Chicago
English
Matt is Global Insight Manager for Food, Cooking and Meals at Euromonitor International. He focuses on providing insights to large food clients but also supports in the wider space including beverage companies, government agencies, and suppliers.
Matt advises clients in the food, beverages, and B2B space on a wide variety of topics. Particular interest areas include cooking ingredients and meals, hot drinks, functional food and beverage, and the impact of geopolitics on food. Matt holds a master's degree in International Relations from the Harvard University School of Extension Studies. He has been quoted in publications such as the Economist, The Financial Times, and The Wall Street Journal.
The global snacks industry is going through a difficult period. Retail value sales growth from 2025 to 2026 reached its lowest level globally since the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, numerous bright spots exist in areas like wellness-orientated snacks, affordable indulgences and emerging occasions.
At a time when the food industry is struggling under the combined pressure of tough demographics, consumers pulling back on spending, geopolitical trouble, and rising costs of inputs, there has been at least one notable bright spot: protein. Consumers have shown a remarkable and enduring interest in high-protein products in virtually every format and category. But how long can this last? Are we nearing the end of the Age of Proteinmaxxing?
The food consumer of 2026 faces numerous challenges. Foremost amongst these is rising prices, a trend likely to worsen as the supply disruptions of the war in Iran disrupt the global agricultural system. This is going to push consumers to above all seek value. They are willing to splurge less than they were before, but that does not mean they are not still willing to spend on things such as health benefits and convenience if the value proposition is right.
Matthew Barry, Global Insight Manager for Packaged Food at Euromonitor International, explores the growing role of protein in the global wellness market, as consumers increasingly associate protein with healthy ageing, weight management and overall wellbeing. The article examines how demand for high-protein products is expanding across food, beverages, supplements and beauty, while highlighting the importance of quality, affordability and functional benefits in sustaining long-term growth.
Protein demand will keep rising after today’s proteinmaxxing boom fades.