Embrace the ‘perfectly imperfect’ era in 2025
Get ready to break the rules as rebellion is 2025’s hot new confectionery trend
Retail & shopper insights
Chocolate sales still soaring in US with consumers favouring milk variety
According to The National Confectioners Association's latest report, emotional connection and personal enjoyment wins out over inflation pressures and budgetary restrictions.
Milky Way opts for a can format to reduce plastic packaging
With a higher recyclability rate, cans provide a favourable alternative to plastic packaging and its accompanying pollution.
Pricing fears grow ahead of Halloween
Cocoa and sugar prices are reported to have reached frightening highs, with alarming price rallies predicted.
Beauty meets confectionery: A growing trend in functional wellness
Discover how beauty-enhancing ingredients like collagen and biotin are changing the confectionery industry with delicious, functional treats.
What’s hot in confectionery? New Product Development from Hershey to Chupa Chups
From a super-king sized Kit Kat to an advent calendar first for Perfetti Van Melle meet the latest confectionery launches disrupting the industry
How gifting brings together top confectionery trends
Sweet-treat gift-giving creates engagement and brand loyalty, so it’s no wonder many global brands are tapping into the purchasing driver.
Anthon Berg broadens appeal to win over Gen Z market
The 140-year-old chocolatier is shaking up its branding and product lineup to capture the attention of Gen Z consumers, refreshing its reputation as a treat for grandparents.
What ‘unlikely’ social factors are shaping the candy market?
Surprising reasons like cultural changes and social shifts are transforming confectionery consumption habits. Here's what you need to know
Four ways confectionery brands are customizing the consumer experience
Confectionery brands are now offering custom experiences that go beyond taste, making every bite uniquely memorable. Here we examine four game-changing trends
The rise of 'Summerween' expects to boost confectionery sales
Core holidays like Halloween are being planned for earlier by consumers who are simultaneously looking for value in their holiday preparations and a desire for extended celebrations, which gives brands an opportunity to offer more assortments, formats...
How to turn summer into a season of boosted sales
Looking for NPD inspiration? Try leaning into sunny season with these six tips for making the most of summer
Should you be marketing on the metaverse?
As one confectionery firm launches its own candyland on Roblox to appeal to young gamers, we explore the merits of brand-building in virtual reality
Sugar reduction
Are sweeteners leaving a sour taste with consumers?
Here’s how manufacturers can navigate the changing perception of sugar-reducing ingredients among confectionery shoppers
Is the nostalgia trend marketing code for a lack of new ideas?
Sweet treat campaigns targeting Gen Xers are really having a moment, but does evoking the past future-proof sales?
Seasonal innovation
How to get ready for halloween 2024
As the majors finalise their campaigns for candy’s ‘biggest moment’ how can smaller confectioners turn spooky season into sales?
Six things generation alpha consumers want
As today’s teenagers become more financially independent, what do manufacturers need to know about their preferences and priorities?
Swicy flavours set to be the hottest trend in confectionery in 2024
Not adding horseradish, peppercorns or chillis to your confectionery yet? Here’s why you should
Has the plant-based trend peaked?
The plant-based trend has been on the up and up in recent years. But has it finally peaked and, if yes, can the plant-based industry do anything to prevent a decline?
What’s next in biscuits?
Exciting trends to watch emerge as the much-loved treats evolve to match environmental and health-led consumer demands.
Why isn’t private label chocolate appealing to consumers?
Despite the cost-of-living squeeze, private label versions of chocolate are not flying of the shelves. Why aren’t consumers keen on the private label option?
The top five sustainability trends in confectionery
As consumers’ ethical values become ever more baked into their confectionery choices, from Hershey to Mondelez and Nestle, we explore the ways brands are pivoting to more sustainable practises
Sweets & Snacks Expo 2024
‘Keep calm and candy on’: 2024 Sweets & Snacks Expo opens doors to record-breaking show
This year’s premier event for the confectionery and snack categories in the Americas began its landmark new partnership with the City of Indianapolis in fine style, making the most of the famed ‘Hoosier hospitality’ with Indiana Governor Eric J Holcomb...
Sweets & Snacks Expo 2024
Mars Wrigley, Chocolate Cordillera, and Godiva all set to make their mark at the Sweets & Snacks Expo
We take a look at some of the upcoming highlights from this year’s Sweets & Snacks Expo.
Driving confectionery sales through promos, micro-occasions, catchy displays
Consumers continue to buy sweet treats as rewards and to celebrate despite higher prices due to inflation, helping confectionery sales reach $48bn in 2023 and potentially $61bn by 2028, according to the National Confectioners Association’s State of...
Retailers face digital transformation hurdles, hindered by tech debt, data silos
Many retailers still struggle to implement digital transformation strategies due to expensive, complex and outdated IT infrastructures, a panel of experts shared during a webinar on the future of retail technology.
Exclusive report
Confectionery ingredients price report
In this exclusive report for Food Manufacture, Mintec explores the changes in confectionery ingredients prices over the past year.
Sweets & Snacks Expo 2024
Nassau Candy set to add extra colour to Sweets & Snacks Expo 2024
The Sweets & Snacks Expo is the premier showcase in the US for the confectionery, candy, and snacking industries and an ideal space for brands and companies to launch new products and reveal the latest innovations.
Sustainability
Waitrose supermarket joins Tony’s Chocolonely's sustainability scheme
Dutch sustainable chocolate brand Tony’s Chocolonely has announced Waitrose has become a ‘Mission Ally’ and the first UK-owned retailer to join its unique sustainability supply chain.
