Speciality Food Magazine - April 2026

The 2026 edition of our annual exploration of the UK’s snacking market – Snack Buyer – is currently in production. If you’d like to get involved, email hello@ specialityfoodmagazine.com The Feed. On the Go Food-to-go set to reach value of £24.9bn in 2026 According to Lumina Intelligence’s UK Food to Go Market Report 2026 , Britain's food-to-go market is growing faster than the wider eating-out sector. Shoppers are seeking convenient, high quality options over value, and affluent shoppers are spending more per transaction as they replace eating-out spend. Better ingredients, functional health benefits and personalised offers are driving growth. Linda Haden, insight lead at Lumina Intelligence, said, "The UK food-to-go market remains structurally resilient, but the way growth is being generated is changing. We’re seeing consumers spend more per visit as expectations around quality, health and personalisation rise. At the same time, operators are navigating a more complex cost environment, which means innovation in formats, pricing and technology will be critical to sustaining growth in the years ahead." THE SNACK FOODS SEGMENT GENERATING THE HIGHEST REVENUE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM IS – AND IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN – COOKIES AND CRACKERS . IN 2025 , THE SEGMENT GENERATED £1.6 BILLION , WHILE TORTILLA CHIPS , FLIPS, AND PRETZELS, THE SECOND HIGHEST-GROSSING SEGMENT, HAD A REVENUE OF £0.95 BILLION THAT YEAR Statista 12 TASTE TO-GO Pea Pops Simply Salted Popped not fried, these contain 60% less fat than fried crisps, 101 kcal per serving or less, are gluten-free, high in fibre, and contain up to 22% plant-based protein. peapops.co.uk Stockleys Treat Bag Traditional confectionery handcrafted in Lancashire and now available in a convenient sharing format for enjoying on-the-go. stockleys-sweets.co.uk Two Farmers Herefordshire Sauce Crisps Delivering a distinct savoury tang, these are umami-rich, piquant crisps that offer a true taste of the region. twofarmers.co.uk Pip Organic Apple Cherry Fizz A refreshing blend of juicy organic apples, cherries, grapes and sparkling water – made without added sugar, flavourings or concentrated fruit juice. piporganic.com 85% of consumers say coffee quality influences where they choose to eat or drink, and 70% of those who don’t drink coffee in these venues still regard coffee quality as a marker of an overall quality establishment Human8 In 2025 , potato crisps saw the most growth in UK sales at 1.2% Statista