As confectionery brands like Trolli and Hi‑Chew expand into frozen, the category appears to be less about freezing candy bars, and more about redefining what candy can look like in a freezer.
For decades, the intersection of confectionery and frozen novelties followed a familiar formula: take an existing candy bar, add ice cream and sell it as a frozen treat. Brands like Snickers, Twix and M&M’s helped define the frozen novelty aisle by translating chocolate bars into ice cream formats.
But a growing wave of product launches in 2025 and 2026 suggests the relationship between candy and frozen is evolving beyond that simple conversion.
Rather than freezing existing candy products, confectionery brands increasingly are using frozen formats as a way to extend candy itself by highlighting chewy textures, sour flavors and fruit-forward profiles that historically have served as toppings, rather than the main feature.
Gummies, chews and texture-led innovation
One recent example comes from Ferrara Candy Co and Wells Enterprises with Trolli Gummi Pops launched last year. The brand’s latest Very Berry frozen pops (a combination of Trolli’s Berry Punch and Blue Raspberry sour gummy flavors) build directly on Trolli’s core gummy identity, translating its soft, chewy texture into a brightly colored ice‑pop format rather than simply borrowing flavor cues.
The frozen pops were developed to offer “the texture of a soft gummy in a frozen format,” signaling a shift toward candy-first innovation rather than dessert-led novelty, according to the National Confectioners Association. Ferrara formally introduced the Very Berry flavor earlier this month, positioning it as the next chapter in Trolli’s frozen expansion rather than a limited novelty.
The focus on texture, which defined gummies and chews, marks a departure from the smooth coatings and dairy-forward profiles that have historically defined frozen novelties.
Morinaga tests frozen as a candy extension
Morinaga America took a similar approach with its flagship candy Hi‑Chew by testing how the brand’s fruit-forward candy can move into frozen formats. Hi‑Chew Pops, currently available in select Bay Area Costco locations, feature Hi-Chew’s signature texture with the brand’s equity while introducing consumers to a frozen format that feels closer to the confectionery than classic ice cream. Similar to the candy, Hi-Chew Pops features a creamy, chewy core center surrounded by a Grape- or Strawberry-flavored soft shell.
The move aligns with Morinaga & Co, Ltd’s broader US frozen strategy, highlighted by its recent acquisition of My/Mo Mochi Ice Cream. The acquisition expands the company’s frozen treats business and accelerates growth beyond traditional candy categories, according to the company.
Frozen novelties look more like candy
Industry observers increasingly are recognizing this shift. Mintel’s 2025 US Ice Cream & Frozen Novelties market analysis describes innovation in the category as being driven by snackable formats, nostalgic flavors and unconventional textures, areas where candy brands have deep expertise.
Even dairy-focused organizations are acknowledging the influence of confectionery.
At the 2026 International Dairy Foods Association Innovative Ice Cream and Cultured Dairy contest, judges pointed to frozen novelties inspired by bakery and candy flavors, such as like Perry’s Ice Cream’s Candy Bash Bars, as areas of creative innovation, highlighting traditional ice cream’s expansion into different formats.
