‘The next protein’: Fiber is shaping up to be the latest grocery obsession

‘The next protein’: Fiber is shaping up to be the latest grocery obsession

Published Fri, Dec 12 2025

7:30 AM EST

Key Points

• As consumers find their next grocery obsession in fiber, food and beverage companies are racing to keep up with the trend.
• Experts say high-fiber foods could be the next protein, which saw a massive spike in popularity this year.
• Companies like Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Nestlé and Olipop are jumping on the gut health trend momentum with prebiotic drinks and other options.

Cases of Pepsi soda are displayed at a Costco Wholesale store on Nov. 13, 2025 in Simi Valley, California.

Kevin Carter | Getty Images

One of this year's top food trends is facing some tough competition.

Protein captivated consumers and food companies in 2025, but fiber is increasingly stealing the scene as people place an increasing emphasis on promoting gut health.

It's taken hold on social media, where "fibermaxxing" — or the concept of increasing fiber intake through whole foods like fruits and legumes — has seen thousands of posts.

"Fiber is finally getting a spotlight, which is a great thing because it's a nutrient that people need," said Stephanie Mattucci, principal strategist at food research company Mintel.

Currently, 90% of women and 97% of men in the U.S. are not meeting their daily fiber requirements, Mattucci said. For most Americans, that recommended range usually falls somewhere between 25 grams and 38 grams of fiber per day, she added.

But more people are beginning to take notice of those gaps.

According to Mattucci, 22% of consumers in the U.S. said high fiber content was one of their top three important factors when shopping for food — up from just 17% in 2021.

Wall Street's companies are taking note, too. On an earnings call with analysts in October, PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said fiber was emerging at the forefront of the company's product goals as it looked ahead to 2026.

"I think fiber will be the next protein," Laguarta said. "Consumers are starting to understand that fiber is the benefit that they need. It's actually an efficiency in U.S. consumers' diets, and that will be elevated."

In February, the company is going a step farther and plans to launch Smartfood Fiber Pop, featuring six grams of protein per serving, and SunChips Fiber, incorporating fiber variants like whole grains and black beans, Pepsi's chief science officer, Tara Glasgow, told CNBC exclusively.

And there's a reason companies are broadening their offerings. Research firm Datassential found that fiber is on track to be the "next big health trend following on the heels of protein" in its 2026 trends report.

Of the consumers the firm surveyed, 54% said they are interested in foods and beverages that are high in fiber. That number is even higher — reaching 60% — among members of Generation Z, who are pioneering the "fibermaxxing" trend on social media.

And 42% of consumers said they believe the attribute of "high fiber" on a nutrition label of any food or beverage product is important to defining that product as "healthy," according to Datassential.

It's that momentum that landed fiber as one of Whole Foods Market's top trends for 2026.

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The gut health craze

Watching fiber intake isn't new, experts note, but it's often been associated with older people who require it for health reasons as they age.

"When I think of fiber, I immediately think of my grandfather. Every day, he had his little baggie of All-Bran, and he brought it everywhere he went, probably out of necessity," Mintel's Mattucci said, citing the slowing of digestive tracts as people age.

Still, something has shifted as consumers of all ages have started placing more emphasis on promoting gut health and digestive wellness — and fiber entered the spotlight.

The emphasis on diversity of fiber intake and finding it in everyday whole foods rather than through supplements or powders is part of what's allowing it to find popularity and align with current culture, according to Angela Salas, a senior dietitian at the University of California, Davis.

The two types of fiber — soluble and insoluble — work together to keep people fuller for longer, improve digestion, and lower blood pressure and cholesterol, Salas said. In some ways, fiber could mimic the effects of weight-loss drugs because it takes longer to break down food and therefore sits in the stomach for longer, she said, which could be a factor for its recent popularity.

"These nutrients have always been around and always kind of shifts, I think, from the food industry saying, 'What can we highlight? What do people want to be focusing on so that we can continue to sell the same product, just slightly altered?'" Salas said.

Still, Kate Pelletier, a registered dietitian nutritionist at the University of Michigan Health, said it's important to note that fiber is not sufficient as an alternative to GLP-1 drugs, and a balanced plate is the best way to stay healthy.

Pelletier said fiber's use as a "street sweeper" for the body is likely one of the reasons it's been thrust back into the spotlight.

"There's been a really big shift into more natural plants instead of popping a supplement or using a protein powder," Pelletier said. "We can get the benefit of fiber from thinking about adding more wholesome foods into our diet, versus typical diet culture [which] focuses on taking out X, Y or Z." 

Promoting high-fiber products

Food and beverage companies are jumping on the momentum, too.

Earlier this year, Coca-Cola launched its prebiotic soda, Simply Pop, with six grams of prebiotic fiber in five flavors to encourage gut health. Nestlé unveiled a new protein shake in June with four grams of prebiotic fiber designed specifically to support the digestive health of adults on GLP-1 medications.

Other companies like Olipop have also entered the prebiotic soda market, boasting recipes that promote gut health, while smaller businesses, like Floura protein bars and Sola Bagels, have also begun selling fiber-rich products.

Pepsi's Glasgow told CNBC the company is taking every opportunity to explore consumers' newfound interest in fiber. Glasgow said the research and development team's work starts in science and follows trends to keep up with their audience's evolving tastes.

Pepsi already has products on the market that specifically boast high fiber content, like its prebiotic cola and Quaker oatmeal. As consumers start to explore the previously "sleepy little nutrient," Glasgow said, Pepsi is innovating new products across its beverages and food brands.

"We hear it from consumers as well that they're becoming more knowledgeable about nutrition and their nutrition needs," Glasgow said. "And I think that's where the excitement is coming from. I feel it growing."

Smartfood Fiber Pop and Sun Chips Fiber snacks.

Source: Pepsico

Glasgow said the company, which already launched successful protein-packed products this year, is moving toward products that incorporate multiple sources of gut-healthy ingredients.

"We saw protein grow in a big way in the last couple years," Glasgow said. "I think [consumers] are then expanding their view, and they realize there's not one ingredient alone that is the silver bullet. It's about getting the right ingredients all together."

For some, fiber isn't just a trend.

Naomi Aganekwu, a 27-year-old content creator, said she started incorporating fiber more intentionally into her diet last year. Now, she makes sure each meal she eats has at least five to 10 grams of fiber through foods like beans, lentils and chia seed puddings.

Aganekwu said she's seeing results from incorporating fiber into her diet, like being satiated after meals and seeing her hormonal acne reduce. And as she's championing fiber, she's seeing the people around her do the same, especially among her generation.

It's become personal for Aganekwu, too, whose father died earlier this year of colon cancer. Some research has shown fiber could prevent colorectal cancer in addition to promoting overall health, according to the National Institutes of Health.

"You don't want to wait until you're 60 or 70 and you're dealing with more diagnoses," she said. "There's a lot that you can do, even just in your everyday choices, down to what you're putting on your plate, that can directly impact your chances or decrease your chances of developing critical diseases."

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