Food brands are catching on to the fiber industry trend with new high-fiber products

One of this year’s hottest food trends is facing some stiff competition.

Protein has taken over consumers and food companies in 2025, but fiber is increasingly stealing the spotlight as people increasingly focus on promoting gut health.

It’s taken over social media, with “fibermaxxing” – or the concept of increasing your fiber intake through whole foods like fruits and legumes – seeing thousands of posts.

“Fiber is finally getting the spotlight, which is great 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 United States do not meet their daily fiber needs, Mattucci said. For most Americans, this recommended range typically falls between 25 grams and 38 grams of fiber per day, she added.

But more people are starting to notice these gaps.

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

Wall Street firms are taking notice, too. On an earnings call with analysts in October, PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said fiber has emerged at the forefront of the company’s product goals as it looks to 2026.

“I think fiber will be the next protein,” Laguarta said. “Consumers are starting to realize that fiber is the benefit they need. It’s actually an efficiency in the diet of consumers in the United States, and that will be lifted.”

In February, the company is going a step further and plans to launch Smartfood Fiber Pop, which includes six grams of protein per serving, and SunChips Fiber, which includes different types of fiber like whole grains and black beans, Tara Glasgow, Pepsi’s chief science officer, told CNBC exclusively.

There’s a reason why companies are expanding their offerings. Research firm Datassential found fiber is on track to be “the next big health trend following protein” in its 2026 trends report.

Among the consumers surveyed, 54% said they were interested in foods and beverages that were high in fiber. That number is even higher — at 60% — among members of Generation Z, who are driving the “fibermaxxing” trend on social media.

42% of consumers said they believe the “high fiber” attribute on the nutritional label of any food or beverage product is important in defining that product as “healthy,” according to Datassential.

It’s this momentum that has made fiber one of the top whole foods market trends for 2026.

Experts note that seeing fiber intake is not new, but it is often associated with older adults who need it for health reasons as they age.

“When I think of fiber, I immediately think of my grandfather,” said Mintel’s Mattucci, noting that his digestive system slows with age.

However, something has changed as consumers of all ages have begun to focus more on promoting gut health and digestive wellness – and fiber has entered the spotlight.

Emphasizing the diversity of fiber intake and finding it in everyday whole foods rather than in supplements or powders is part of what has allowed it to find popularity and fit into today’s 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 feeling full longer, improve digestion, and lower blood pressure and cholesterol, Salas said. In some ways, fiber can mimic the effects of weight-loss drugs, she said, because it takes longer to digest food and therefore stays in the stomach longer, which may be a factor behind its recent popularity.

“These nutritional elements have always been there and have always been a shift, I think, from the food industry saying, ‘What can we highlight? What do people want to focus on so we can continue to sell the same product, just slightly changed?’ Salas said.

However, Kate Pelletier, a registered dietitian at Michigan Health, said it’s important to note that fiber isn’t enough of a substitute for GLP-1 medications, and that a balanced plate is the best way to stay healthy.

Using fiber as a “street sweeper” for the body is likely one reason it has been brought back into the spotlight, Pelletier said.

“There’s been a really big shift toward more natural plants rather than taking supplements or using protein powder,” Pelletier said. “We can benefit from fiber by thinking about adding more healthy foods to our diet, versus the typical diet culture [which] Focuses on getting X, Y, or Z out.”

Food and beverage companies are benefiting from this momentum as well.

Earlier this year, coca cola The prebiotic soda company has launched Simply Pop, which contains six grams of prebiotic fiber in five flavors to promote gut health. Nestlé unveiled a new protein shake in June containing four grams of prebiotic fiber specifically designed to support digestive health for adults taking GLP-1 medications.

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

Pepsi’s Glasgow told CNBC that the company is seizing every opportunity to explore consumers’ new interest in fiber. Glasgow said the R&D team’s work starts in science and follows trends to keep pace with their audience’s evolving tastes.

Pepsi already has products on the market that are specifically high in fiber, such as its prebiotic cola and Quaker Oatmeal. As consumers begin to explore previously “drowsy micronutrients,” Glasgow said, PepsiCo is innovating new products across its beverage and food brands.

“We are also hearing from consumers that they are becoming more knowledgeable about nutrition and their nutritional needs,” Glasgow said. “And I think that’s where the excitement comes from. I feel like it’s growing.”

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

“We’ve seen protein grow dramatically in the last couple of years,” Glasgow said. “I guess [consumers] They then broaden their vision and realize that no single ingredient is a silver bullet. It’s about getting the right ingredients together.”

For some, fiber isn’t just a trend.

Naomi Agjaniko, a 27-year-old content creator, said she began incorporating fiber more intentionally into her diet last year. She now makes sure every meal she eats contains at least five to 10 grams of fiber through foods like beans, lentils, and chia seed pudding.

Agjaniko said she sees results from incorporating fiber into her diet, such as feeling full after meals and seeing her hormonal acne diminish. As she advocates for fiber, she sees people around her doing the same, especially among her generation.

It’s become personal for Ajaniko, too, whose father died earlier this year of colon cancer. Some research has shown that fiber can prevent colorectal cancer as well as promote overall health, according to the National Institutes of Health.

“You don’t want to wait until you’re 60 or 70 and dealing with more diagnoses,” she said. “There’s a lot you can do, even just in your daily choices, right down to what you put on your plate, that can directly impact your chances or reduce your chances of developing serious diseases.”