What’s Trending in Halloween Candy?
As retailers get their stores in shape for spooky season, they may find that actual candy shapes are trending for 2025. That’s one takeaway from The Hershey Co., which is launching several new products – including inventive shapes – for the season.
“The consumer insights are telling us loud and clear that consumers are passionate about their candy in the season and love seasonal shapes. They are motivated by unique shapes, mini shapes and flavored shapes,” reported Katie DeCapria, senior brand manager, Halloween, for Hershey. She spoke during a recent “Hersheyween” webinar spotlighting new and popular candies for the holiday.
Shawn Houser-Fedor, senior director, R&D at Hershey, agreed. “I think our portfolio lends itself to different varieties and experiences,” she said, citing the popularity of Reese’s pumpkins and bats and the excitement around a new “Count”-shaped Kit Kat bar for 2025.
That Kit Kat bar was around three years in the making, Houser-Fedor added. “Getting a wafer in that shape was something we thought consumers would love,” she shared.
The company’s emphasis on Halloween reflects the occasion’s growing significance. Indeed, its not as much of an upcoming holiday as it is one that’s already in progress, as evidenced by the emergence of “summerween” as a promotional season.
“Halloween isn’t one night. It’s a 10-week season, with consumers gearing up earlier each year,” De Capria declared.
When asked by Progressive Grocer during the webinar Q&A if younger generations are fueling that trend, she said that much of the excitement stems from nostalgia and cravings among younger buyers.
“Gen X and Boomers are particularly interested in trick or treat (on Oct. 31) and are purchasing candy in the final three weeks before Halloween. But the data looks different for Gen Z and Millennials, who are purchasing earlier and buying more varied products. They are interested in other ways of celebrating, too,” she remarked.
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Overall, Halloween is poised to be an impactful holiday for grocers.
“Our insights tell us that 75% of Americans will celebrate Halloween this year and candy will be a core part of how they celebrate,” De Capria said.
In addition to the new Count-shaped snack-sized Kit Kat bar, Hershey is rolling out other candies for the extended Halloween season, including Caramel Lovers bags; Twizzler Lovers bags; new pouches of Reese’s Unwrapped Mini Pumpkins; Twizzlers Ghosts; and Jolly Rancher Gummies Trickies, to name a few. Another novel addition is Hershey’s Nuggets in a Pumpkin Spice Latte flavor.
Other Brands Aim to Scare Up Sales
In addition to Hershey's rollouts, other candy companies are touting their new and classic Halloween candies as summer starts to fade. The Brach's brand from the Ferrara Candy Co., has already stocked candy corn on store shelves and reports that 17% of candy corn sales occur before Labor Day.
Mars, Inc., for its part, announced 2025 Halloween lineup back in April and has already supplied many products to its retail customers. Recently, that CPG shared findings from the second annual “Mars Tricks, Treats and Trends” report confirming that one in five Halloween celebrants plan for the holiday two months or more before the actual occasion.
“Halloween is evolving, and today’s consumers are making the season their own,” said Tim LeBel, Mars’ chief Halloween officer and president of sales. “We’re seeing new rituals take shape, and if you’re ready to celebrate, Mars is here to lead the way with iconic treats and seasonal sweets.”
