Sweets & Snacks Preview: Protein Proliferates, Freeze-Dried Heats Up

Whether you’re walking the show floor or tracking updates from your phone, Nosh has you covered for all things Sweets & Snacks. Ahead of the show, which opens tomorrow, we’re tracking two of the biggest trends in the candy space: protein and freeze-dried.

Last year, chocolate sales accounted for $28.1 billion total candy sales, non-chocolate was $21.7 billion, and gum was $4.4 billion, according to the 2025 State of Treating report by the National Confectioners Association (NCA). Non-chocolate candy experienced the greatest year-over-year growth of the three categories in Circana-measured channels at 4.9%.

Amidst a vast, rainbow sea of confections, some brands are introducing new textures, formulations and attributes to capture consumers’ attention – and their wallets. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the brands heading to Indianapolis this week:

Freeze-Dried Exhibits Staying Power

Freeze-dried candy has soared in popularity over the last few years, primarily driven by a strong presence on TikTok. To date, the hashtag #freezedriedcandy boasts over 227,000 videos on the platform. The unique treat format has garnered attention for its intense flavor profile and crunchy texture resulting from the freeze-drying process that eliminates 99% of moisture.

What started as a social media phenomenon has quickly gained staying power in the candy industry, with giants like Hershey and Mars recently jumping on the craze, albeit a bit late. The former released Jolly Rancher Freeze Dried in March, while the latter introduced SKITTLES POP’d in October.

According to Isaac Medeiros, founder of Kanpai Foods (Booth #5549), freeze-dried candy isn’t a trend; it’s a new “corner” of the market experiencing a trajectory similar to that of sour candy.

“Sour candy wasn’t always a thing; it [gained popularity] in the ‘80s and ‘90s. People thought it was a trend at first, and then it became its own kind of corner of candy,” said Medeiros. “The sell-through data shows that [freeze-dried candy] isn’t a trend. It’s a new corner of candy that offers a unique texture profile.”

Founded in late 2023, Kanpai Foods produces a portfolio of freeze-dried candy that ranges from Cosmic Crunch to Sour Pops to Gummy Worms, all of which are produced in Los Angeles. Its products are available in over 3,500 doors nationwide, including Target, BoxLunch and For Your Entertainment (FYE).

The brand is currently making a greater push into the convenience store space. In Q1, Kanpai launched into over 1,500 convenience stores, such as Cumberland Farms, TurkeyHill, QuikStop and Fastrac. C-store is one of the channels in which freeze-dried candy performs best, according to Medeiros, as there’s a high novelty to the product.

At the show, the brand will also showcase its new Sour Burst line, which plays off of the viral gusher trend on TikTok and has seen “fabulous sell-through” thus far. According to Medeiros, Kanpai’s products are winning in retail because it is one of the first brands bringing social media trends to shelves.

“We’re monitoring wider trends. Our Sour Burst Blue Razz is a custom SKU responding to a trend on TikTok. If you look at the macro trends, including blue raspberry candy, that flavor profile is going crazy right now. Those are the types of things we’re looking for,” said Medeiros.

Elsewhere, Sow Good (Booth #5841) produces a collection of freeze-dried candy and treats like ice cream. But that wasn’t always the case.

In 2021, Sow Good started out by selling freeze-dried snacks, soups and smoothies that, ultimately, didn’t sell. The company’s founders, Claudia and Ira Goldfarb, searched for another way to utilize their 20,000 sq. ft. facility in Irving, Texas, where the freeze-dryers were built from scratch – shifting to focus on freeze-dried candy in Q1 2023.

The company produces and packages freeze-dried treats like Taffy Bombs, Sweet Bites, Peach Perfect, Sour Bites, Chamoy Sweet Worms, Jumbo Vanilla Crunch Cream and Jumbo Neapolitan Crunch Cream, among others. Additionally, the brand offers seasonal treats like freeze-dried Christmas tree marshmallows and freeze-dried pumpkin-shaped marshmallows. Its products are available in thousands of stores nationwide, according to Lexie Gutierrez-Goldfarb, director of sales and branding at Sow Good.

Gutierrez-Goldfarb believes freeze-dried candy has gained a mass following because its unique texture has enraptured consumers’ curiosity.

“The candy space has been dull and stale for so long. You see the same four brands with innovations that are ‘super sour’ or ‘super sweet.’ The [innovation] is always super small, never a texture change or something foundational to the product,” she said.

Sow Good is currently working on making its first foray into “raw” (non-freeze-dried) candy, such as caramels and chamoy gummies. But that doesn’t mean innovation in freeze-dried has stopped; the brand is hoping to bring a freeze-dried gelatin product to Sweets & Snacks this week.

“We always consider ourselves manufacturers at heart. Anytime there’s an opportunity to do something, we’re doing it, and it expands our audience and capabilities,” said Gutierrez-Goldfarb. “We’re really starting to bring all of our capabilities in-house as much as possible, especially in light of tariffs.”

Additionally, the brand is launching in the Middle East, including Qatar, Dubai, Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE over the coming weeks. According to Gutierrez-Goldfarb, the R&D process for the launch has been interesting as it’s revealed the overlap between international and American trends. To celebrate the expansion of its international footprint, Sow Good is partnering with some of the largest influencers in the Middle East.

Protein Hits the Sweet Spot

Candy and snack brands alike are capitalizing on the rising consumer demand for high-protein products.

Enter the aptly-named Protein Candy (Booth #6755), a Canadian brand seeking to bridge the gap between the candy aisle and the functional protein category. The company was born out of co-founder and CPO Trevor Lenders’ search for a better-for-you candy that supported his fitness goals. The company spent over three years in R&D, working closely with food scientists and manufacturing partners to “crack the code on candy that delivers function without sacrificing fun.”

“Protein Candy brings a level of joy and craveability that bars and shakes can’t match. Our product feels indulgent—but delivers serious function. The experience of eating candy is nostalgic and emotional, and we’ve combined that with macros (protein, fiber and lower sugar) that genuinely support wellness,” Michael DeLorenzi, co-founder and CEO, told Nosh.

Available in four flavor variety packs – Classic Fruit, Classic Fruit Sour, Berry Punch and Tropical Fruit – each 1.9 oz. bag of candy chews contains 14 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber and 4 grams of sugar. It is sweetened with stevia and monk fruit.

In the U.S., the products are available direct-to-consumer via the brand’s website, on VitaCost and in 260 markets on Gopuff at the end of May. In Canada, Protein Candy is in over 1,000 retail doors, including Circle K, Whole Foods and, soon, Walmart.

“Our retail strategy is omnichannel and experience-led: we aim to be where our consumer shops – online, in-store, or on-demand – and to make trying Protein Candy as easy and enjoyable as eating it,” said DeLorenzi.

Another player in the high-protein candy space is Hormbles Chormbles (Booth #5762), which debuted a line of high-protein, zero-sugar, chocolate-flavored candy bars. Available in four flavors – Salted Fudge, Classic Milk, Cookies & Creme and Peanut Butter – each bar contains 10 grams of protein and 100 calories.

The brand is the brainchild of RXBAR’s founding duo, Jared Smith and Peter Rahal. Its third co-founder is Tim Melcher, who most recently served as COO at MrBeast’s snack company Feastables.

Smith previously told Nosh that Hormbles Chormbles’ mission is “to make candy that makes you strong. We’re calling it Power Candy as the sub brand, and the power is derived from protein.”