Candy Industry Trends to Watch in the Year Ahead
Even though consumers are more health-conscious than ever, there’s also no end in sight to their love affair with sweet treats. Often, their indulgence of choice is candy – not just on holidays such as Christmas and Valentine’s Day, but year-round. Therefore, it isn’t very surprising that chocolate and non-chocolate candy alike are growing trends. Here are a few key trends to keep an eye on in the coming years.
Non-chocolate novelties
For non-chocolate confectionery makers, it’s a great time to focus on novel experiences. These candy producers are emphasizing flavorful and fun products designed to catch the eyes (and dollars) of their end customers. The main demographic for these products is kids and young adults looking for a sugar rush like no other.
Sustainable initiatives
Consumers are increasingly eco-conscious and seeking sustainability and transparency in food production, even when it comes to sweets. Candy companies are taking note and responding with adjusted sustainability strategies such as initiatives to fight climate change, programs focused on improving cocoa production practices, and investments in renewable food sourcing and solar energy.
Wellness trends
Candy has largely remained popular with US consumers. However, candy makers have their eye on the growing consumer preference for healthy lifestyle trends. Therefore, we see an uptick in candy brands that contain more natural and organic ingredients and fewer GMOs, high-fructose corn syrup, and artificial additives. Furthermore, candy companies are adding in more nutritious and functional ingredients, such as seeds, nuts, and fruits. Chocolate manufacturers are also widening appeal with more products containing dark chocolate, which offers some well-known health benefits.
New flavors
Today’s consumer is more adventurous than ever, constantly seeking new culinary experiences. When it comes to candy, fruit flavors reign supreme right now. Fruit flavors offer a great way to experiment with new tastes because there’s always a new fruit arriving on the scene to try. Raspberry is an old favorite that’s on the rise alongside newer additions to the fruit sector such as yuzu and dragon fruit.
There’s never been a better time to play around with new candy flavors and create unique products that appeal to today’s adventurous consumers of all ages.