Barry Callebaut sharpens strategy amid cocoa volatility
Barry Callebaut shifts strategy with new Focus for Growth plan
R&D
Mars doubles down on premiumisation to drive growth
Mars is ramping up its premium strategy as demand for high-quality indulgence accelerates
Is hojicha the next flavour megatrend?
Is hojicha quietly positioning itself as matcha’s successor? From drinks to desserts, this green tea is gaining momentum and the industry is taking notice
Confectionery trends: Balancing better-for-you trends and indulgence
Mondelēz’s Hu Chocolate takes premium, paleo-friendly bites to Target
Co-founder Jordan Brown says the brand’s retail expansion proves clean-label ingredients and premium indulgence are no longer niche consumer demands
Confectionery trends: Balancing better-for-you trends and indulgence
Cargill joins alternative chocolate race with Barry Callebaut and Nestlé amid cocoa volatility
By upcycling grape seeds, Cargill’s new NextCoa offers CPG brands a vegan, allergen-free option as major manufacturers hedge against soaring cocoa costs
Sweets & Snacks Expo 2026
4 forces forging the future of sweets and snacks
The latest innovations in candy and snacks reveal how consumers are redefining fun, flavor and function
Where brands should focus their AI strategy now
AI’s real value may lie in helping consumers choose – not discover
What if chocolate’s flavour was never really about cocoa?
As cocoa markets spiral through another year of chaos, cocoa-free alternatives are shifting from novelty to necessity
Sweet proteins gain global momentum with latest regulatory win
Amai Proteins’ sweet protein secures regulatory approval in Singapore after recent US nod
Confectionery’s biggest new innovations for 2026 announced
Ferrero and Hershey among winners of the 2026 Most Innovative New Product Awards
Mars signals new era for confectionery with bold launches and digital focus
Mars redefines confectionery with innovative flavours, new formats and a digital-first shopping strategy
Taste and texture: Confectionery’s biggest power players
From the melt of a chocolate bar to the tang of a gummy, taste and texture are top when it comes to keeping consumers coming back
Candy makers roll out bold new flavors and functional twists ahead of summer snacking season
New offerings spotlight caffeine-infused candy, globally inspired fruit pairings and spicy-sweet mashups as brands chase novelty and function
Mars, Mondelēz, Ferrero, Nestlé and Hershey: Rethinking confectionery innovation
From viral chocolates to cultural collaborations, confectionery innovation is entering a new experience‑led era
Hershey’s bets on AI to power growth
From marketing spend to manufacturing and innovation, AI is quietly reshaping confectionery
Excess sells - so why are manufacturers holding back?
From freakshakes to functional chocolate, ‘more is more’ is supercharging foodservice sales, but manufacturers continue to play it safe
Mars takes first step into cocoa-free category
The world’s biggest confectionery company is making its cocoa-free debut
From Nestlé to Mondelēz, alt chocolate is gaining real ground
When the biggest names in the business get on board, it’s a clear sign the trend has legs
New product development
What’s hot in confectionery? Lindt, Aero, Twix, Tony’s and more…
Filled bars, poppable bites, pistachio, matcha and cherry lemonade are all driving global confectionery innovation
World’s first cell-based chocolate bar developed with Mondelēz
The first-ever milk chocolate bars made with cell-cultivated cocoa butter have been produced
Amazonian cocoa’s untapped health benefits revealed
Could cocoa fermentation be doing more than shaping flavour? New research hints at untapped nutritional potential in Amazonian beans
Beyond the candy bar: Is confectionery redefining frozen novelties?
Candy companies increasingly are treating the freezer as a growth channel – one that allows gummies, chews and fruit candies to evolve into entirely new frozen formats
Mars steps up push for net zero cocoa at scale
Mars invests in regenerative farming as it ramps up efforts to hit net zero by 2050
Inside Häagen‑Dazs’ global manufacturing hub
General Mills’ Arras ice‑cream plant plays a central role in the company’s sustainability strategy. Here’s what goes on behind the scenes
Artificial sweeteners: Why the science war is raging on
New health studies are reigniting a global battle over artificial sweeteners, leaving brands, regulators and consumers divided
Gen Alpha and Beta: Functional food and beverage’s next big bet
Kids and teens power next growth phase for functional foods and beverages
Big Food’s high‑stakes race to reformulate
From regulation changes to supply chain pressures, reformulation is reshaping Big Food – fast
Can fermentation solve the cocoa crisis?
