Nonchocolate Candy Emerges as a Bright Spot for C-stores
NATIONAL REPORT — While a little more than half of all confectionery sales are driven by chocolate, nonchocolate candy has grown by nearly $5 billion since 2019, an increase of almost 70%.
In the convenience channel, the nonchocolate segment was a bright spot last year in an otherwise unimpressive year for candy sales, according to Sally Lyons Wyatt, global executive vice president and chief advisor, consumer goods and foodservice insights for Chicago-based Circana.
"In the convenience channel, nonchocolate grew one dollar share point in 2024 vs. 2023. However, overall sales for confections in the convenience channel were down across dollars, units and volume for the category," she said. "Part of the sales decline was due to the loss of c-store traffic; however, there were pockets of growth across the U.S."
Spicewood, Texas-based Texas Born (TXB) Stores is one convenience retailer that has benefitted from the popularity of confections that don't contain chocolate.
"Nonchocolate experienced strong same-store growth," reported Benjamin Hoffmeyer, vice president of marketing and merchandising for the chain, which operates 50 locations throughout Texas and Oklahoma. Sweet, sour and infused juice-filled candy were among the best-sellers, according to Hoffmeyer, who expects the infused flavor trend to remain strong this year.
"Flavors are always a hit within the nonchocolate category," Lyons Wyatt echoed.
Mashups that include combinations of two or more flavors such as grape and strawberry are among today's most popular options for candy shoppers, as well as products that boast creative flavor profiles such as tamarind chili, peach chili and lime, honey bun and green apple, she noted. Nonchocolate candy in special shapes and textures is also popular.
"Forms like snakes, unicorns, worms, strips, wedges and rope delight consumers, [and products] with crunchy and chewy type textures grew significantly," Lyons Wyatt shared.
The rapid rise of freeze-dried candy illustrates the role that texture is playing in nonchocolate candy sales. The #freezedriedcandy hashtag is nearing 5 billion views on TikTok. With a light, airy, crisp texture that's especially popular with younger consumers, freeze-dried candy is expected to grow at a rate of 8.5% from 2024 to 2030, Grand View Research predicts.
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The Power of Promotions
While many factors come into play when evaluating category performance, price is a big one impacting candy sales, or the lack thereof. According to the National Confectioners Association's (NCA) 2025 "State of Treating" report, 30% of Americans are treating themselves "a little less" these days — many due to concerns about the cost of confections.
"Eighty percent of these consumers said price was the or a factor for consuming less. Additionally, price is now the No. 1 purchase decision factor, whereas mood has taken the top spot in years past," the NCA noted in its report.
Consequently, 41% of consumers say they are often/usually looking for sales promotions when buying confectionery for themselves, 44% when buying confectionery to share for holidays such as Halloween and 25% when buying confectionery as a gift for someone else.
What kinds of promotions are candy shoppers hoping to find? In 2024, consumers favored buy one, get one deals and mix-and-match discounts, NCA's research revealed.
The impact that price is having on candy sales is evident at TXB Stores, where Hoffmeyer said special promotions have helped boost candy sales of the nonchocolate variety.
"Buy 2 Peg, Save $1 has worked extremely well, and the ability to mix and match across multiple brands has done well," he pointed out. "King-size candy has also experienced strong growth with our Buy Two, Get One Free offers."
To take advantage of customers' preferences for these kinds of promotions, TXB added several floor displays to create "additional points of interruption to gain incremental sales" and leveraged "multibuy app digital coupons that stack on top of promotions to help build baskets," Hoffmeyer said. "We also are seeing an uptick in private label sales adoption as guests look for more value, and higher app digital coupon redemptions as well."
What the Future Holds
With economic concerns front and center for today's consumers, it's hard to predict how candy sales will fare. "2025 has started out with uncertainty, and we are seeing consumers pulling back from some categories," Lyons Wyatt cautioned.
Consumers' love of sweets bodes well for the category. In 2024, 98% of households purchased confectionery at least once, according to NCA's research. However, that doesn't mean c-stores will have an easy road considering that last year saw candy buyers shift to value-forward channels, particularly club and dollar stores.
"Convenience retailers will have to work hard to get traffic back up and use categories that are a big draw — and nonchocolate is a traffic-building category," Lyons Wyatt stressed.
[Read more: Snacking Remains Popular, Though Momentum Slows in 2025]
She suggests finding ways to promote the candy category in fun and engaging ways.
"Work with CPGs [consumer packaged goods companies] to communicate to 'co-owned' consumers — those who buy the category and shop c-stores — and work to increase foot traffic with new consumers," she advised. "Consumers are looking for ways to reward or treat themselves, to get away from the challenging times. Convenience retailers should find ways to message consumers with inspiration to do just that."
To that end, Lyons Wyatt advises c-store operators to pay close attention to their candy inventory on hand. "They should make sure they have the right variety/ assortment available, so when consumers do visit their stores, they have what they are looking for, both the loyals and those who may be more transient in the category," she explained.
Having the right promotion, incentive and/or price point to encourage "just one more" purchases is another strategy Lyons Wyatt recommends. "Leverage innovation to excite consumers on a regular basis, especially with limited-time offers. Additionally, build up seasonal and celebrate the big holidays, but also build up micro-holidays," she added.
When it comes to exciting consumers, platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok can help. Social media has become a powerful tool in inspiring consumers with new consumption occasions or trial. Young consumers especially are motivated by viral products and trends, according to the NCA, which reported that 27% have found a new brand or item through social media posts and influencers.
Perhaps the best barometer of the future is the way convenience store retailers are feeling as the year progresses. At TXB, a positive mood prevails.
"I am excited about the candy category this year as there is a lot of great innovation," Hoffmeyer said. "Typically, great innovation leads to higher impulse, profitable sales."