KP Snacks is significantly outperforming the bagged snacks market, generating more than 70% of category value growth, with brands such as Hula Hoops and McCoy’s helping drive strong sales.
Value and familiarity are key consumer trends, with Meal Deal promotions and nostalgic brands like Discos proving particularly popular as shoppers seek affordable treats and trusted products.
KP Snacks’ ‘25 to Thrive’ ranging guidance helps retailers boost sales by focusing on the 25 best-selling PMP snack lines, with trials showing it can increase category sales by up to 15%.
Stuart Graham, Head of Convenience & Impulse and Value Channels at KP Snacks spoke to Wholesale Manager about how the business is helping retailers to drive sales and maximise growth in the crucial bagged snacks category.
How is the KP Snacks range currently performing?
Bagged Snacks is a scalable category, worth over £5.3bn and still growing1. KP Snacks is fuelling that and significantly outperforming the market, currently contributing to over 70% of the category value growth2. Our approach of generating demand with the right NPD while leveraging our established range of favourite brands is central to this growth, ensuring we offer something for everyone across all formats and occasions.
Our portfolio is performing well, with our biggest brands Hula Hoops and McCoy’s contributing the highest RSV growth to the category, and our range of heritage brands and PMPs continuing to drive growth in the convenience channel2.
Our NPD strategy is also delivering great results. Earlier this year, Skips Salt & Vinegar returned to shelves, capitalising on growing demand for classic flavours, and early feedback is very encouraging.
What trends are driving the crisps & snacks market?
Ultimately, whether in good times or bad, everyone still wants an affordable, tasty treat and a bagged snack is an ideal option, appearing in 1 in 5 convenience shopping baskets3.
Meal Deal, the #1 promotional mechanic for the category3, has gained relevance over the past year as shoppers are seeking better value at meal times, and so providing choice and excitement within the Eat Now range is key.
Nostalgia is also a powerful growth driver as consumers actively turn to familiar, trusted brands during challenging economic times. This is exactly why classic brands like Discos and Space Raiders remain so popular, with Discos being the fastest growing top 10 brand in Impulse following the return of Discos Pickled Onion last year after a 20-year absence4.
Tell us more about the 25 to Thrive ranging guidance?
We pride ourselves on being a highly supportive partner to convenience retailers, delivering market-leading education, impartial category advice, and a range of best-selling products.
In today’s trading environment, the continuous drive for value encourages shoppers to shop around, and while shoppers still value convenience, offering the right range with clear value is key to retaining their loyalty. 25 to Thrive helps retailers do just that.
It provides clear guidance on the optimum core range of the best-selling 25 products in PMP to deliver the perfect balance of range for today’s convenience shopper needs. This guide can be easily applied to stores of all sizes, but these 25 core SKUs are foundational, delivering 30% of all crisps and snacks sales within the Symbol and Independent channel4.
And we know this guidance works. Our trials have shown that implementing ’25 to Thrive’ could add 15% in additional sales to a retailer’s category sales5.
What role do PMPs play within 25 to Thrive and the category more broadly?
PMPs are fundamental to effective ranging, offering clear value and winning the trust of the shopper, they also offer clear shelf standout. In the Symbol and Independent channel, Eat Now PMPs represent 61% of bagged snacks sales, with the format seeing strong year-on-year growth of +8%4. In independent stores specifically, Eat Now PMPs account for almost 70% of bagged snacks sales4.
KP over index in the PMP segment, with 38% share, growing ahead of the market at +7% YOY1. We have a strong range, with Big Hoops and McCoy’s being the #1 and #3 top PMP brands6.
What insights are behind the guidance?
This concept has been developed directly from category and consumer insight, purchasing data, and by working closely with our KP SnacKPartners retail ambassadors and through in-store trials. Our advice supports retailers by helping them assess the right range, right layout and right NPD that will work for their customers and critically for their stores.
How can wholesalers maximise their crisps, nuts and snacks sales?
Bagged snacks is a key category to back, bought by 98% of UK households7. There’s a huge opportunity for wholesalers to double down and play a role in supporting independent retailers to succeed, making it easy to shop and stock up in depot with the products and ranges that will make the biggest difference in store.
1 Nielsen IQ, Total Coverage, Total Value, MAT 13.06.2026. 2 Nielsen NIQ; Total Coverage, 52weeks w/e 13.06.26. 3 Lumina Intelligence Convenience Tracking Programme – 52 weeks WE 21/06/2026. 4 Nielsen NIQ, Symbols & Independents, 52weeks w/e 13.06.26, value sales. 5 Based on a ranging trial in 3 independent retailers in April/May 2024, average value sales 4 weeks pre vs weeks post. 6 Nielsen NIQ, Total Coverage, 52weeks w/e 13.06.26, value sales. 7 Worldpanel Numerator, L52 Wks to June 2026
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