SOTIC 2024
Downs: US confectionery is robust enough to survive and thrive
Confectionery’s resilience in the face of global inflationary pressures and the rising costs of raw materials has lifted John Downs, the National Confectioners Association’s (NCA) president and CEO, who said he is confident the category is in excellent...
Seasonal
Eggs in one basket? Consumers in Europe and US hit by ‘shrinkflation’ and chocolate costs this Easter
As Easter approaches, consumer experts warn not to wait until the last minute to buy Easter eggs and other chocolate treats, as prices are likely to increase further.
Retail
trüfrü launches in UK to shake up Frozen Fruit Snack Range
Award-winning frozen snack brand, trüfrü has launched in the UK market with a national listing secured in Tesco with more outlets to be announced in the coming months.
Sustainability
Chocolate Scorecard marks down companies over farmer income and pesticide use
The 5th edition of the Chocolate Scorecard has been released to hold the industry accountable for its sustainability record.
SOTIC 2024
US consumers’ chocolate craving continues as sales hit all-time high of $48 Billion in 2023
Confectionery sales in the United States hit $48 billion in 2023 (up from $42.6bn in 2022 ), according to the National Confectioners Association’s 2024 State of Treating report, which was released at its Cconference in Miami this week.
NCA SOTIC 2024
AI, State of Treating 2024, and the Downs’ keynote – what to expect at SOTIC
The National Confectioners Association has been advising its members on artificial intelligence for the past 12 months, so it is no surprise it will play a major part of its State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) in Miami, which opens this Sunday.
Baker & Baker predicts cost-of-living, HFSS, sustainability and the possibility of a new Government will influence the UK's bakery market in 2024
There certainly is a desire for baked goods that are better-for-you, but consumers are not prepared to sacrifice on taste. There’s also a growing desire for sustainable options, but how is that fairing in the current economic climate?
Seasonal
Love me do: Americans want sweet treats for Valentine’s Day
Chocolate and candy's role as a social currency has been reinforced during the Valentine’s Day season in the US, with 92% of Americans claiming they plan to share confectionery with friends, family, and loved ones.
Super Bowl ranks high among holiday weekends, snacks take center stage
As Las Vegas prepares for the estimated $215bn economic growth from the additional 215,00 visitors for the Super Bowl, CPG companies and retailers have a significant opportunity to feature value-added offerings for viewers across the country, according...
Consumers care about sustainability as long as the claims fit the category, experts say
Greenwashing around sustainability hurts the growth of important initiatives for the environment, society and animal welfare, but when companies make honest, transparent and science-backed claims about their sustainability, consumer trust is not only...
Mentorship
NCA announces its 2024 Future Leaders class
The National Confectioners Association (NCA) has announced the eight confectionery industry professionals selected for its 2024 Future Leadership Programme.
BALANCING HEALTH AND INDULGENCE IN CONFECTIONERY
Colombia’s sugar reduction tax targets confectionery
The global landscape of food consumption is undergoing a significant shift with the introduction of sugar taxes in over 120 countries. These initiatives are primarily aimed at guiding consumers towards healthier lifestyle choices by reducing the intake...
BALANCING HEALTH AND INDULGENCE IN CONFECTIONERY
How confectionery embraced ‘healthy indulgence’
Consumers are increasingly focusing on their health without compromising on taste, which is why healthy indulgence has become a serious trend. Millennials (Gen Y) and Centennials (Gen Z) are looking for foods and beverages that are tasty, good for you,...
BALANCING HEALTH AND INDULGENCE IN CONFECTIONERY
UK consumers enjoyed slightly less chocolate in 2023 due to tighter HFSS restrictions
New research from Mintel into global chocolate and confectionery consumption has uncovered contrasting behaviours in different nations, including Germany and the US, and suggests behaviours could be changing over time as the trend for healthy indulgence...
BALANCING HEALTH AND INDULGENCE IN CONFECTIONERY
Food emotions can play a crucial part in healthy indulgence
The notion of ‘healthy indulgence’ represents a shift of emphasis – and an exciting opportunity – for confectioners, chocolatiers, and bakers who are only too well aware that consumers are becoming increasingly health-conscious and interested in sugar...
Advancing food tech in 2024: The year of convenience
A new era of convenience will emerge in 2024 as ever-evolving augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) technology streamlines consumers’ meal planning, shopping and cooking habits.
The EVERY Company’s partnership strategy to expand presence in retail and foodservice
With a mission to expand access to nutritious food worldwide, The EVERY Company’s CEO, Arturo Elizondo explained to FoodNavigator-USA how its B2C partnerships allows for its products to appear “more broadly” in the market, from retail products to food...
Global vegan chocolate market expected to be worth $2bn by 2032
The global vegan chocolate market is estimated to be worth a conservative $2 billion by 2032, and as the Veganuary campaign begins, the surge in awareness about the benefits of plant-based food and confectionery products could see an even greater growth...
News
The UK is the most loyal consumer of chocolate, but sales are dropping
As many as 95% of Brits eat chocolate, making them the most consistent consumer of this sweet treat, despite sales dipping in 2023, says Mintel.
Oobli expands sweet protein chocolate line, taps into permissible indulgence trend
Biotech company Oobli is expanding its confections portfolio with the release of a line of milk chocolate bars, demonstrating sweet proteins' potential for chocolate applications, company CEO Ali Wing told FoodNavigator-USA.
Trends
The shape and taste of chocolate in 2024 – what to expect …
Chocolate confectionery is a significant market, expected to be worth over $128 billion (130 billion Euro) in global retail sales by the end of 2024. With a volume growth of +2% over the next 5 years to 2027, it is also a dynamic market, so what trends...