Indianapolis, USA – Innovation is sweet (and salty!) at the annual Sweets & Snacks Expo. Today, the event announced the winners of its 2025 Most Innovative New Product Awards, highlighting creativity and exciting new offerings across the candy and snack industries. A record-breaking field of over 400 products competed for top honors this year.
The awards recognize excellence across 12 distinct categories, showcasing the wide variety of new treats hitting the market. Retail leaders specializing in candy and snacks served as the judges, evaluating the submissions for their innovation and appeal.
“The Most Innovative New Product Awards are a celebration of the creativity and ingenuity that keeps people coming back to the candy and snack aisles,” said John Downs, president & CEO of the National Confectioners Association, which hosts the Expo. “Consumers turn to confectionery and snack products to add a little sweet or salty touch to special occasions and everyday moments. This year’s MINPA winners are outstanding examples of the ways in which the confectionery and snack industries are delivering products to meet consumers where they want to be met.”
Taking the coveted Best in Show award this year was Belle’s Gourmet Popcorn Matcha Latte Popcorn.
Here is the full list of winners in each category, as announced in the anouncement:
- Small Business Innovator: Nomad Snacks Pad Thai Flavored Ready-to-eat Popcorn
- Chocolate: Pop & Sol Coconut Flaked White Chocolate Covered Cashews
- Gourmet/Premium Confections: Mattigan’s Dubai Style Chocolate Spread
- Gum & Mints: breathROX Popping Breath Mints – Blue Raspberry
- Gummy Candy: Nerds Juicy Gummy Clusters – Strawberry Punch
- Non-Chocolate Candy: Juicy Drop® Gummy Mystery Cube 5oz Original Flavor
- Novelty/Licensed: Ezee Freezee Freeze-n-Peel Strawberry Pop
- Seasonal: Amos Tastysounds JinglePop Graffiti
- Meat Snacks: Bavarian Meats Original Lil’ Landjaeger Individually Wrapped Stick
- Salty Snacks: Belle’s Gourmet Popcorn Dubai Chocolate Popcorn
- Savory Snacks: Snak Club Ramen flavored Snack Mix
- Sweet Snacks: Chunk Nibbles Toffee Sweet & Salty Clusters
- Baked Goods: Trashy Gourmet Shortbread Cookies with Mini Strawberry Boba from Molly Bz Cookies
Beginning May 13, these award-winning products and many other new innovations will be on display for industry professionals at the Featured Product Showcase within the Sweets & Snacks Expo.
The Sweets & Snacks Expo is the premier annual trade show for the confectionery and snack industries, showcasing new products, business solutions, and merchandising innovations. The event is sponsored by the National Confectioners Association (NCA), which serves as the voice of the U.S. confectionery industry. NCA member companies contribute significantly to retail sales and champion policies supporting the industry, while reminding consumers that chocolate and candy are enjoyable treats.
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