Cocoa innovation opens up new possibilities for manufacturers
New product development
What’s hot in confectionery? Reese’s cheesecake, matcha chocolate nuts…
From heritage sweets and branded collaborations to functional chocolate and gaming tie-ins, confectionery brands are broadening their reach with launches designed to unlock new shoppers, new occasions and new channels
‘More is more’ spells the end for low and no
Low and no loses its shine as consumers reject restriction in favour of real ingredients, richer flavours, and products that prioritise pleasure
Texture innovation: Confectionery’s next frontier
From freeze‑dried sweets to ultra‑indulgent chocolate, texture is taking centre stage
Can brands cut sugar without killing taste, texture or trust?
As sugar shifts from ingredient to liability, food and drink manufacturers are rebuilding sweetness from the ground up using rare sugars, fibres and fermentation-driven innovation
New product development
What’s hot in confectionery? Cadbury refresh, Potter Peeps and beauty cakes
From organic gummies and dessert‑inspired sweets to licensed seasonal launches and confection–beauty crossovers. Brands are leaning on format innovation
Future chocolate: Mondelēz, Lindt and Barry Callebaut reshape taste
From Mondelēz and Barry Callebaut to Lindt, the future of chocolate is being defined by bold flavour innovation, smarter formulations and a refusal to compromise on indulgence
Ozempic’s chocolate contradiction: Indulgence isn’t disappearing, it’s trading up
As appetite-suppressing drugs take hold, the real shift in snacking may not be how much people eat but how deliberately they choose to indulge
New product development
What’s hot in confectionery? Hotel Chocolat, Lindt, Butterfinger and more…
Seasonal NPD momentum continues across confectionery as brands lean into flavour mashups, texture-led indulgence and customisable gifting formats
The clean label chocolate revolution has begun
Clean label chocolate is gaining momentum, and reshaping indulgence
Nestlé’s F1 move signals bold new brand strategy
KitKat’s latest Formula 1 collaboration is more than a viral stunt, it’s a strategy shift
Top 5 innovations fuelling Ferrero’s growth - and what’s next
Ferrero is growing steadily, with new products and expanding brands helping to drive sales. How do we predict the pipeline to evolve?
Blurred lines: Confectionery and sports nutrition collide in snacking revolution
From protein‑packed chocolate bars to big‑brand collaborations, sports nutrition and confectionery are merging fast
New product development
What’s hot in confectionery? Nestlé Easter, KitKat Cookie, POLO, and more…
Major players are leaning into texture, premium gifting and flavour crossovers, while challenger brands continue to push sustainability and plant‑based credentials
New Product Development
Ice cream launches to watch in 2026
Ben & Jerry’s, Häagen-Dazs, Mars and Novel are giving shoppers plenty of reasons to linger in the frozen foods aisle
The ‘untapped potential’ of functional chocolate
Functional chocolate is stepping into the spotlight. Discover the ingredients, trends and early innovators reshaping the future of indulgence
The future of chocolate is bittersweet
Soaring cocoa prices are quietly reshaping how chocolate is formulated, where it’s used and how far the industry can stretch expectations without losing trust
New product development
What’s hot in confectionery? Spicy Jolly Rancher, Hershey Easter and more…
Seasonal confectionery is gearing up for a high‑intensity year as brands lean into flavour experimentation, multisensory formats and nostalgia‑led innovation
New product development
What’s hot in confectionery? Nestlé duo and Baileys eggs
From flavour‑rich snacking formats to revived retro favourites and seasonal gifting, manufacturers are responding with NPD that blends familiarity with modern twists
Freeze-dried candy craze grows – but not everyone’s winning
Mars, Ferrara ride TikTok-fueled demand while Sow Good restructures to survive
Nestlé’s F1 deal signals industry shift
KitKat’s Formula 1 move is more than a gimmick – it marks a potential new trend in confectionery
New product development
What’s hot in confectionery? Mars goes romantic in Valentine’s special
From premium Valentine’s assortments to playful Easter treats and everyday snacking upgrades, manufacturers are blending nostalgia with modern twists to capture consumer attention
How Mars is developing new ingredients with AI
AI can do a lot more than offer guidance and write emails. It can help food companies find brand-new ingredients for product formulation