Candy Industry Trends 2026
Candy Industry Trends 2026: Shoppers Love Their Brands, but Gen Z Buys for the Mood
Our office has gone through a ridiculous amount of candy this month. America is going through less.
I went digging through the National Confectioners Association’s (NCA) State of Treating 2026 report to see what’s going on. Candy units fell 1.5% in 2025, the fourth straight year of decline. Prices kept climbing, so dollar sales still grew.
People are making trade-offs. What surprised me is which ones.
Shoppers Will Eat Less Candy Before Giving Up Their Favorite Brand
Given the choice between less of their favorite candy or more of something else, 64% of shoppers take less of their favorite.
Even in a year when everyone was chasing value, store-brand non-chocolate candy volume fell 5.4%. Non-chocolate overall was down only 0.9%.
When people do spend a little more, half say it’s because it’s a brand they like. Only 17% say it’s because it’s “a little healthier.”
Candy brand loyalty is strong. But it’s not that simple.
If Money Were No Object: Brand, Mood or Something New?
The report also asked what people would change if money were no object:
- 44% would buy their preferred brand.
- 43% would buy whatever they’re in the mood for.
- 41% would try something new.
Younger shoppers lean hard into that last part.
Gen Z and Millennial Candy Preferences Are Driven by Mood
Gen Z and Millennials care more about mood and less about brand. That matters, because by 2030 Millennials will be the largest group of grocery shoppers after 30 years of Boomer dominance.
Younger shoppers are reshaping what’s growing in the candy aisle:
- Sour flavors: 24% of Gen Z are drawn to sour, compared with 5% of Boomers.
- Freeze-dried candy: Younger shoppers are its biggest fans, and the segment grew 52%.
- “Mystery” candy: Candy with “mystery” in the name grew 22%.
For them, the question isn’t which brand. It’s what they feel like right now.
Why Mike and Ike at ACL Makes Sense
Mike and Ike showing up at ACL this year made a lot of sense to me. Nobody at a music festival is comparing candy brands. They’re grabbing whatever fits the moment, and Mike and Ike was there.
When shoppers buy based on mood, showing up in the right moment matters as much as building brand preference.
What’s Next for Candy Brands
Candy has spent decades building brands people won’t give up. Now it has to figure out how to win over a generation that loves trying something new.
Source: National Confectioners Association, State of Treating 2026