PepsiCo has reduced the suggested retail prices on many of its snack brands by up to nearly 15 percent, including Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos and Tostitos, with the new pricing rolling out in the U.S. this week. The change comes as households prepare for one of the year’s biggest snacking occasions, spanning winter gatherings and the […]
Category: Snacks Brands
Snack news for grocery retailers: new items, brand news, sales trends and merchandising for salty snacks, candy and more.
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Rise Baking Co. Names McNeil As CEO
Rise Baking Co. has appointed Mark McNeil as CEO, succeeding Brian Zellmer, who led the Minneapolis-based manufacturer over the past five years. McNeil is a seasoned food and beverage executive with more than 30 years of cross-functional leadership experience across retail, foodservice and manufacturing. He most recently served as CEO of Shearer’s Foods, the largest […]
The Wonderful Company Awards $1.5M In Grants To Central Valley Nonprofits
The Wonderful Company has announced the latest recipients of its Central Valley Community Grants program, awarding more than $1.5 million in funding to 43 organizations across California’s Central Valley. The grants support initiatives focused on health and wellness, education, recreation, community beautification, art and social services in communities where more than 3,000 Wonderful employees live […]
Mars Receives Top Honors On Glassdoor’s Best Places Lists
Mars Inc. earned the top spot on Glassdoor’s inaugural Best Places to Work in Manufacturing and Energy list and ranked sixth on the job search and career community’s 2026 Best Places to Work list, the company announced Jan. 21. The awards are determined based on voluntary, anonymous feedback from employees on Glassdoor. McLean, Virginia-based Mars […]
Foodberry, Bel Group Partner To Reimagine Fruit-Based Snacking
Foodberry, a B2B innovation company and manufacturer, has announced a partnership with Bel US, part of the Bel Group with brands including Babybel and GoGo squeeZ. Under the agreement, Bel will leverage Foodberry’s food technology platform to develop new snacks made with fruit. The partnership combines Bel’s brands, go-to-market expertise and leadership in portion-sized snacks […]
NCA Names 11th Future Leadership Program Class
The National Confectioners Association (NCA) has named the 11th class of participants in its Future Leadership Program, a professional development initiative designed to support the next generation of leaders in the confectionery industry. The program – established to nurture emerging talent and strengthen leadership pipelines across companies involved in chocolate, candy and gum – brings […]
Jackson’s Expands Retail Distribution As Better-For-You Snack Demand Grows
Jackson’s, a snack brand distributing premium avocado oil products, is entering 2026 with significant retail momentum, expanding distribution across major club, grocery, natural, convenience and e-commerce channels nationwide. The Q1 expansion is anchored by the national rollout of Jackson’s Super Veggie Straws alongside continued growth for its kettle chips and sweet potato chips. The brand […]
Report: Gum, Mint Sales To Grow $1B By 2030
The National Confectioners Association’s inaugural “Getting to Know Gum and Mint Consumers 2025” report found that gum and mints account for 13 percent of all confectionery sales. Generational turnovers are reshaping subcategories, with Millennial and Gen Z consumers driving virtually all growth in gum and mints, according to the report. As such, total gum and […]
Registration Open For 2026 Sweets & Snacks Expo
Registration for the 2026 Sweets & Snacks Expo – set for May 19-21 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas – is open for all attendees. The annual show gathers thought leaders and industry experts to share and gain insights, connect with fellow professionals and drive the candy and snack industries forward. “Sweets […]
Winter Holidays Drive Chocolate, Candy Sales As Seasonal Traditions Endure
The winter holiday season remains the most important sales period of the year for chocolate and candy, driven by strong consumer traditions around gifts, entertaining and everyday indulgence, according to new data and seasonal insights from the National Confectioners Association (NCA). NCA research shows that 95 percent of Americans celebrate with chocolate and candy across […]
Mars Receives Final Approval for $36B Kellanova Acquisition
Mars Inc. received approval from the European Commission Dec. 8 for its acquisition of Kellanova, clearing the final regulatory hurdle for the $36 billion deal. The companies anticipate closing the transaction Dec. 11. The European Commission’s approval was the last of 28 required regulatory clearances. Kellanova shareholders approved the transaction on Nov. 1, 2024, following the […]
NCSA Elects Three New Members To Board Of Directors
The National Confectionery Sales Association (NCSA) has elected three industry leaders to its board of directors. Cody Heinz with Bell Flavors & Fragrances joins the board for the first time; Peter Kempton Jr. of b.a. Sweetie Candy Company has been re-elected for a second three-year term; and Brandon Sagotz from Ferrara Candy Co. returns after […]
Winter Holiday Confectionery Demand Remains Strong, NCA Reports
According to a new survey from the National Confectioners Association (NCA), 95 percent of Americans plan to celebrate the winter holidays with chocolate and candy, reflecting the category’s continued strength as a holiday staple. The “big four” seasonal moments – Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween and the winter holidays – remain key for the $54 billion […]
Mars, Hershey Roll Out Seasonal Candy Lineups With New Innovations, Returning Favorites
Mars and Hershey release 2025 holiday candy lineups featuring new seasonal items including M&M’S Winter Blend, TWIX Snowmen and Hershey’s Kisses Snickerdoodle Cookie.
NCA Adds Moss, Brandmeier To Scientific-Regulatory Affairs Team
The National Confectioners Association (NCA) has added Julie Moss as VP of food safety and scientific affairs and Sarah Brandmeier as director of nutrition policy and scientific affairs. According to the association, their experience across federal agencies and the food industry will help the $54 billion confectionery industry navigate a complex regulatory landscape. “It is […]
Lay’s Potato Chips Begins Brand Redesign With New Packaging, Recipes
Lay’s Potato Chips, a PepsiCo brand, has begun the largest redesign in its nearly 100-year history, aiming to showcase how its chips are made with real potatoes and announce it is removing artificial flavors and colors in the U.S. Lay’s works with more than 100 family-owned farms across North America, and PepsiCo sources crops and […]
Report: 81% Of Consumers Plan To Purchase Halloween Candy
Numerator, a data and tech company serving the market research space, has released a Halloween report, sourced from verified purchase data and a sentiment survey of more than 5,000 consumers on their fourth quarter 2025 holiday intentions. Overall, more than half (56 percent) of Americans plan to celebrate Halloween, with participation higher among Gen Z […]
Utz Brands To Upgrade Campus In Hanover, PA
Utz Brands Inc. is planning a multi-phase project aimed at upgrading facilities across its campus in Hanover, Pennsylvania. The following investments will begin in the coming months: Utz Employee Hub: Construction will begin in 2026 to upgrade Utz’s headquarters at 900 High St. and transform it into a modern Utz Employee Hub. Teams working across […]
Utz Brands To Eliminate FD&C Colors From Products By 2027
Utz Brands Inc., a U.S. manufacturer of branded salty snacks, has issued the following statement regarding the removal of certified Food, Drug and Cosmetic (“FD&C”) colors from its product portfolio: “Since 1921, Utz Brands Inc. has been committed to making snacks with quality, transparency and simple, trusted ingredients. As consumer tastes and government regulatory initiatives […]
Hershey Expands Innovation With New Flavors, Formats And Technology
Hershey is keeping its focus on consumer demand with a lineup of new innovations across confections, snacks and better-for-you products. Lindsay McCabe, manager of corporate communications and brand PR for Hershey, recently spoke with The Shelby Report about some new offerings from the company. “One area that we were missing within our confection space was […]
