protein RTDs. Comparison with market leaders shows BevWise 1000 delivering superior nutritional profiles with cleaner ingredient statements.
Applications span neutral pH RTD beverages, UHT beverages, and high-heat processing applications, providing formulators with flexibility across different manufacturing and distribution requirements. The 30g protein delivery in a 150-calorie, low-fat, zero-added-sugar format aligns with consumer demands for efficient nutrition delivery.
Side-by-side nutritional comparison shows BevWise 1000 delivering competitive macronutrient profiles with simplified ingredient statements, eliminating additives like calcium caseinate found in leading brands.
BevWise 1000 connects to Glanbia's broader beverage innovation platform, including breakthrough ingredients like CreaBev for beverage-stable creatine and OptiATP for encapsulated ATP. This ready-to-drink approach ensures that protein remains the foundation while advanced bioactives provide functional differentiation.
Market Context and Consumer Trends
Consumer mapping shows protein-enhanced products bridging the gap between indulgent and health-focused snacking, with protein additions shifting products toward the "healthier" end of the perception scale.
The healthy snacking market shows incredible momentum driven by fundamental shifts in eating patterns and health consciousness. Consumer research reveals that 84% of respondents spend time researching brands that offer products suitable for their needs before purchasing premium food and beverage products.[1]
Data shows consumers give themselves permission to snack more often when products are positioned as healthier, with better-for-you indulgences seeing 67% daily consumption compared to 46% for standard sweet snacks.
Protein emerges as a uniquely consumer-friendly macronutrient that people actively seek on labels, unlike sugar which consumers avoid. This creates marketing advantages for protein-fortified snacks that extend beyond nutritional benefits to purchase motivation and brand perception.
Americans consume savory snacks 6.1 times weekly and sweet snacks 6.4 times weekly, while 58% actively try increasing protein intake and over 70% report consuming more protein-enriched options than a year ago.
Consumers Know More: Treat Them As Such!
The shift toward "knowledge-based consumption" means that consumers increasingly understand and value functional ingredients that provide measurable benefits. Rather than generic "better for you" positioning, products with specific functional ingredients like Prolibra or KetoSure® MCT can communicate targeted benefits that resonate with informed consumers.
Cross-generational research shows protein supports the top reasons people snack, from fulfilling cravings (59%) to treating oneself (58%), with consistent appeal across age groups for functional nutrition benefits.
Cross-category innovation opportunities abound as traditional category boundaries blur. Cereal companies can create snackable products, bar manufacturers can develop breakfast alternatives, and beverage brands can introduce meal replacement options. Glanbia's comprehensive ingredient portfolio supports this category fluidity by providing functional solutions across formats.
The high-protein extruded category grew 30% annually from $198M to $257M, representing just 2.1% of the total US potato chip and extruded snacks market, indicating substantial expansion potential.
Connecting to Glanbia's Broader Innovation Platform
These snacking innovations don't exist in isolation but connect to Glanbia's comprehensive strength platform that's transforming functional nutrition across categories. The recent launch of CreaBev and OptiATP technologies demonstrates how beverage-stable versions of traditionally problematic ingredients can unlock entirely new product possibilities.
Consumer usage patterns reveal 39% of active adults consume protein bars, sweet snacks, or cereals, with significant overlap showing opportunities for brands to capture consumers across multiple protein-fortified categories.
FitAid RX's successful integration of CreaBev technology proves that Glanbia's innovations translate into real-world commercial success. When established brands like LifeAID choose Glanbia's advanced ingredients for flagship product launches, it validates both the technical performance and market potential of these innovations.
Market opportunity exists at the intersection of increased snacking incidence, growing protein demand, and consumer desire for better texture and taste experiences in functional foods.
Meanwhile, the partnership approach with companies like Basic Supplements showcases how transparency around ingredient sourcing creates competitive advantages. By disclosing Glanbia-sourced proteins and highlighting the quality advantages, brands can differentiate in crowded markets while building consumer trust.
Consumer research reveals 58% of global consumers actively seek more protein, while 52% of snacking occasions now serve relaxation needs beyond traditional gym use, with taste remaining the top priority.
This full-ecosystem approach -- combining foundational proteins, advanced bioactives, and application-specific solutions -- enables formulators to create comprehensive nutritional profiles rather than single-ingredient additions. The synergies between ingredients often produce better results than individual components alone.
The Future of Functional Protein Snacking
Glanbia Nutritionals' comprehensive snacking portfolio represents more than ingredient innovation... it's an enablement platform that allows brands to compete in the rapidly evolving better-for-you snacking market. Through BarPro® extrusion proteins, Crunchie™ ready-to-use inclusions, and functional bioactives like KetoSure® and Prolibra, formulators gain access to solutions that solve both technical challenges and consumer demands.
The texture science behind products like Crunchie™ directly addresses consumer preferences while the functional bioactives provide measurable benefits that informed consumers increasingly expect. BevWise 1000 extends these advantages into RTD formats, ensuring comprehensive coverage across snacking occasions and preferences.
As the "snack as staple" trend continues evolving, brands with access to advanced protein technologies will capture disproportionate market share. Glanbia's Q3 campaign highlights how decades of protein expertise translate into practical solutions that work in real manufacturing environments while delivering the taste, texture, and nutrition consumers demand.
The convergence of consumer health consciousness, convenient eating patterns, and advanced ingredient technology creates unprecedented opportunities for functional protein snacking. Glanbia Nutritionals provides the foundation for brands ready to capitalize on this intersection of trends.
To learn more about incorporating these innovative protein and bioactive solutions into your next better-for-you snacking product, contact Glanbia Nutritionals and discover how their comprehensive ingredient ecosystem can transform your formulation possibilities.
