According to data insights provider Statista, today’s global confectionery sector is worth $619.25bn. Over the next five years, it’s estimated to grow at an annual rate of 5.47%.
Keeping up to date with the industry’s latest innovations, insights and ideas is vital to maintaining a competitive advantage and consumer appeal in the growing sweet treat space.
Our bi-weekly NPD series provides a snapshot of the latest launches and strategic efforts by confectionery brands of all sizes, from startups to scaling sweet names and sizable, multinational manufacturers. Whether you’re looking for releases to inspire your R&D pipelines, grow your product portfolios or stay ahead of changing confectionery trends, we’ve got the latest launches to help you develop, unveil and expand your confectionery creations.
Ritter Sport launches its Travel Retail Editions minis range
German chocolate specialist Ritter Sport has launched its latest Travel Retail Editions range, comprising 15 minis and five flavours. The firm has designed its flavourful range to combine a mix of sweet, salty, fruity and crunchy sensations.
Established in 1921, the 100-plus-year-old brand’s latest product selection will see the launch of its mini tower chocolate line-up with salted caramel, strawberry creme, alpine milk, cornflakes and butter biscuit flavour varieties.
The brand will target growth in the Americas region with its newest arrivals, which will debut at the upcoming IAADFS Summit of Americas conference on March 8-11, 2025 in Miami, US. Ritter Sport hopes to build brand awareness in the key geographical market and grow significantly in border stores and airports in South America and Canada.
Bazooka Candy debuts its multi-texture Baby Bottle Pop Twisters
US candy company Bazooka Candy is bringing consumers its latest chewy candy offering, Baby Bottle Pop Twisters. The brand has formulated its newest product to give consumers a flavour-packed multi-texture experience. Reimagining the candy experience, the twisters have been developed to offer three layers of taste and 3-in-1 texture thanks to a light and crunchy outer shell, a sweet and chewy centre and sour powder at their core. Leveraging the popularity of the iconic Baby Bottle Pop, the new product is a novel twist on its classic sweet and sour chewy candy. The latest variety comes in four flavours: strawberry, blue raspberry, watermelon and berry blast.
Kinder unveils new limited-edition collections
Taking inspiration from pop culture, Kinder Joy and Kinder Chocolate team up with Warner Bros Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBDGCP) and Funko to launch 16 new Funko products.
The Italian Ferrero-owned brand will release its Kinder Joy Limited Edition DC Funko POP! Eggs and Limited-Edition DC Kinder Chocolate. Shoppers can enjoy the newly-themed Kinder Joy egg and Kinder Chocolate bar, which are made to elicit quality, fun and connection.
Kinder Joy’s treat range will combine cocoa and sweet cream layers topped with crispy wafer bites filled with cocoa cream. The brand hopes to create unique, sharing moments for families with its new collection. Consumers can buy the brand’s Kinder Chocolate single or share size bar, made with an outer layer of smooth milk chocolate with a creamy, milky filling.
Oreo announces a host of flavours and one big musical collaboration
The leading Mondelēz-owned sweet treats brand is bringing together the worlds of cookies and celebrity to launch its latest product: Its limited edition Post Malone Oreo Cookie Packs.
Designed to celebrate the “twists” in all of us, the sweet new collab sees the Oreo brand team up with renowned musician Post Malone to drop its first-of-its-kind swirled creme variety. The new-for-2025 Oreo cookie combines salted caramel and shortbread flavoured creme, sandwiched between the recognisable Oreo chocolate cookie and golden cookie. Available until March 31, the limited edition range aims to add a touch of musical customisation, with each cookie featuring one of nine embossments inspired by the artist.
Oreo is also expanding beyond its signature chocolate-cream combination with new flavour innovations. Its latest six-piece line-up consists of permanent and limited edition products, including its Oreo thins variety in Irish creme flavour, minis peanut butter, frozen treats, Oreo Game Day, loaded Oreo and golden Oreo cakesters.
Classic candy bars add a touch of ice cream
Italian sweet-packaged food company Ferrero North America has teamed up with leading US ice cream manufacturer Wells Enterprises to re-envision its candy bars. The duo are putting a spin on its iconic Butterfinger, Baby Ruth and 100 Grand bars by reformatting them into ice cream candy bars.
The new frozen treat aims to demonstrate the brands’ creation beyond classic candy bars by transforming their flavours and textures into real ice cream. Tapping into ‘newstalgia’, the latest product combines cool convenience with innovative indulgence.
The big-name candy and ice cream brands hope to build upon the popularity of the category collab. According to ICCB Retail Insights, candy buyers are 55% more likely to purchase ice cream candy bars. Ferrero and Wells Enterprises now strive to bring the popular candy bar brands to consumers in a new format with indulgent flavours and signature textures.
Ferrero North America and Wells Enterprises are redesigning their Butterfinger Ice Cream variety. The twist on the brand’s conventional candy bar will see the formulation contain a rich, creamy Butterfinger-flavoured ice cream with a crispy, crunchy Butterfinger layer and chocolate coating.
Next up is the pair’s new look for its Baby Ruth Ice Cream. The chewy, nougat-flavoured ice cream contains roasted peanuts and a layer of caramel wrapped in an indulgent chocolate coating. The 100 Grand Ice Cream variety comes in a creamy, caramel-flavoured ice cream layered with more caramel in a chocolate shell and crispy crunchies on top.
Sweet Startup Spotlight: YumEarth
Organic candy brand YumEarth is debuting its 2025 Easter range. With the leading seasonal sales event only two months away, the allergen-friendly sweet treat provider says it hopes to make the Easter season sweeter, safer and worry-free for everyone.
YumEarth’s products are free from the top nine allergens: peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, gluten, shellfish, soy and sesame. They are also free from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and formulated using simple ingredients.
YumEarth is launching five key products ahead of this year’s confectionery-loving season. The brand’s allergy-friendly sweet collection consists of its Easter Egg Hunt Kit, Easter Organic Gummy Fruits, Easter Organic Jelly Beans, Easter Organic Variety Box and Easter Organic Sour Littles.
