Due to launch later this year, the two new production lines will run at 360 bars per minute, effectively tripling the company’s previous output of 120 bars per minute.
The new lines will add capacity to production and will not replace existing equipment.
The Wrexham-based manufacturer says that the decision to invest heavily in scaling up production stems from a surge in popularity of cereal bars and functional snacking.
According to new market data from NIQ EPOS, the total cereal bar market is now worth £819 million over the past year, growing at 3%, up from 2.4% in the previous year.
Protein bars, now worth £261 million, are growing at 8.3% year on year and account for 83% of the category’s value growth.
Within everyday snacking bars, the health segment is showing strong growth, with value growth accelerating to 22.3% (from 18.6%).
John McMullen, CEO of Wholebake says: “The way Britain snacks is undergoing a structural shift. People aren’t snacking more, they’re snacking better, trading traditional confectionery for healthier alternatives made with ingredients they recognise.
The data makes clear this is not a passing fad but a lasting change in behaviour, and one where consumers are willing to pay more for snacks that fit their lifestyle. As a manufacturer, our job is to help brands and retailers keep pace with that demand."
He continues: “That’s exactly why we’re investing in new high-speed production lines this year, to give our customers the capacity, quality and flexibility they need to grow in one of the fastest-moving parts of the food industry.
“Wholebake has spent more than 25 years building expertise in healthy snacking, and the shift we have seen in that timeframe has been monumental.”
Notably, the data suggests that growth has been driven by a 27% increase in average price alongside a 3.5% dip in volume, indicating that consumers are willing to pay more for healthier, functional products.
The NIQ EPOS figures also show that Wholebake sold more than 145 million bars over the past year, with volume (kg) up 10% and value sales up 18.7% year on year — an acceleration from 16% in the previous period, tracking ahead of the category average.