Dive Brief:
- The global popcorn market could hit sales of $12 billion by 2020 after maintaining a CAGR of 7% between 2016 and 2020, according to a new Technavio report.
- North America, popcorn's largest market with more than 61% revenue share, is expected to see a CAGR of more than 6% during that time as companies large and small launch more popcorn varieties.
- Flavor innovations have been key to popcorn's growth over the years.
Dive Insight:
Popcorn has been a target segment for both smaller and larger manufacturers. Kraft Foods, PepsiCo, Great American Popcorn, and Diamond Foods have all stepped up with new popcorn products. Brands like Skinny Pop and a host of startups have created niche popcorn varieties with exotic flavors.
Popcorn had long been relegated to the unhealthy snacks category, but Skinny Pop and similar health-positioned popcorn brands have introduced the category in a new light. This enables popcorn producers to capitalize on both the consumer health trend and the rise of snacking.
Skinny Pop owner Amplify Snack Brands Inc. filed for an IPO in July and went public in August, though its performance was disappointing and not in line with the usual performances of food IPO launches. That didn't stop Credit Suisse from naming Amplify as an acquisition target in September due mainly to Skinny Pop's fast growth and current position as No. 2 ready-to-eat popcorn brand with 16% market share.