date:Jan 15, 2013
counted for $5.7 billion in the U.S. alone in 2011, with the nutrition/energy bar portion accounting for $2.5 billion, according to Packaged Facts. That segment enjoyed a 16% growth from 2010 to 2011, and Packaged Facts predicts sales of nutrition/energy bars will hit $4.5 billion by 2016.
Cereal and granola bars are an even larger segment, at least at present; Packaged Facts notes U.S. retail sales hit $3.15 billion in 2011. However, the fortunes of cereal bars vs. granola bars have differed.