Sally Lyons Watt is executive vice president and practice leader at IRI. She spoke exclusively to ConfectioneryNews on the new products on show at the Sweets & Snacks Expo and why innovation in the industry is crucial.
We talked with Euromonitor analyst Jared Koerten at the National Confectioners Association’s annual expo in Chicago about the rise of premium snacks, textured candies, functional ingredients and consumption occasions. Here’s what he had to say.*
What’s driving the latest marketplace and consumer trends in flavor innovation in candy and snacks? Julie Laughter, confectionery market manager at Fona international, revealed all at the Sweets & Snacks Expo.
An educational session at this year’s Sweets & Snacks Expo on the interest in cannabis-derived products came with a warning from the organizers that exhibitors were not allowed to sell any such products, which shows how controversial a trend it is....
Marcia Mogelonsky, PHD, director of insight, Mintel Group, talks us through the five undeniable macro-snacking trends to meet the needs of today’s candy and snack consumers.
The sour trend continues to rule new confectionery products, as SweeTARTS launches two styles of sour gummies and HI-CHEW dips into the sweet and sour combo concept.
The German gummy bear manufacturer showed off new sour treats at this year’s Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago, as it prepares to break ground on its first US manufacturing facility in 2020.
Rather than the letter logo, each piece of milk chocolate in the limited-edition bars will feature one of 25 emoji characters, though Hershey stressed that its classic bars would still be on shelves.
Caring for the environment, showing off a transparent supply chain, and giving back are no longer optional but necessary for companies looking to build trust with today’s consumers.
The market will increase at a CAGR of 2% thanks to diversification and interest in premium, high-end and indulgent white chocolate products, according to a Technavio report.
The National Confectioners Association says it is continuing to strengthen its industry engagement, regulatory, communications and advocacy teams with a series of new personnel appointments.
France has ordered food companies to eradicate titanium dioxide (TiO2) from their products by January 1, 2020, after a report from the country’s food safety agency recommended reducing exposure to the chemical.
Confectionery giant’s deep dive into discovering and mastering the keys to shopper decision making comes at a timely moment with the retail landscape in a constant state of flux.
Ahead of the 2019 Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago, the National Confectioners Association releases a new survey that highlights the demands and expectations of today’s candy consumers.
Annual gathering on 21 May will show the US candy industry in full force as confectionery and snack companies head to Illinois to unveil their latest products and retail offerings.
Well-being, digital advancement, localization and speed are amongst the major trends and opportunities that global snack manufacturing giant Mondelez has identified as crucial to shaping the future of snacks in APAC and beyond.
Consumers will not compromise on taste, but they are asking ‘weirder’ questions about the origins, ingredients and benefits of their food, according to Ipsos survey data and industry thought leaders who spoke at Puratos’ Taste Tomorrow event in Chicago,...
One of the world’s largest chocolate and cocoa shows, Salon du Chocolat will bring together producers, chocolatiers, chefs and consumers in New York City, November 15-17, 2019.
The candy sold out in 10 days after its release last spring at the brand’s Chocolatory in Melbourne, and now fans can find it ‘for a limited time’ throughout the country.
Younger consumers enjoy bakery items throughout the day, especially for breakfast, but they would prefer smaller portions, according to a report from the American Bakers Association (ABA) in conjunction with The Center for Generational Kinetics (GenHQ).
Colorado’s Explorado Market saw an opportunity to create a low-sugar, low-carb chocolate chip that consumers following a ketogenic diet could trust and use in multiple ways.
For the second year in a row, the Mars Wrigley brand will sell three limited-edition flavors at select retailers, but only the winner will be available for another 18 months.
Todd Kluger joins the organic candy brand as VP of sales and marketing after a decade in a similar role at rice-based snack company Lundberg Family Farms and previously as ‘food transformation’ director at Starbucks.
Nearly a decade and eight retail shops later, Dandelion Chocolate has expanded production to a ‘tech-forward’ space in San Francisco with room for manufacturing, retail and education.
The ‘snack evolution’ will continue for the foreseeable future as half of consumers are snacking at least three times a day, according to IRI’s Sally Lyons Wyatt.
Malaysia’s home-grown confectionery and biscuit brand Julie’s is experiencing fast growth in China’s e-commerce space, with sales growing by five-fold in the past three years.
Low-sugar confectionery startup SmartSweets is primed for solid expansion into mass and grocery this year, a move its founder says should bring Gen Y and Z back to the candy aisle.
Of the four major holidays, Easter boasts the largest percentage (nearly 30%) of non-chocolate candy sales, according to Brach’s, a division of Ferrara Candy Co. Jellybeans alone account for 32% of those sales.
More than two in three US parents make Easter baskets, according to the National Confectioners Association – here are several that might find a new home this year: Hershey put Reese’s Pieces inside other candy, Cadbury added shimmer to its chocolate eggs,...
Website includes statistics and background information on classic Easter candies and chocolates as part of the National Confectioners Association’s ‘Always A Treat Initiative’.
Since refreshing the bubble gum brand in 2014, The Topps Company has heard from longtime fans clamoring for the classic red, white and blue package – and the comic strips that came along with it.
The overriding theme at the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) annual State of the Industry Summit, held in Chicago, was one of evolution. The old convenience store model of ‘smokes, cokes and gasoline’ has morphed into a more complex retail...
This café will be the first of 10 planned for the Northeast in 2019, followed by 2,000 locations worldwide. About a third will land in North and South America, a third in Asia and a third throughout the rest of the world.
Cocoa origin claims on chocolate products are rare and at odds with the main sourcing regions of cocoa, a study from Lumina Intelligence has found, is it worthwhile for brands to indicate cocoa origin on-pack and online?
Reimagining base brands, cultivating the M&A pipeline, and developing new innovation models
Will big food companies increasingly buy in innovation and serve simply as scale up platforms for smaller, more 'authentic' brands they didn’t create, or can they come up with their own cool stuff that will resonate with new generations of consumers?...
While modern wisdom may favor launching fast and iterating quickly based on consumer feedback, the director of innovation at Endangered Species Chocolate says when it comes to packaging and branding it is better to slow down and invest in consumer research...
Technology is creating consumer expectations on privacy, trust and traceability and cannot be overstated, said mobile and digital marketing guru Tom Daly. His answer? Blockchain.
Celebrating its 21st year, The International Food & Drink Event (IFE) - the UK’s leading and largest food & drink gathering - returns to the ExCeL in London.
Confectionery and chocolate might not seem an ideal fit for a natural foods show, but longstanding artisan chocolate brands found their place at Expo West alongside new companies looking to make their mark on the industry.
The 135th gathering of the NCA State of the Industry Conference ended as it began on a high, more Queen songs blasting over the PA and a promise to return next year with an even better event. Here’s a brief roundup of some of the discussions that took...
Reaching beyond the television, Ferrero unleashed two promotional campaigns this week – one for Tic Tac Gum and one for Nutella, both in the US – aimed at millennials and Generation Z consumers.
Perfetti van Melle will debut several Chupa Chups products at the 2019 Duty Free & Travel Summit of the Americas later this month, in addition to a Mentos Gum Giftpack, capitalizing on a ‘strong year’ in the region.
