Last week, over 14,500 attendees gathered in Indianapolis for the 2025 Sweets & Snacks Expo, where major food companies like Hershey, Ferrero, Conagra Brands, and Mars Wrigley presented their signature products. Close to these expansive displays, hundreds of smaller candy and snack innovators showcased their unique creations in compact booths, appealing to retailers, competitors, and other attendees. Some products were newly launched, while others have been available for a few years. However, all manufacturers share a common goal: to either make a significant breakthrough or expand within a food market overflowing with options.
Here are five noteworthy products that piqued our interest:
1. breathROX: This fizzy breath mint brand aims to revitalize a stagnant category. Featuring Pop Rocks-like crystals that help cleanse the mouth, zinc to neutralize bad breath, and a popping action that stimulates saliva production, breathROX seeks to innovate a market dominated by products like Altoids and Tic Tac, which Jonathan Tanner, the brand’s CEO, describes as “perfume candy.” With its last major competitor, Hershey’s Ice Breakers, having launched in the 1990s, Tanner emphasizes the need for fresh ideas in the breath mint space. Since its inception in 2013, breathROX has generated over $3 million in sales via home shopping TV and social media, but the brand needed retail presence for growth. After being dormant during COVID-19, breathROX was relaunched in 2023 and is now available in about 4,000 locations, including 2,300 Circle K stores, offering four flavors: blue raspberry, cinnamon, mint, and watermelon. This summer, breathROX will introduce caffeinated popping candy infused with ashwagandha, B vitamins, ginseng, L-theanine, magnesium, and zinc, equating to a cup of coffee per pouch.
2. GoGo Squeez Active: Owned by Bel Brands, GoGo Squeez aims to change perceptions that apple sauce pouches are solely for children. Last year, they released GoGo Squeez Active Fruit Blend with Electrolytes, designed for active pre-teens, teens, and adults, which includes trendy minerals, no added sugar, and high vitamin C content. National account manager Danielle Kellington-Welsh explained that the product retains the apple sauce base but incorporates strawberry, pineapple, and orange purees, distinguishing it from other electrolyte options due to its convenience and year-long shelf stability.
3. Hormbles Chormbles: Co-founded by Jared Smith, who previously established RxBar, this high-protein chocolate brand is aimed at bridging the gap between nutritious snacks and indulgent treats. Launched in April, Hormbles Chormbles are made with whey and milk proteins, cocoa powder, monk fruit, and more, offering flavors like classic milk, salted fudge, peanut butter, and cookies & cream, all containing 10 grams of protein, zero sugar, and just 100 calories. Smith noted that the chocolate category has lacked innovation, particularly for lower-calorie, high-protein options.
4. FocusFuel: In a market filled with messy powders and canned energy drinks, Brandon Herwig and his partners introduced FocusFuel, a gummy loaded with caffeine, nootropics, electrolytes, and L-theanine. Designed initially for gamers, they soon discovered its appeal extended to busy parents, college students, and health-conscious individuals. Each gummy contains 50 milligrams of caffeine, allowing consumers to control their intake more easily than traditional energy drinks. FocusFuel achieved $1.5 million in sales during its first year, predominantly through direct-to-consumer channels.
5. Magic Straws: Endless Fun, a Minnesota-based company, has produced flavored Magic Straws that enable children to enhance their milk with 14 different flavors, such as chocolate and strawberry. Having sold over 1 billion straws since their launch nearly 25 years ago, Endless Fun expanded the product line to encourage water consumption, introducing varieties like peach lemonade and kiwi strawberry, which contain electrolytes. David Ehrlich, the vice president of sales, stated that the company plans to continue expanding its offerings, including an immune defense straw and a probiotic-focused product in the coming years.
As the food industry evolves, innovative products like these continue to emerge, each seeking to carve out its niche in a competitive landscape, including options like the ccm d3 tablet for health-conscious consumers.