Across chocolate and sugar confectionery, manufacturers are doubling down on indulgence, layering flavours and textures to refresh core brands and unlock new consumption occasions.
Multi-sensorial formats such as filled bars, clusters and bite-sized pieces are increasingly central to NPD strategies.
Flavour-wise, pistachio, matcha, cherry and sour-led profiles continue to gain traction, supported by strong engagement on social media and growing interest in Japanese-inspired tastes.
Brands are also leaning into cultural relevance through partnerships, seasonal storytelling and Gen Z-focused campaigns, using collaborations, competitions and limited editions to build excitement at shelf and online.
The latest launches from Mars, Ferrara, Lindt, Nestlé and Tony’s Chocolonely highlight how confectionery players are blending innovation with brand purpose to stay competitive.
Ferrara Nerds
Ferrara is expanding its Nerds portfolio with the launch of Nerds Cherry Lemonade Gummy Clusters, extending a format that has delivered strong growth internationally.
The brand is currently ranked number one in the US sugar confectionery category and generates close to $1bn in annual sales, with Gummy Clusters acting as a key growth driver thanks to their social media visibility and appeal among Gen Z consumers.
The Gummy Clusters format combines a soft, chewy gummy centre with a crunchy outer layer of tangy Nerds pieces, delivering a clear point of difference on texture and flavour. The new Cherry Lemonade variant blends sweet cherry with a sour citrus note, tapping into continued demand for bold, sour-led flavour profiles. Ferrara says the flavour is designed to recruit new shoppers while encouraging repeat purchase among existing fans of the range.
Lindt Japan-inspired
Lindt is rolling out a new spring-summer collection inspired by Japanese flavour trends, tapping into continued demand for floral, tea-led and premium experiential chocolate.
The limited-edition range brings together Sakura, matcha and strawberry profiles, building on strong consumer interest in Asian-inspired tastes and seasonal gifting formats. All three SKUs are designed to reinforce Lindt’s premium credentials while offering novelty through flavour and texture.
The launch is led by Lindt Lindor Cherry Blossom, a Sakura-flavoured truffle combining a smooth cherry blossom filling with a white chocolate shell. Alongside this, Lindt is extending its matcha offer with Lindor Matcha in Cornet format, pairing white chocolate with a matcha-infused green tea centre aimed at shoppers seeking more refined, less overtly sweet profiles.
Also joining the line-up is the Lindt Tokyo Style Chocolate Matcha and Strawberry bar, returning after a sell-out ultra-limited run last year. The bar blends ceremonial grade Chamei Minami matcha, crispy Genmai roasted rice and white chocolate, delivering a more textural proposition inspired by Japanese tea culture.
Nestlé Aero
Nestlé is extending the Aero portfolio this spring with the launch of Aero Pistachio, pairing one of confectionery’s fastest-growing flavours with the brand’s signature aerated chocolate format.
The new sharing bar combines a pistachio-flavoured chocolate shell with Aero’s light, bubbly centre, offering a contemporary twist on a long-established brand. Pistachio continues to perform strongly across sweet categories, and the flavour is positioned to appeal to both existing Aero shoppers and trend-led consumers.
The Pistachio launch also marks the start of a major on-pack collaboration between Aero and the forthcoming film The Devil Wears Prada 2.
Mars Twix
Mars is expanding the Twix portfolio with the launch of Twix Bits, a new bite-sized format designed to tap into demand for shareable, poppable confections.
The product delivers the core Twix proposition of chocolatey caramel and crunchy biscuit in a single, small-format piece, broadening the brand’s reach beyond traditional bars and into more flexible snacking occasions. Twix Bits is positioned to appeal to younger consumers and social sharing moments, while retaining the familiar flavour profile that underpins the brand’s global strength.
The launch is supported by a US-facing marketing campaign built around Twix long-running “Two Is More Than One” platform. As part of the activity, Twix has partnered with platinum-certified rapper and former professional basketball player LiAngelo Ball, using his dual career path to spotlight the idea of unexpected “two-ness”.
Tony’s Filled
Tony’s Chocolonely is expanding its portfolio with the launch of Filled, its first-ever range of filled bars, targeting consumers seeking more indulgent, multi-texture chocolate formats.
The new range is designed to complement the brand’s core tablet line while maintaining its impact-led positioning as a company focused on ending exploitation in the cocoa industry. Filled launches into a growing market for layered and inclusion-led chocolate, as shoppers increasingly look for richer sensory experiences from everyday treats.
The range comprises three SKUs: milk caramel sea salt with crunchy caramel pieces, milk hazelnut praline with crunchy hazelnut pieces, and milk chocolate filled with smooth chocolate ganache. Each bar features Tony’s distinctive unequally divided design and combines chunky milk chocolate with soft, gooey or crunchy fillings.
