What’s hot in confectionery? New product development from Perfetti Van Melle to Terry’s

Staying up-to-date on the latest confectionery developments and trends in the chocolate, candy and gum industry is essential in today’s competitive and evolving landscape. In our bi-weekly new product development (NPD) roundup, we bring you the latest launches from confectionery companies, big and small, to show you the new releases in this fast-moving space.

Looking for ideas to spark innovation, broaden your product range, or keep up with the evolving confectionery market? Here, you’ll discover the most up-to-date insights and information to support your confectionary company’s launch, ideas and growth.

Here are the latest launches in confectionery.

Nassau Candy taps US election fever​

US wholesale confectionery manufacturer, importer and distributor Nassau Candy has added Kamala Harris chocolate bars and mint products to its 2024 Election Collection range.

Under its AmuseMints brand, Nassau Candy’s new-for-2024 range unveils an array of candidate-themed chocolate bars and mint tins. Launched earlier this year, the brand, which has distribution centres in New York, Florida, Michigan, Texas, and California (San Francisco and Los Angeles), hopes to add to the election build-up ahead of the 2024 presidential race.

Now featuring political imagery of Kamala Harris, Nassau Candy hopes the new addition will help get confectionery retailers in on the election conversation by bringing the faces of this year’s standing political candidates into stores.

The Kamala Harris confectionery accompanies its existing Election Collection 2024 range, which includes the MAGA 2024 milk chocolate bar, MAGA 2024 0.56 oz mint tin and ‘Trump Return to Greatness’ chocolate bar and mints.

Perfetti Van Melle takes its new flavours to Cannes​

Leading confectionery giant Perfetti Van Melle (PVM) is growing its name in the travel retail sugar confectionery scene with new launches and an appearance in Cannes at the end of the month.

PVM will attend the Tax-Free World Association (TFWA WE) in Cannes from 30th September to 3rd October, showcasing new flavours in NPDs. It’s taking several of its latest launches to the event. Among these are its ​Chupa Chups Sours​ pouch bag in sour strawberry, sour lemon and sour apple flavours, which it ran a soft launch of in June.

Mentos also make an appearance as PVM with the discovery jumbo roll. Launched this summer, its latest Mentos soft candy product comes in 14 flavours, packaged in one on-the-go tube: raspberry, watermelon, strawberry, pineapple, orange, lemon, blueberry, grape, passionfruit, blackcurrant, lychee, lime, banana and cherry.

PVM bought several gum brands from Mondelez in late 2023. Now, it plans to expand the launch of its recently-acquired Stimorol brand in new formulations. After releasing Stimorol into some markets for its travel retail customers, PVM will roll out its latest product, the Stimorol 10 pack, in 2025. The sugar-free product will come in three flavours: mint, wild cherry and original.

Hershey launches novel flavour-changing gum​

Gum, as we know it, is undergoing a refresh with the release of the global confectionery giant's Ice Breakers Flavor Shifters. Designed to give a new refreshing-multi-dimensional twist on gum, the NPD involves a unique technology that morphs the gum from one distinct flavour to another. Plus, it happens all while consumers are chewing to offer a sensorial experience, big on flavour.

Hershey has developed two gum flavours. Its Ice Breakers’ Flavor Shifters Gum comes in wildberry, which then transforms in the mouth to coolmint and wintergreen, which also turns into Coolmint. Available at retailers throughout the US, it aims to give consumers both fruity and minty flavours, in one product.

Terry’s chocolate orange goes orange-free​

Terry’s latest offering will join its famous orange-flavoured chocolate with one without the orange flavour as it launches the Terry’s Chocolate Milk Ball.

The brand hopes to increase Christmas sales and forge ahead with its product development strategy, which will see it go beyond orange-only chocolate balls. Last year, the Carambar and Co-owned brand launched its limited-edition, Terry’s Chocolate Mint Ball.

The brand says that its research indicated a 90% purchase intent for the new product by non-Terry’s consumers.

Sweet start-up spotlight​

US chocolate brand A’cappella Chocolates has partnered with two non-profit organisations to launch limited-edition confectionery and raise money for their causes. Owned by snack brand Made In Nature, A’cappella Chocolates is partnering with Music For Life and the African Children’s Choir.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the African Children's Choir, the brand will launch a limited-edition chocolate product inspired by the Ugandan staple, Kabalagala, a type of banana pancake. It will have a limited run of 1,500 sellable products.

The charity’s goal is to raise over $30,000 for these organisations. A’cappella’s Kabalagala Clusters are made with their chocolate blend, dried bananas, vanilla, pepper and banana chips.