This week’s confectionery new product development (NPD) shows a clear shift toward format innovation, flavour experimentation and cross-category appeal.
Brands are more often leaning into social media-driven trends, specifically around spice, tropical and nostalgic flavour profiles.
Texture and convenience continue to play a key role in NPD launches. From chocolate-covered shortcake to caffeine-packed gummies, manufacturers are rethinking how consumers perceive indulgence and energy on the go.
At the same time, heritage brands continue to modernise to stay relevant. This week, we see an historic confectionery brand deliver modernisation through both packaging and flavour extensions.
Cadbury refreshes Bournville and extends
Cadbury Bournville has unveiled a full brand refresh, featuring a modernised design alongside two new flavour variants: Salted Caramel and Chopped Hazelnut.
The relaunch is supported by a multi-channel campaign running from August to October, aimed at broadening the appeal of dark chocolate to a wider consumer base.
The updated packaging is sympathetic to the brand’s 1908 heritage through the incorporation of the original Bournville ‘B’ on each chocolate block.
Bournville’s new SKUs are designed to attract milk chocolate shoppers into the dark segment, with Cadbury claiming dual-category buyers represent the highest value to the chocolate category, despite comprising just 25% of UK households.
Cadbury Bournville brand manager Valerie Doeringer said the campaign is the brand’s first in over 50 years and aims to position Bournville as an accessible, everyday dark chocolate.
Fox’s Burton’s taps the pistachio trend
Fox’s Burton’s Companies (FBC UK) has launched a new pistachio SKU under its premium Fox’s Chocolatey range, capitalising on the growing demand for ‘Dubai-style’ confectionery.
New Fox’s Chocolatey Dubai Style Indulgent Creams are available exclusively in UK supermarket chain Tesco from this month, with a wider rollout to other retailers in September.
The product features a shortcake biscuit coated in chocolate, filled with a pistachio cream and real pistachio pieces. The NPD is positioned to tap into consumers’ continued demand for pistachio flavours.
Pistachio was the fifth most Googled food and drink term in 2024, and FBC claims to be the first major biscuit manufacturer to bring this format to UK shelves.
Backed by a six-figure marketing investment, the launch is part of a broader strategy to accelerate innovation in premium biscuits. FBC spokesperson Charlotte Hunt said the product was developed and brought to market in a matter of months, reflecting the company’s ambition to lead on emerging flavour trends.
Nassau Candy boosts Clever Candy SKUs
Nassau Candy has added four new SKUs to its Clever Candy bulk range, targeting trending shapes and flavours that continue to gain traction across social media and in-store displays.
The new additions – Gummy Avocados, Gummy Pacifiers, Spicy Blue Raspberry Gummy Bears and Gummy Lemons – are available now to retailers and distributors.
The launch taps into key trends including spice and Scandinavian-inspired formats.
Gummy Avocados feature a tropical mango flavour and a colourful pit design, while Gummy Pacifiers draw on Swedish candy culture with familiar fruit flavours like strawberry, raspberry, and pineapple.
The Spicy Blue Raspberry Gummy Bears have been created to tap into social media engagement, offering a bold heat profile in a classic bear shape. Gummy Lemons round out the range with a larger format and a citrus-forward flavour aimed at summer merchandising.
Sneak’s caffeinated energy gummies
UK-based energy brand Sneak has launched a new functional format – Energy Gummies, offering a portable alternative to powders and drinks.
Each six-serving pack delivers 100mg of natural caffeine per portion, alongside a blend of nine vitamins and minerals. The gummies are available in two vegan flavours: Berry and Orange.
Positioned to meet growing demand for convenient, better-for-you energy solutions, the launch marks Sneak’s latest move beyond its core gaming and fitness audience. The brand says the gummies are designed for consumers seeking flexible energy options without the need for mixing or refrigeration.
Sneak’s creative director Tim Donald said the format would allow users to tailor their caffeine intake, aligning with the brand’s broader strategy of customisable energy delivery.
The launch comes as interest in functional confectionery continues to rise, particularly among younger consumers looking for alternatives to traditional energy drinks.
Fatso adds dark choc boozy banana bar
Premium dark chocolate brand Fatso has added a new flavour to its range with the launch of Drunk’n Monkey – a 150g bar combining rum-soaked banana chips, sea salt and single-origin Colombian dark chocolate.
The launch continues Fatso’s drive to be a disruptor in the dark chocolate category by offering bold flavour combinations in a chunky format.
Drunk’n Monkey joins the brand’s existing line-up with a focus on playful, indulgent ingredients aimed at consumers seeking premium alternatives with personality.
Co-founder Ella McKay said the new bar reflects the brand’s mission to challenge perceptions of dark chocolate as overly serious, adding that the tropical flavour profile is both “tasty and tipsy”. The product is not suitable for children or animals due to its alcohol content.
Dylan’s Wheel of Fortune-themed capsule
Dylan’s Candy Bar has partnered with Sony Pictures Television to launch a limited-edition Wheel of Fortune capsule collection, combining novelty confectionery with nostalgic branding.
The range includes seven SKUs across gifting and impulse formats, including themed paint cans, a tackle box, a mystery box, and a 10oz chocolate coin.
The collection features playful, TV-inspired treats like Fruity Gummy Fighter Jets, Cherry Juju Coins and a trio of chocolate bars in Wheel of Fortune wrappers.
Designed to appeal to fans of the long-running game show, the line is positioned for gifting, collectability and seasonal promotions. The products are available at Dylan’s Candy Bar locations in New York and Los Angeles, online and in select airport stores nationwide.
Founder and CEO Dylan Lauren said the collaboration captures the joy and interactivity of the show, while Sony Pictures Television’s Suzanne Prete praised the collection’s ability to bring the brand to life in candy form.
