Bagged Snacks is a powerhouse category for the convenience channel. Worth over £5.3bn and outpacing the growth of other key impulse categories, it’s a primary driver of footfall, appearing in one in every five C&I baskets.
As the cost-of-living remains high, consumers are drawn to value-driven affordable treats. At the same time, nostalgia is increasingly influencing purchasing decisions as consumers look for reliable, recognisable brands they know and trust.
KP Snacks is driving incremental category growth by catering directly to these trends, contributing a massive 59% of total Bagged Snacks absolute value growth in 2025. A major lever of this success is its Heritage Brands portfolio, featuring well-loved staples such as Nik Naks, Skips, Discos, Wheat Crunchies, Space Raiders and Roysters.
This portfolio delivers a point of difference in the category, providing the fun, nostalgia and unique textures that shoppers love, at accessible price points, from Space Raiders 50p price marked packs (PMPs) to popular £1.35 PMP formats. And as Food to Go continues to fuel Bagged Snacks growth, especially when anchored by PMPs, this portfolio appeals to consumers with clear value and price transparency.
To explore how KP Snacks’ Heritage Brands are contributing to category growth through nostalgia and innovation, Wholesale Manager headed to United Wholesale’s state-of-the-art depot in Rainham to speak to Stuart Graham, Head of C&I and Value Channels at KP Snacks, and Chris Gallacher, Managing Director, United Wholesale.
The atmosphere was electric, transformed by a high-energy depot takeover celebrating KP Snacks’ Heritage portfolio partnership with the iconic NOW That’s What I Call Music brand. Featuring a DJ booth, product sampling, and an AI photobooth, the event displayed in-depot activation at its best, leveraging theatre to engage and disrupt retailers.
To watch the video interviews, go to wholesalemanager.co.uk
What are you doing here today?
SG: We are delighted to be here at United’s brand-new depot to celebrate our Heritage portfolio and NOW That’s What I Call Music partnership. We are engaging with retailers, getting their feedback, and helping them understand how to drive Bagged Snacks sales in store. The United team has done a fantastic job with unique, eye-catching digital POS, while our in-depot theatre is bringing the exciting and nostalgic collaboration to life. Stuart Graham Head of C&I and Value Channels, KP Snacks
Tell us more about your on-pack promotion with NOW Music?
SG: This partnership blends nostalgic cues with our brands’ playful identities, incentivising shoppers with thousands of cash and music-related prizes. It’s running across Nik Naks, Skips, Discos, Wheat Crunchies, Space Raiders, and Roysters, including two exciting new launches and includes a £25,000 retailer incentive on PMP cases. To boost impulse sales, we’ve also distributed themed POS kits to help retailers maximise visibility.
Can you tell us more about your recent NPD?
SG: We’re leveraging consumer trends to boost category sales and turning up the heat with Nik Naks Xtra Hot ‘N’ Fiery. It’s the brand’s hottest product yet, and taps into the growth of spicy flavours which now account for over 10% of category sales. We’ve also brought back Skips Salt & Vinegar after a decade’s absence. By bringing the flavour back in Grab Bag and PMP, we’re helping retailers capitalise on both Food to Go and value missions.
How are your Heritage Brands performing?
SG: The Heritage portfolio is performing strongly, driven by relevance, taste and nostalgia. Nik Naks has nearly doubled in size over the past four years to become a top 20 Bagged Snacks brand. Discos is growing at +11.1% in PMPs, and Wheat Crunchies PMPs are up +9%. Space Raiders has seen +19% growth over the last five years.
How important is the Wholesale channel?
SG: The Wholesale channel is a critical route to market for us. Symbols and Independents contribute 28% of our total unit sales and we pride ourselves on working closely with wholesalers to understand the unique challenges of the channel and ensure we launch the right NPD in the right formats to support them and drive overall category growth.
What are the key opportunities?
SG: Getting your core ranging right is really important to driving category sales. That means stocking the bestsellers every day and merchandising them with good visibility. That’s why we have our ‘25 to Thrive’ retailer guide, which spotlights the Bagged Snacks SKUs proven to drive sales and offers practical advice on how to block brands and products for maximum impact.
Why did you choose to partner with KP Snacks on this activation?
CG: We sold over 190,000 cases of KP Snacks products last year through the United Wholesale Scotland business. With KP Snacks holding a 28% market share, it is so important that we have a big partnership with the team. Looking at what they’ve done today in terms of theatre and activation, it’s clear why they are such an iconic partner. Every single one of their brands on the shelf has its own space and sells very well in both Scotland and London.
How important is it for wholesalers to partner with suppliers?
CG: I think the key is for the wholesaler and supplier to come together and activate something different so that we can encourage the retailer to buy and ultimately get the product into the consumer’s hand. That’s what we’re here for everyday, working together as partners to drive growth in the category.
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