Shauna Golden

Rising cocoa costs and concerns about long-term supply resilience are accelerating interest in alternative chocolate ingredients. Manufacturer Barry Callebaut put the issue front and center at the Sweets & Snacks Expo last week through its expanding partnership with German foodtech startup Planet A Foods.

At the Sweets & Snacks Expo in Las Vegas last week, new offerings from brands like Awake, Buzz Bomb and Alert Pop underscored just how far the caffeine category is stretching beyond the beverage aisle.

Israeli biotechnology company Phytolon has nabbed $23.6 million in fresh funding to commercialize its fermentation-based natural color solutions in the U.S. amid growing demand for alternatives to synthetic dyes.

SNAX-Sational Brands is doubling down on two fast-moving trends in the snack aisle with the debut of Chiquita-branded Plantain Chips and a Guy Fieri microwave popcorn line.

Better-for-you candy purveyor Rotten is entering a new phase of growth with two new innovations and accelerating retail momentum.

Sweet Stash – a new gummy candy brand founded by actor Martin Starr and influencers Ezra and Adeev Potash (a.k.a. “The Potash Twins”) – is expanding its lineup with two new products: Sour Jams and Rock Jams.

FoodStory Brands is stepping into the protein bar ring with one of its most ambitious launches yet: Main Event, a co-owned, co-developed brand created in partnership with UFC.

Swedish candy’s rise in the U.S. isn’t slowing down any time soon – and brands are arriving at this year’s Sweets & Snacks Expo ready to capitalize on growing consumer demand for premium gummies and snacks crafted with cleaner ingredients and unique textures.

Burlap & Barrel helped secure a major trade court victory this month after federal judges blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to use Section 122 as a sweeping tariff authority.

As climate pressures and supply chain disruptions reshape the global cocoa market, Cargill and Voyage Foods are introducing a new cocoa-free confectionery alternative aimed at helping manufacturers maintain chocolate-like flavor profiles.