Candy, Chocolate Product Innovation Drives Process Advancement
Key Takeaways
- Use of AI, interactive shopping and social media initiatives helps companies better understand and connect with consumers, especially younger demographics.
- Technological advancements like laser etching and 3D modeling are revolutionizing product customization, enabling faster production and more detailed designs.
- Nostalgic re-releases remain popular among Gen Z and Millennials, blending tradition with modern marketing strategies.
Candy and confectionery companies continue to find ways to innovate their product lines today, and what drives operations typically is a desire to find candy and chocolate products that consumers view as cutting-edge, unique and fun.
“These days, innovation itself is evolving in the confectionery industry,” explains Carly Schildhaus, director of public affairs & communications at the National Confectioners Assn. (NCA). “Brands are exploring new textures, formats, and limited-time offerings to keep candy relevant and growing, while technology is opening new ways to connect with people.”
According to the NCA’s 2026 State of Treating report, confectionery sales reached $55 billion in 2025 and are expected to top $62 billion by 2030. And while many feared the impact that the rise in the adoption of GLP-1 drugs would have on treats like candy and chocolate, Swiss chocolate company Lindt & Spruengli revealed data in March that showed increased consumption of chocolate among GLP-1 users in the U.S. Sales of premium chocolate increased among GLP-1 users by nearly 17% in 2025, compared to a 6.5% rise among non-GLP-1 users, the company noted in a Reuters report this spring.
Candy companies are moving to take advantage. Chocolate and candy remain important to U.S. consumers overall. With people eating candy two to three times per week, adding an average of 40 calories and about one teaspoon of added sugar per day, candy and confections companies see the popularity of their products but know that balance is important.
“Confectionery manufacturers are offering more variety in pack sizes and portion options than ever before, while reminding consumers that candy is a treat, not a meal replacement,” Schildhaus adds. “Companies of every size are shaping the category, with larger brands able to deliver at scale while smaller companies bring agility and fresh experimentation.”
Consumers seek ingenuity in new product designs, but the NCA report shows younger consumers pining for the old days in many ways as well.
“One-third of consumers — especially Gen Z and Millennials — are very interested in exact re-releases of nostalgic or retro candy,” Schildhaus says. Searching for an edge, some companies are using AI to hone insights and help them better understand consumer preferences. They also are using interactive shopping experiences and social media-driven initiatives to deepen engagement with those consumers.
Dana Rodio, director of marketing & brand strategy for Nassau Candy, agrees with the assessment that new product concepts are driving operational changes, with the chocolate manufacturing side of business reacting to demand for product appearance and decoration.
“The most recent is chocolate etching, which is offering major advancements for promotional and gifting,” she says. “Using advanced laser technology, detailed designs can be etched directly onto milk chocolate bars, turning the chocolate itself into the visual focal point rather than relying solely on packaging.”
Etching is an especially compelling process for manufacturing operations because it eliminates the need for custom molds, with faster turnaround times and a more sustainable approach to customization. Rodio says Nassau Candy has recently added chocolate etching capabilities to its list of options in its promotional chocolate business, and that the company is actively evaluating other potential applications for the process.
On the molding side, Rodio says advancements in 3D modeling have helped improve the speed at which Nassau Candy can create molds for its molded chocolate products, and the level of detail the chocolates can achieve.
“With the latest 3D modeling technologies, we can now import flat vector images into our 3D modeling software and create custom molds quicker than previously possible,” she says. “This new 3D modeling technology allows us to be more nimble as new licenses or trending shapes emerge.”
In today’s “gone viral” media world, speed is imperative, and the new technology eliminates a lot of trial and error during the design process, Rodio adds. She says the technology has expanded what Nassau Candy can offer through private label and its promotional product division.
About the Author
Andy Hanacek
Senior Editor
Andy Hanacek has covered meat, poultry, bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years, and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies, sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain. In 2018, he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs, and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years. In addition, Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety, a food safety software and consulting company.