The Oreo cookie mascot is seen at the Mondelez International booth at the Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago recently.
Terrence Antonio James | Chicago Tribune/TNS
CHICAGO — The Sweets & Snacks Expo becomes the center of the sweets and snacks universe for the week, said Chris Gindlesperger, senior vice president of public affairs and communications for the National Confectioners Association, which hosts the show, where 800 exhibitors and 16,000 people were expected to attend this year.
Last year the event returned to Chicago, once dubbed the “Candy Capital of the United States.” The NCA was founded in the city in 1884. The trade association is now based in Washington, D.C.
The first All Candy Expo debuted at Navy Pier in 1997, but moved to McCormick Place in 2001, and changed its name to the Sweets & Snacks Expo in 2010.
The expo announced the winners of its annual Most Innovative New Product Awards on Monday.
The NCA also released a forecast of four trends, which were reflected in some of the 13 award winners, including one unusual sweet that uses bone conduction technology.
Trend: Social media-friendly interactive treats
TastySounds RecordableLollipop in peach nectar flavor by Amos Sweets won the award for best novelty or licensed product.
“As you enjoy the lollipop, there’s no speaker, but you can hear the music being played through technology,” said Gindlesperger. “It’s something that’s groundbreaking when it comes to sweets and snacks.”
TikTok reaction videos show tasters testing earlier versions of the lollipop. When they bite down, shock shows on their faces, when bone conduction allows them to hear music that’s silent to the viewer. The new version plays licensed songs and makes recordings.
“You can record your own voice or the voice of a loved one,” Gindlesperger said. “If somebody wants to send you a special message, they can record it, then give you the lollipop as a gift, and you can hear that recording back.”
Trend: Brand collaborations
Jack Link’s Doritos Spicy Sweet Chili Flavored Beef Jerky by PepsiCo Foods won best meat snack.
“The brands that you know and love for certain products are engaging with other brands that you know and love for certain products and making something new together,” Gindlesperger said. “PepsiCo Foods really came in with a very cool innovation under their Jack Link’s and Doritos brands collaboration, with spicy sweet chile-flavored beef jerky.”
Trend: Flavor mashups
Mexican hot cocoa bites by Kopper’s Chocolate won the award for best chocolate.
“This is a favorite,” Gindlesperger said about the trend. “There’s a combination of things that you may not typically expect.”
Fans of Mexican hot chocolate expect warm spices, but the award-winning cocoa bites amplify those flavors with sweet chunks of marshmallow, covered by chile-infused dark chocolate, all dusted with cinnamon and sugar.
Trend: All about options
Apple cinnamon Chunk Nibbles won the award for Best in Show.
The sweet-and-salty snack mix began with a recipe by founder Brad Cocklin’s grandmother. The Chex Mix-inspired snack is made in Troy, Michigan, by a family-owned company founded in 2018.
Consumers revealed through in-depth research they believe their emotional well-being is just as important as their physical well-being, Gindlesperger said.
“Whenever you dig into emotional well-being, and ask them the type of activities that fuel that, candy and snacks are right there at the top of the list,” he said.
Candy and snacks can also touch the heart space if you talk about nostalgia, he added.
