The new year is officially here and it’s our first new product development rundown of 2025. With the arrival of the new year comes new innovations, interesting marketing campaigns and intriguing tastes for consumers to enjoy.
Access the latest insights on new launches, concepts and campaigns in the chocolate, sweets and gum categories to support manufacturing pipelines, steering research and development efforts and market strategies to match consumers' expectations for confectionery in 2025.
This January, we’re seeing both the global heritage companies and growing newer-to-confectionery brands unveil their new launches in time for both Valentine’s Day in February and even Easter in April.
It seems, with the popularity of seasonal buys drawing in consumer spend, manufacturers and brands are keen to leverage its success to date and time the release of their new confectionery creations with these sales opportunities. Here are some of the first seasonal-focused confectionery releases of 2025.
Celebrating Valentine’s Day love
Ethel M Chocolates releases its love-centred limited edition chocolates
US chocolatier Ethel M Chocolates is turning its attention to the Valentine’s Day holiday on February 14 to bring flavourful, gourmet chocolates to its consumer base. Based in Las Vegas, the Mars Wrigley-owned brand is centering its latest launch on delivering a confectionery selection that can be enjoyed individually or shared with others.
To leverage the idea of shareability and gift-giving with its chocolates, Ethel M is highlighting its aim to celebrate all forms of love with its latest limited-edition chocolates, including that shared between friends, family and self-love.
The heart collection features a curated selection of either 14 or 28 artisanal premium chocolates, including its milk chocolate pecan caramel rapture, dark chocolate raspberry satin crème and milk chocolate bananas foster.
Ethel M Chocolates is also placing its new five-piece love collection on US shelves. It features colourful, heart-shaped truffles with creamy fillings such as dark chocolate blood orange crème and dark chocolate passionfruit caramel hearts.
Next up is the brand’s literature-themed release: the luxe library. The collection of artisanal tablet bars includes dark chocolate brownie batter ganache, dark chocolate lemon satin crème, milk chocolate pecan caramel rapture and dark chocolate kona espresso ganache
Tapping into the popularity of the personalisation trend, Ethel M is also releasing boxes which enable consumers to customise their chocolate selection with their favourite flavours.
Brach’s Candy spreads its conversation hearts around the globe
Celebrating 120 years in candy, in 2025, Brach’s Candy is reviving its heart-shaped lineup this Valentine’s Day with new conversation hearts go global, tiny conversation hearts, large conversation hearts and wisecracks conversation hearts.
Brach’s Candy is owned by Ferrara, a leading sugar confectioner in the US and Brazil, generating global sales in more than 40 countries. In a 2023 survey by Buzzback on behalf of Brach’s, the sweet brand found that close to two-thirds (62%) of candy buyers who celebrate Valentine’s Day are interested in learning about new types of conversation hearts. Of those consumers, almost three-quarters (74%) are interested in different flavours, while 73% would like to find out more about different sayings.
With its latest launch, Brach’s Candy is putting a global twist on classic conversation hearts, which feature a blend of six flavours. While two of these flavours – strawberry and blueberry – are returning fan-favourites, four are brand new: passion fruit, piña colada, mango and peach.
M&M’S launches personalised flavours
Part of the Mars product portfolio, M&M’s is releasing limited-time seasonal flavours as well as customisable gifts and party favours.
M&M’s is also introducing a limited-edition seasonal flavour: strawberries & creme. Available to consumers for a limited time and from national retailers, the flavour seeks to evolve beyond the traditional chocolate-covered strawberry, while also providing strawberries and crème-flavored white chocolate adorned with pink candy shells.
Consumers can create a personalised, unique blend inside a heartfelt offering by choosing from 22 unique M&M’s colours. They can also add a photo, clip art or custom message to their chocolate products.
A fan flavour favourite remains peanut butter and Mars is tapping into this by releasing its M&M’s Valentine’s Day peanut butter mega tubes – to combine sweet and salty taste profiles. It’s also presenting its M&M’s three-tier cake display offering – a piece of cake that is designed to provide a centrepiece to Valentine’s and Galentine’s celebrations
Easter product launches are arriving, too
Peeps introduces its marshmallow-inspired seasonal range
US sweet brand Peeps announced its new and exclusive holiday release, by unveiling its Easter line-up on January 14, giving consumers and retailers more than three months to stock up.
The non-chocolate Easter candy brand is bringing more marshmallow-inspired creations such as Peeps chocolate pudding flavored marshmallow bunnies – designed to provide a rich and creamy offering to Easter baskets. Delivering more marshmallow mash-up, Peeps Rice Krispies treats flavored marshmallow chicks, Peeps giant bunny pops – bunny-shaped marshmallow on a lollipop stick – and Peeps delights strawberry flavored marshmallow chicks dipped in milk chocolate are all part of the brand’s new lineup.
In addition to these, Peeps is also offering exclusive flavours and product varieties at select retailers. Consumers can find Peeps Breyers cookies and cream flavored marshmallow chicks and Peeps egg hunt (36 ct), which includes individually wrapped mini yellow, pink and blue marshmallow chicks, at Walmart. They can also pick up Peeps tropical punch flavored marshmallow bunnies from Dollar Tree – while the Kroger family of stores is stocking up peeps cinnamon churro-flavored marshmallow chicks.
Hershey releases Easter product line-up
The Hershey company is also gearing up for the second big seasonal holiday of the year – Easter – with its latest product line-up. The global chocolatier will launch various new products under its Reese’s, Kit Kat and Twizzlers limited edition products as well as returning products from Hershey, Cadbury’s, Jolly Rancher and Reese’s.
First up, Hershey has unveiled its new Reese’s peanut butter cups with spring sprinkles – which will see its recognisable chocolate and peanut butter crème combo add seasonal-shaped sprinkles to its formulation. Featuring bunny, chick and egg sprinkles, these are available for a limited time in big cups and miniatures. Hershey is also releasing its Reese’s peanut butter carrots – which combine its iconic chocolate and peanut butter duo in an individually wrapped carrot shape.
Twizzlers bunnies are also on Hershey’s Easter product lineup. The chewy, sweet treat comes complete with the brand’s classic cherry flavour. Reese’s miniatures cane – which contains miniature Reese’s cups – are also available in a 2.17oz cane. Hershey’s kisses cane is also on offer as part of the Easter lineup, available in a 2.24oz cane.
Making a return to supermarket shelves are a number of products from Hershey’s portfolio – including Kit Kat bunnies, Cadbury royal dark eggs, Easter assortment bags, Reese’s eggs assortment and seasonally wrapped Jolly Rancher gummies.
