Packaging Pressures in the Energy Bar Market
Energy bars have become a staple in the modern diet, catering to athletes, busy professionals, and health-conscious consumers all over the world. As a result, the sector is predicted to grow globally at an impressive CAGR of 3.32% (2021–2026) and expected to reach more than USD $3.6 billion by 2026.
As demand for these convenient, nutritious snacks continues to rise, manufacturers are stepping up to seize the opportunities it offers. But while this is positive news for the sector, producers still face growing challenges in meeting demand and staying competitive.
At Jacob White, we know that many businesses in the sector are at an important crossroads, ready to move forward and weighing up their packaging options. In this article, we’ll highlight how implementing the right energy bars packaging machine can unlock greater potential, for both the production line and the bottom line.
Energy bar market growth
Driven by an accelerating consumer need for quick, functional nutrition, the global energy bars market is expected to reach USD $3.6 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 3.32% (Mordor Intelligence). In the UK, this thriving sector hit more than £1.2 billion in sales in 2024 and is showing no signs of slowing with research indicating that an estimated 67% of UK adults consuming energy and health food bars regularly. With such strong market growth, both historic and projected, product availability, consistency and high-speed output are now more critical than ever, especially for small-to medium-sized manufacturers, to remain competitive.
The role of packaging in energy bar manufacturers
More than just a wrapper, the packaging ensures that energy bars reach consumers fresh, free from the risk of contamination and also ready to eat fast. Packaging is often central to the decision-making process, and it isn’t just about shelf appeal for today’s environmentally-aware consumers. In the UK, for instance, recyclability matters. According to research, 80% of UK shoppers prefer recyclable packaging and globally, 89% expect brands to act sustainably. The good news is that they don’t mind paying more to get it.
Brands wanting to differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive marketplace know the value of sustainability to the consumer. They also need reliability and consistency in both production and packaging processes in order to stay ahead. Key components of successful operation they may be, but these can also become hurdles for many producers when the challenges are considered.
Packaging challenges facing energy bar manufacturers
As competition ramps up across the sector, energy bar manufacturers face growing pressure to keep up. The challenges are not just about the product itself, but how it’s wrapped, presented, protected and distributed, while at the same time fulfilling key compliance requirements. The UK energy bar packaging sector is being driven hard by increased demand for health and nutritious products. With a CAGR of an impressive 5.4% predicted (2024-25), this brings an opportunity not to be missed. However, it the hurdles still need to be cleared, maintaining freshness, speeding up output in the midst of skills shortages and the climbing cost of labour, energy consumption and distribution. This all adds up, making the need for a flexible, scalable solution never greater.
The specifics of using natural ingredients
Energy bars producers using natural ingredients face wider challenges. Packaging processes for energy bars differ significantly from conventional snacks, such as chocolate bars, for instance. This is primarily to do with shelf life and ensuring that natural ingredients, can stay fresh without spoiling. In addition, natural ingredients don’t conform to precise rules in terms of shape and size, and they can often be sticky, increasing the need for regular cleaning down and maintenance.
Packaging plays an important role, both in materials and in the process. This is because energy bars containing natural or vegan-friendly ingredients tend to avoid preservatives and artificial additives, so they typically have a shorter shelf life than conventional bars with stabilisers or other formulas added specifically to extend this lifespan. Here are some average shelf-life examples:
- Natural energy bars with no preservatives – average shelf life 9 months
- Conventional energy or protein bars – 12 months labelled but anecdotally safe to eat up to 2 years
- Chocolate snack bars – typically 12 months but lasts up to 2 years
Materials need really careful consideration, in addition to packaging processes such as heat sealing or (Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP). These are all key elements that protect and preserve the natural ingredients for as long as possible. Far from crumbling under pressure, the most successful energy bar producers are talking more about automation to help them both clear the hurdles and, most importantly, harness the opportunities that this sector presents. Machines designed and built specifically for energy bars packaging don’t just speed up processes, a common misconception in many sectors. They augment the workforce, protect the products and can help natural bars match or even exceed the longevity of conventional competitors.
Introducing automation to energy bars packaging
Investing in state-of-the-art packaging machines offers several benefits for manufacturers, from improved product safety and a clean environment to the potentially significant impact on speed, output and reliance on manual lines. Let’s look at some of the biggest benefits in more detail:
- Swifter, cleaner packaging – bars with natural ingredients, while soaringly popular, spoil more easily than other, conventional bars, so require better protection. Nuts, for instance, are vulnerable to oxidisation, which dramatically reduces shelf life. Automating this type of product packaging means a hands-free, cleaner approach, especially when bars are wrapped in individual wrappers. A rotary machine, for example, ensures precise filling and airtight seals, which can significantly reduce the likelihood of leakage, spoilage or product damage.
- Minimised waste - Packaging machines also reduce film and product waste through accurate cutting and heat sealing, which can have a positive impact in both sustainability metrics and profit margins. Market research suggests that reducing materials waste even by 1 or 2% can translate into savings of up to £40,000 per year for medium-sized producers, which also improves ROI significantly.
- Reducing the reliance on manual lines - with labour shortages affecting over 45% of UK manufacturers, achieving flexibility has become challenging for operators of all sizes, in many cases making automation a necessity rather than a luxury. Automating key parts of the production process takes the pressure off businesses in terms of labour and the associated cost, particularly following recent increases in wages and contributions.
- Scalable productivity – for many energy bars manufacturers, scalability is simply a word on a wish list, but with automation, it can become a practical, achievable goal. Machines allow producers to scale up production (or down) while maintaining quality and consistency. According to industry reports, some UK food manufacturers using automation on the production line reported productivity increases of up to 30%, which has enabled a faster response to market shifts and opportunities without compromising on standards.
- Reduced costs – reducing operational cost is key in today’s manufacturing environment. The right packaging machinery for energy bars can help to maximise ROI and deliver measurable returns:
- Lower unit cost per pack – according to research, automation can reduce labour costs (UK) by 50-75%, saving up to £39,500 per year (based on a four-person packing team).
- Faster time-to market – machines double or in some cases, triple the output of a manual line and accelerates distribution.
- Better product consistency – automating sealing and dramatically reducing defects and spoilage. Some industry experts translate this into real, error-related savings of up to £20,000 per year (based on 1 million units).
- Automated compliance (with both regulatory and retain requirements).
- Stronger brand presentation.
- Speed and output efficiency – a machine built to handle energy bars offers an average output of up to 100 packs per minute, depending on format, size and type of product. This means that producers can easily meet the growing sector demand and seize the opportunities it offers.
Talk to us about automating energy bars packaging
At Jacob White, we work closely with our customers to find advanced solutions to real industry challenges, offering support and helping them make the right long-term decisions. Our cutting-edge packaging machines provide the perfect balance of speed, precision, and sustainability.
As the sector continues to grow, both globally and locally, we’re here to help you navigate today’s energy bar market and harness the opportunities, meet demand, reduce costs and create a future-proofed, resilient operation with a healthy ROI.
Contact us and let’s discuss how we can optimise energy bar packaging for you.
