Candy & Snacks Trends Spotted at NACS Show 2024
LAS VEGAS — Although inflationary pressures continue to persist and prompt consumers to tighten their spending, candy and snacks are in a relatively strong position as many shoppers view them as affordable indulgences. Because of this, there was no lack of creativity seen from the supplier companies exhibiting on the 2024 NACS Show expo floor.
What should convenience store retailers consider stocking in their stores in the year ahead? Some of the top trends and multisensorial experiences displayed at the annual expo included:
Multisensorial Experiences
Ice Breakers Flavor Shifters gum from The Hershey Co. is a unique innovation that starts as one flavor and shifts to another as consumers chew. Launching in two varieties — Wild Berry to Coolmint and Wintergreen to Coolmint — this new sugar-free gum offers a multidimensional sensorial experience. The gum comes in a 3.24-ounce gum bottle pack.
Ferrara Candy Co.'s NERDS brand unveiled two limited-time Gummy Clusters flavors: Grape Strawberry Blitz and Berry Punch Rush. The poppable cluster is made up of fruity and tangy crunchy NERDS surrounding a gummy center. The candy comes in 3-ounce, 5-ounce and 8-ounce pack sizes.
According to Chief Marketing Officer Greg Guidotti, NERDS Gummy Clusters has grown 74.5% year over year in terms of retail dollar sales.
Driving innovation through new formats, Ferrara's Trolli brand, known for its neon bright colors and bold flavors, debuted Trolli Sour Brite Squad. Rolling out across shelves nationwide now, the new packs include three new crawler shapes that offer ridges to enhance the unmistakable flavors of Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers, according to the company. The sour trio also comes in three new flavor combinations — Blackberry-Lime, Strawberry-Lemonade and Raspberry-Orange.
#FreezeDriedCandy
One of the hottest trends spotted on the NACS Show floor was freeze-dried candy, which has been growing in popularity since 2023. In fact, the #freezedriedcandy hashtag on TikTok has more than 2 million views. According to Grand View Research, the global freeze-dried candy market was valued at $1,358.8 million last year, and is expected to grow at a rate of 8.5% from 2024 to 2030.
The increasing popularity of freeze-dried candy can be attributed to several key factors, including its unique texture, health benefits and versatility. Unlike traditional candies, freeze-dried candies have a light, airy and crispy texture that offers a novel sensory experience. The demographics fueling this growth is Generation Z and millennials, CSNews learned.
Tapping into the growing trend, Mars introduces SKITTLES POP'd, a crispy and crunchy twist on the classic SKITTLES treat available in the iconic Original and new Sour flavors for fans to pop anywhere on the go. SKITTLES POP'd will be available nationwide beginning in early 2025.
The new SKITTLES innovation will come in 5.5-ounce packages, providing consumers with "an affordable luxury," said Mike Gilroy, vice president, trade development and sponsorship at Mars Wrigley.
The Hershey Co. also unveiled Jolly Rancher Freeze Dried, offering the experience of iconic Jolly Rancher flavors in a new, airy and crunchy form. The snackable, unwrapped treat will be available in 3.1-ounce bags in February 2025.
New Takes on Classics
Tried-and-true classics are getting a boost. Multiple consumer packaged goods companies exhibiting at the NACS Show highlighted their ongoing commitment to trial and discovery while remaining true to what their consumers know and love.
For example, Mars Wrigley is expanding the M&M'S portfolio with Peanut Butter & Jelly, which features berry flavored bite-sized chocolate treats with a smooth peanut butter center that transports fans to the experience of a PB&J sandwich. Another highlight was SNICKERS Pecan, a new take on the iconic candy bar that blends caramel, nougat and milk chocolate, complemented by the savory-sweetness of pecans.
Ferrero unveiled Butterfinger's first brand innovation in a decade with the unveiling of Butterfinger Salted Caramel. Inspired by the heart of classic American treats and childhood favorites, Butterfinger Salted Caramel will be available starting in April 2025 for a limited time.
"The salted caramel flavor enhances the original peanut-buttery taste of Butterfinger, while keeping the crispety, crunchy texture that fans know and love," Steve Alessandrini, vice president, public relations and corporate communications, told CSNews.
After focusing on core product innovation because of supply chain issues brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Kellanova is gearing up to introduce a whopping 18 new products in 2025. The "homerun" item for the company will be Pringles Mingles — Kellanova's first foray back into bagged snacks, according to Daniel DeMeyer, senior director, sales excellence, small format.
[Read more: Mars to Acquire Kellanova]
Pringles Mingles has a light and crispy outside with a melt-in-your-mouth inside to create a new snacking experience combined with flavor mashups. The puffed snack comes in Cheddar & Sour Cream and Sharp White Cheddar & Ranch varieties.
Spicy is Still King
Consumers continue to seek flavor profiles that pack a punch. PepsiCo Inc.'s Doritos brand is introducing Doritos Golden Sriracha. Inspired by the fan favorite yellow and green sriracha sauces, the sweet and tangy flavors combine with a lingering heat to bring a bold twist to Sriracha and a satisfying crunch to every bite, the company stated.
General Mills also turns up the heat with the launch of Tabasco Bugles. The snack — which is available in 3-ounce bag for $3.29 — combines the iconic cone-shaped treat with America's favorite hot sauce.
"Tabasco is the most famous pepper sauce in the world and has high awareness/brand recognition," said George DeGrella, director for General Mills Convenience.
A Channel of Opportunity
The convenience channel poses plenty of opportunity, and brads from outside of the channel are taking notice. A majority of Americans (93%) are within 10 minutes of a convenience store and 71% of adult consumers say they discover new products and brands at c-stores.
KIND Snacks is also amplifying its reach via the convenience channel. In partnership Mars Wrigley NA Sales organization, KIND is investing in the c-store channel to unlock trial and growth. This hybrid partnership will create a step-change in the way the company can expand distribution with its innovation and drive velocity on its core products, according to Beth Jarocki, chief customer officer at KIND.
"We also know that our consumers are always on-the-go and that they’re looking for more protein in their diets. Leveraging these insights has been a critical part of KIND's strategic growth opportunities within c-stores," she told CSNews. "This year, we exclusively launched our KIND Protein Max product with 20 grams of protein and no added sugar in s-stores. So far, the product has seen great traction, and by the time the product launches nationally in 2025, c-stores will represent 30% of the Protein Max business."
To meet the universal snacking needs of "BreadHeads" and beyond, Dave's Killer Bread is continuing to break out of the bread aisle and into the snack aisle. The company showcased its Organic Snack Bites to the c-store audience for the first time, specifically in its 2-ounce and 4-ounce Honey Oat and Bold Buffalo flavors.
Dave's also highlighted its line of wholesome bars. Debuting in c-stores via test launches at 7-Eleven Inc. stores in southern California, Dave's Organic Snack Bars come in three flavors: Cocoa Brownie Blitz, Oat-rageous Honey Almond and Trail Mix Crumble. Also on display were the newly launched Organic Protein Bars, which are packed with wholesale, plant-based nutrition and flavor, company representatives stated.
The 2024 NACS Show took place Oct. 7-10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The 2025 NACS Show will be hosted at Chicago's McCormick Place Convention Center from Oct. 14-17.