Trendspotting at the 2025 Sweets & Snacks Expo
INDIANAPOLIS — Despite a continued period of inflation that is driving consumers to tighten their spending, many shoppers still view candy and snacks as permissible, affordable indulgences. With that in mind, there was no lack of creativity seen from the supplier companies exhibiting on the 2025 Sweets & Snacks Expo floor.
Here are the top five trends that caught Convenience Store News' attention:
Multisensorial Experiences
The freeze-dried frenzy continues, but there's still space in the multisensorial arena for more players and innovative products.
More From the 2025 Sweets & Snacks Expo
Bazooka Brands announced two innovations from its Juicy Drop line: the Juicy Drop Gummy Mystery Cube developed by Amos, maker of the highly viral Peelerz, and Juicy Drop Mashups, offering a customizable mix-and-match candy experience.
"Juicy Drop continues to lead the way in redefining what candy can be," said Becky Silberfarb, vice president of marketing at Bazooka Brands. "These latest innovations are born from listening closely to our consumers and reflect our commitment to bold flavor, quality products and immersive, multi-texture experiences. Each offering is crafted to spark creativity and deliver a one-of-a-kind candy journey with every bite. We’re excited to debut them at this year's expo."
Popping Breath Mints from breathROX also play into this trend. The mints themselves resemble Pop Rocks with their own popping action, which the company says helps activate saliva. They include zinc to help neutralize gas and improve bad breath.
The multisensorial experience is also getting a cleaner take for those consumers consciously snacking. For its part, Mars Wrigley showcased Starburst Goodies, which it described as plant-based gummies that are made with real fruit juice, offer an excellent source of fiber and have just 4 grams of sugar per serving.
According to Mike Gilroy, vice president of trade development and sponsorship at Mars Wrigley, Starburst holds the largest dollar share in nonchocolate chewy candy. He said the Goodies product "is both experiential and offers the balance that consumers want."
"Newstalgia"
Tried-and-true classics are getting a boost, combining familiarity with novelty to bring "newstalgia" to life.
Rice Krispies Treats Bliss, new from Kellanova, takes indulgence up a notch and elevates the Rice Krispies Treats experience. Two varieties — Caramel Sea Salt Pretzel and Chocolate Sea Salt Pretzel — are layered with semi-sweet chocolate chunks, caramel flavored chips, candied sea salt pretzels, marshmallow and crispy rice.
Coming to the convenience channel in December, Rice Krispies Treats Bliss are sized to snack, according to Colleen Gagnon, marketing director and sweet snacking innovation lead for Kellanova Away From Home. The 1.5-ounce bar "was tested as a 'Superstar' concept, with 92% purchase intent among c-store consumers," she told CSNews.
Also in the newstalgia category, Ferrero debuted new takes on two iconic brands:
- Following the success of Salted Caramel Butterfinger, Marshmallow Butterfinger is the next of many new exciting flavors for the candy bar, the company said. Launching just in time for spooky season, it will be available in September.
- Also launching for a limited time at Halloween will be a twist on the iconic CRUNCH bar, with the debut of a CRUNCH White variety.
#Dubaichocolate
TikTok spurred the worldwide Dubai Chocolate craze, with more than 400,000 videos on the social media platform using the #Dubaichocolate hashtag. While the trend has been around for some time globally, it is now gaining traction domestically.
Dubai Chocolate products, which typically feature a pistachio cream combined with crunchy pieces of shredded phyllo dough called kataifi all covered in chocolate, were in abundance at this year's expo.
Bequet Caramel's nut-free Bequet Caramel Dubai Chocolate is an example of the trend's influence. Made with all-natural, non-GMO premium ingredients, the caramels are made with vanilla butter caramel and natural pistachio flavoring.
Pladis North America also plans to release a Dubai chocolate-inspired pistachio Godiva bar in early 2026, according to company representatives. The bars will be available in dark and milk chocolate varieties, both filled with pistachio and kataifi.
"Swicy" & Global Flavors
"Swicy," a combination of sweet and spicy, is making an appearance in flavor profiles such as chamoy, a sweet and salty Mexican condiment made from pickled fruit, chili, lime and salt.
Mango chamoy chewy candies are one of the tropical flavors in the new HI-CHEW Getaway Mix from Moringa America Inc. With internationally inspired flavors rising in popularity, the company noted that the Getaway Mix features a trio of exotic flavors that cater to consumers seeking flavor adventure:
- Mango Chamoy balances sweet, tart notes of ripened mango with a hint of spice that grows with every chew.
- Mai Tai is a mocktail-inspired flavor that blends fan-favorite tropical fruits, reminiscent of the classic vacation beverage.
- Yuzu Lime combines tangy notes of Japanese yuzu citrus with vibrant and zesty lime sweetness.
Global inspiration is likewise finding its way to the perennial favorite ready-to-eat (RTE) popcorn category, which is being reimagined in fun, new ways. Matcha Latte Kettle Corn from Belle's Gourmet Popcorn took home the Best in Show prize as part of the expo's 2025 Most Innovative New Product Awards program, while Nomad Snacks' Pad Thai Flavored Popcorn claimed the Small Business Innovator title.
Brand Partnerships & Tie-ins
Cross-brand collaborations are playing a bigger role in the confectionery and snack industries as companies look to partner with compatible brands and build consumer engagement and excitement.
In the meat snacks category, Conagra Brands' Slim Jim partnered with sports bar brand Buffalo Wild Wings on chicken sticks in flavors inspired by Buffalo Wild Wings sauces, while Jack Link's announced a global partnership at the show with social media creator, businessman and philanthropist MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson). The Jack Link's x MrBeast collaboration is a new line of cobranded meat snack multipacks featuring individual-sized packs of popular flavors of beef jerky and meat sticks.
In the nonchocolate chewy category, The Hershey Co. is expanding its Shaq-A-Licious XL Gummies collaboration with basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal after a successful year-one launch. The latest product innovation will feature sneaker-shaped gummies inspired by O'Neal's signature footwear. Launching in August, the new gummies will be two-times the size of typical gummies and come in three bold flavors: Strawberry, Mango and Lime. They’ll be available in 6.2-ounce peg begs and 11.8-ounce pouches.
"Shaq's name holds a lot of power. These gummies bring his larger-than-life personality to candy," Lindsay McCabe, manager of corporate communications and brand PR at The Hershey Co., told CSNews.
Additionally, in packaged snacks, General Mills Convenience introduced an elevated new twist on its Muddy Buddies Cookies & Cream with the introduction of Oreo Cookies & Cream Muddy Buddies. The new snack includes crispy corn Chex pieces coated with a topping of real Oreo cookie wafers.
The 2025 Sweets & Snacks Expo took place May 13-15 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.
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