Candy makers are reshaping their product portfolios around texture rather than flavor, a shift driven by younger consumers' appetite for multisensory experiences and social media scrutiny.
At the Sweets & Snacks Expo in Las Vegas this May, Anne-Marie Roerink, president of market researcher 210 Analytics, declared "Texture is the new flavor" while presenting the National Confectioners Association's State of Treating report. The research, based on a December 2025 survey of 1,585 US consumers by Circana, shows texture preferences split by generation. Gen Z consumers favor sour crystals, crunchy and liquid-filled textures, while older consumers prefer gooey, gummy and chewy sensations.
Freeze-dried candy exemplifies this shift. Freeze-dried candy sales reached $165 million in 2025, up 52% in dollars and 63% in units, according to the Circana data. The format appeals to an expanding audience of GLP-1 users, who consume smaller portions and want their eating experiences to feel more substantial with each bite. Mars Inc. entered the category with M&M'S Pop'd Caramel, a freeze-dried product combining caramel flavor with a light, crispy and crunchy texture between the candy shell.
Social media is reshaping product design
Eating candy has become content for Gen Z, pushing brands to design products that function as shareable moments. Ted Curtin, an innovation and brand strategy consultant, said the question for candy makers in 2026 is no longer just what's in the product, but "what our candy could become." Packaging also plays a critical role. Michael Peroutka, head of partnerships at Gopuff, stated that flavor and packaging win the click from Gen Z, with bold flavors and standout visual cues driving conversions.
New product winners showcase texture innovation
Industry awards highlighted the breadth of texture-forward innovation. Perfetti Van Melle USA won the gum and mints category at Sweets & Snacks for Bubblicious Gummy Gum, which pairs chewy candy and bubble gum in one piece. Ferrara won the seasonal category for Brach's Crunchy Chewy Jelly Beans, which feature a crunchy shell, gummy center, and fruit flavors in a single bite. Amos Sweets developed Peelerz, a gummy with a peelable chewy outer shell that reveals a fruit-flavored center when removed.
Interactive formats are gaining traction. Amos and Bazooka Brands created the Juicy Drop Gummy Mystery Cube, which uses a peel-and-reveal mechanism that exposes a three-dimensional animal-shaped gummy inside. Bazooka also launched Go Wandr, a new brand pairing American gummy chew with textures inspired by Japanese mochi, targeting consumers discovering global trends through social media.