Top 4 Candy & Snack Trends for 2025
The annual Sweets & Snacks Expo, presented by the National Confectioners Association, returned to Indianapolis this week, bringing with it an incredible assortment of unique new products and reimagined takes on classic candies and snacks. The show floor was abuzz with large CPG players and small companies alike, all vying for shelf space and share of shoppers’ wallets.
Poppable snacks with a bold shot of flavor were on full display, including Texas-based Mikey V’s unique line of crispy fried garlic cloves, known as Gator Toes, in flavors like Chili Lime, Loco Spice and Dill Pickle. Meanwhile, Octonuts from California shared its new line of roasted almond snacks with inspired flavors including Herbes de Provence, Korean BBQ, Olive Oil & Lemon, and more.
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New takes on fruit-focused flavors also took the show by storm, ranging from Blueberry Donut Flipz to Ice Breakers limited-edition Orange Cream Pop mints. Additionally, perennial favorite popcorn has been reimagined in fun new ways, including Belle’s Gourmet Popcorn Matcha Latte Popcorn and Nomad Snacks Pad Thai Flavored Ready-to-Eat Popcorn.
Here are four additional trends spotted at this year’s event.
1. New Takes on Nostalgic Favorites
This trend shows up in some form or another nearly every year, right? Well, candy and snack manufacturers are still leaning into it because consumers are still eating it up.
Utz, for example, has taken its classic potato chip and added a unique and unexpected lemon flavor to it, resulting in Lemonade Potato Chips that it says marry "the tangy sweetness of lemonade with Utz's classic salty crunch.” On the other end of the snacking spectrum, pladis showed off its new Belgian-style Godiva Masterpiece collection, taking the classic Lady Godiva image and putting it on an individually packaged, poppable snacking chocolate.
Both Hershey and Mars Wrigley are throwing it back to childhood with new peanut butter and jelly-focused flavors. Hershey has released Reese’s PB&J Big Cups, which combine milk chocolate, peanut butter and strawberry- or grape-flavored filling. Mars Wrigley, meanwhile, is touting its M&M'S Peanut Butter & Jelly variety, the brand’s first new flavor innovation since 2022.
Speaking of peanuts, Ferrero has released its first Nutella innovation in more than 60 years with Nutella Peanut, which the company says "combines the distinctive creaminess of Nutella cocoa hazelnut spread with the delicious taste of roasted peanuts."
New, healthier takes on classic snacks were also seen on the show floor, including Junkless chewy granola bars that contain no artificial colors, preservatives or high-fructose corn syrup. Drizzilicious also shared its reimagined mini rice cakes, which come in flavors like Salted Caramel, Very Berry, French Toast and Pumpkin Spice.
2. Conscious Consumption
While many shoppers are seeking out ooey gooey indulgence, others still are looking for a permissible indulgence or a snack or treat that they can feel good about eating. As Acosta Group’s Kathy Risch noted to Progressive Grocer, for many of these products, it’s become less about what’s being taken out and more about what’s being added in.
That’s certainly the case for Khloud Protein Popcorn, a new product from Khloe Kardashian, as well as SoyaMaya Protein Tempeh Chips and the new high-protein RXBAR from Kellanova. Prime Bites Mini Muffins are also high in protein and fortified with collagen.
For its part, Mars Wrigley showed off its new Starburst Goodies, plant-based gummies in classic Starburst flavors that are low in sugar and made with real fruit juice. Ferrara also shared that its Black Forest better-for-you fruit snacks will soon all be organic, which is certainly a draw for its consumer base.
3. Multi-Sensory Experiences
We can’t talk about this trend without digging into the continued freeze-dried frenzy. While small makers are displaying unique freeze-dried confections, large players are also entering the space, including Ferrara, which showed off its soon-to-be released freeze-dried platform, including airy, light and crispy takes on classic SweeTARTS, Spree and Lemonheads.
Katie Duffy, VP of global brands for Ferrara, shared that the company wanted to make sure the format was something that was going to stick around before diving in, and its food science team took a holistic approach to figuring out which of its candy best lent itself to being freeze dried.
Additionally in the multi-sensory category, Ferrara is preparing to release its Nerds Juicy Gummy Clusters later this year. The clusters in question are three times the size of their classic counterparts to be able to hold a juicy center, and are enrobed in Nerds candy to add a crunch to the experience.
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Kellanova is innovating in the snack space with its new Rice Krispies Treats Bliss line, which promise multiple layers of semi-sweet chocolate chunks, caramel flavored chips, candied sea salt pretzels and classic marshmallow and crispy rice. In the candy space, Hershey is also rolling out Jolly Rancher Chewy Poppers, complete with a crispy candy shell and soft, chewy core.
Popping Breath Mints from breathROX also play into this trend. The mints themselves resemble Pop Rocks, and even have the same popping action, which the company says helps activate saliva. They also include zinc to help neutralize gas and improve bad breath.
4. Brand Partnership and Tie-Ins
Candy and snack manufacturers are leaning heavily into partnerships and brand tie-ins this year, ranging from celebrities to restaurant flavors. Slim Jim, for example, is partnering with sports bar brand Buffalo Wild Wings on its new chicken sticks in flavors inspired by Buffalo Wild Wings sauces.
Also in the meat snack category, Jack Links announced a groundbreaking global partnership at the show with social media creator, businessman and philanthropist MrBeast. The Jack Link's x MrBeast collaboration is a new line of co-branded meat snack multipacks featuring individual-sized packs of popular flavors of beef jerky and meat sticks.
Additionally, pladis’ Flipz brand is getting cozy with kid favorite Elf on the Shelf, releasing a Sugar Cookie variety that ties into the popular Christmastime character.
This article first appeared on the site of sister publication Progressive Grocer.