Staying on top of the confectionery sector’s latest innovations, insights and ideas is crucial to maintaining a competitive edge and consumer appeal in the growing sweet treat industry.
Our bi-weekly new product development series offers a snapshot of the latest launches and strategic efforts by chocolate, candy and gum brands of all sizes. Here, we look at the latest from startups, scaling sweet brands and sizable global producers.
Hu debuts individually-wrapped chocolate bites
This month, the Mondelēz International-owned chocolate bar creator expands its collection with individually wrapped filled products in three flavours: hazelnut butter, cashew butter and pure vanilla bean, and creamy coconut flavours.
Designed to target the on-the-go and post-dinner sweet treat markets, Hu’s USP is its clean label formulations, with each of its new range of flavours containing just four to six ingredients. The brand’s latest product releases are United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Organic, Fairtrade, Non-GMO, gluten free, vegan, paleo, keto, kosher and include no refined sugars, sugar alcohols, soy/gluten, palm oil or emulsifiers.
Its dark chocolate bites will be stocked in Whole Foods and Kroger stores in the US from May 2025.
Mars releases its upcoming Halloween product lineup
Global chocolate giant Mars is marking the halfway point to Halloween by releasing its 2025 product selection. This spooky season’s portfolio will include new M&M products, variety packs, seasonal packaging and returning seasonal staples.
Mars will release three new M&M’s products this Halloween season. M&M’s milk chocolate Halloween blend, M&M’s peanut milk chocolate Halloween blend and M&M’s peanut butter milk chocolate Halloween blend – all part of the chocolatier’s new-for-2025 seasonal portfolio.
New variety packs across several of Mars’ core brands will also emerge this Halloween. Candy brands Starburst, Starburst FaveReds, Skittles, and Skittles Wild Berry will all feature in new variety packs. Mars-owned chocolate brands Snickers, Milky Way, Twix, and 3 Musketeers will also release new variety packs. Bubble gum brand Hubba Bubba will also feature in a new variety format, alongside Life Savers and Starburst.
Combining candy with chocolate, Mars will issue M&M’s, Starburst, Skittles and Snickers featured in a new variety pack.
Halloween 2025 will see the return of several seasonal staples for Mars-owned brands, including M&M’s milk chocolate pumpkin pie, Snickers’ pumpkins, Twix and Snickers’ ghoulish green and Skittles’ Shriekers.
Swizzels unveils new chew bar
British sweets creator Swizzels is marking the 70th anniversary of its Refreshers brand with the release of its new tropical chew bar.
The leading family-owned independent sugar confectionery business has launched its latest vegan-friendly creation, which comes in a mango and pineapple flavour. Designed to add a tangy and fresh twist on the brand’s popular and classic chew bar creations, the brand selected the flavours after spotting that “tropical flavours are having a real moment with consumers this year”.
Seeking to appeal to consumers’ demand for fruity flavours, the new product aims to retain the unique, fizzy sherbet centre familiar to Refreshers fans while attracting those looking for a refreshing sweet treat on the go. Alongside its product launch, Swizzels has created its new campaign, The Great Community Refresh, in May 2025. The UK-wide initiative invites consumers to nominate a community project, group or asset that it believes needs a ‘refresh’.
Justin’s adds candy bars to its organic chocolate range
Organic chocolate brand Justin’s has expanded its collection with new dark and milk chocolate-based bars. Justin’s is launching its peanut caramel nougat chocolate candy bars to US consumers in two varieties: dark chocolate peanut caramel nougat and milk chocolate peanut caramel nougat.
The chocolate candy bars are certified organic by the USDA and are project verified as non-genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Aiming to provide a nostalgic chocolate candy product with simple and organic ingredients, Justin’s new chocolate bars are kosher, gluten-free and free from stevia or sugar alcohols.
Justin’s hopes to tap into the permissible indulgence trend with simple, organic ingredients. The brand draws on recent research from the YouGov 2024 US Healthy Snackers Report 2024, which indicates that between 2021 and 2024, the number of self-described health-conscious snackers increased by more than 14%. Furthermore, according to Technomic Consumer Trend Reports 2025 US Snacking March 2025, one in four consumers report they snack on healthier food items.
Justin’s will showcase the latest additions to its product portfolio this week at the Sweets & Snacks Expo, before entering retailers Sprouts Farmers Market and Whole Foods Market this summer.
Sanders releases new white chocolate caramel product
US caramel and chocolate confectionery company Sanders is celebrating its 150th anniversary by launching its new white chocolate sea salt caramel collection.
Owned by Second Nature Brands, Sanders has used a small-batch, slow-kettle cooking method to create caramel for its confectionery creations since its launch in 1875. The brand has applied this technique to make its latest real cream and butter-based creation: its white chocolate and sea salt caramel varieties.
The brand’s white chocolate sea salt caramels combine small-batch, slow-cooked caramel with premium white chocolate and the added flavour of sea salt.
Sanders’s limited edition birthday cake white chocolate sea salt caramels offer a birthday cake-flavoured caramel in a white chocolate coating and topped with naturally-coloured sprinkles.
Meanwhile, its holiday sugar cookie white chocolate sea salt caramels are another limited-edition SKU that contains slow-cooked sugar cookie-flavoured caramels in white chocolate, sprinkled with sugar cookie-flavoured flakes.
Kroger launches private selection cherry harvest collection
US retail company Kroger launches its latest limited-edition, which revolves around one key flavour: cherry. Describing its latest private selection as tapping into one of the year’s juiciest trends, the product line contains 17 new SKUs spread across the confectionery, cookie, pancake, baked goods, nuts, beverages and floral spaces.
The brand’s new cherry harvest collection contains cherry vanilla kettle cooked popcorn with dark chocolate, white chocolate cherry blondies and chocolate cherry bites: tart-dried cherries double dipped in white and milk chocolate.
Kroger’s cherry harvest line is the brand’s latest limited-edition selection and follows its autumn harvest apple collection. The retailer is expected to introduce more seasonal lines later in the year.
Sweet startup spotlight
Big Bold Health releases chocolate chews with a unique ingredient
The immune system health and nutrition brand has launched its latest product, chocolate chews. Big Bold Health has released its HTB Immune Energy Chews, complete with a daily dose of organic sprouted Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat (HTB), cocoa and essential nutrients such as zinc, magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin D.
Designed to provide consumers with a convenient way to support immune health and energy, the brand’s new HTB Immune Energy Chews contain polyphenol-rich cocoa. By combining HTB with cocoa, the brand sought to produce a formulation that will support the connection between the gut, immune system and cellular metabolism.
