Vegan snacks are having a serious moment. According to SkyQuest, the global plant-based snack industry was worth more than $51 billion in 2023, and it’s not slowing down anytime soon. In fact, it’s projected to climb past $95.6 billion by 2032.
So what’s fueling the boom? Around 40 percent of Americans say they’re reaching for more plant-based goodies, thanks to a growing appetite for healthier, more sustainable options.
Good Eat’n
“Ten years ago, vegan snacks were relegated to health food stores,” says food scientist, nutritionist, and Live Eat Learn recipe developer Sarah Bond. “Now they’re at gas stations and mainstream groceries. People want convenience without compromise—snacks that feel fun and aligned with personal values, even if they don’t necessarily identify as vegan.”
But it’s not just wellness trends driving the shift. Hollywood is getting in on the action, too. Move over, beauty, snacks might just be the new status symbol for the A-list.
The boom in celebrity-backed snack brands
One of the biggest names in vegan snacks right now is NBA star Chris Paul. His plant-based brand, Good Eat’n, which offers puffs, tortilla chips, and even cookies and cream popcorn, recently partnered with Walmart. Paul, who follows a vegan diet, launched the brand with delivery platform Gopuff in 2022 to create the snacks he craved, without compromising his values.
“Cool Ranch Doritos were my thing. That was my snack at school or at lunch time, or during the summer. Or when I was playing on travel teams,” Paul told VegNews. “And so now, to have our flavor that gives you that same nostalgia, but you know that it’s plant-based, has been the coolest thing.”
Fellow elite athlete Tom Brady also dove into the snack game with Goat Gummies, a vegan gummy brand he co-created with Gopuff. His motivation? A love for gummies and a desire for something cleaner.
“For me, it was important to create a snack that both tastes amazing and is made with ingredients I can trust and understand—something I can feel good about eating and sharing with my kids,” Brady said in a statement.
Actor Patrick Schwarzenegger has also jumped on board. His brain-health-focused protein bar company, Mosh, recently debuted its first line of plant-based products. “These vegan bars aren’t about replacing what we have—they’re about inclusion,” he said. “Now people who couldn’t try Mosh before can experience what we’re all about, and our loyal customers get even more delicious choices.”
Social media personality Tabitha Brown has also made major waves with her Target range, which includes several plant-based snack options. Meanwhile, stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Snoop Dogg, and Rihanna have put serious money behind buzzy vegan snack startups like Partake Foods, Hippeas, and Outstanding Foods.
Mosh
This kind of celebrity support can be a game-changer, says Toni Ferrara, celebrity PR strategist and founder of Ferrara Media. “A celebrity name fast-tracks credibility, shelf space, and media coverage,” she explains. “A-list backing means instant visibility—but more importantly, it creates trust.”
Stacy Jones, CEO of creative ad agency Hollywood Branded, agrees. “Celebrity branding gives these products a spotlight most small brands would never get on their own,” she explains. “It’s often the difference between getting shelf space at Target or being stuck in a boutique health store.”
Are celebrities just following the trend?
Most celebrities, like Paul and Brady, say they’re motivated by personal values. But not all are in it for the cause. “Some are definitely just riding the wave,” Jones says, “but others are genuinely shaping food culture by normalizing plant-based snacking.”
And that normalization has a ripple effect. “The more people see their favorite celebs casually snacking on something vegan, the less ‘alternative’ it feels,” she adds. “It shifts plant-based from niche to normal.”
Hippeas
Bond agrees. “Celebrity endorsements move the needle, especially with flexitarians and younger audiences,” she says. “People are more likely to try a vegan product if someone they admire is behind it. It adds social proof and makes plant-based eating feel aspirational instead of restrictive.”
The shift also has broader health implications. Many celebrity-backed snacks tend to prioritize wholesome ingredients and added nutrition, a stark contrast to conventional options that are often loaded with saturated fat and refined sugar. These ultra-processed foods (UPFs), research suggests, can negatively impact long-term health.
“The ones to watch out for are those calorie-heavy, nutrient-light snack foods that leave you hungry for more,” Sapna Peruvemba, MS, RDN of Health by Sapna, previously told VegNews. “Chips, candy, soda—you know the drill. Even some frozen meals, cereals, and vegan meats can be culprits, often packed with added sugars, sodium, and unhealthy fats.”
As awareness around UPFs grows, many consumers are rethinking their snack habits and turning to healthier options, more of which are coming with a celebrity name attached.
“Consumers today aren’t just snacking for taste, they’re snacking with values,” says Ferrara. “Vegan snacks are no longer niche; they’re mainstream because people care about what’s in their food, how it impacts their bodies, and where it comes from. The rise of plant-based snacks says we’re more label-literate, health-aware, and ethically driven than ever before, and we still want it to taste good.”
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
