When it comes to reaching consumers, convenience stores are a key channel for confectionery and snacking companies like Mars Wrigley, maker of M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, SKITTLES® and more. More people visit a c-store each day than any other brick-and-mortar retail location. In order to meet consumers where they are – on the go, in the moment and most open to impulse purchases – Mars is leaning into three big trends in 2026.
Adventurous Textures
C-store shoppers are adventurous and impulse-driven, making variety and innovation in the confectionery category essential to driving trial and enthusiasm. New textures are one way to deliver excitement, from freeze-dried formats to new gummy experiences.
The freeze-dried candy market is expected to grow to almost $2.4 billion by 2030, close to double its current value of $1.36 billion. Mars tapped into the freeze-dried trend with SKITTLES® POP’d, which launched on TikTok last year, selling out in 8 days.
And after the proven success bringing freeze-dried to SKITTLES®, Mars is bringing this new format into chocolate with M&M’S® POP’d Caramel, the brand’s first freeze-dried candy. It delivers the classic caramel flavor fans love in a light, crispy and airy texture for a fun new way to snack.
Another texture that continues to gain momentum is gummies. The chewy, squishy treats lean into Gen Z and Millennial’s love for playful formats. By bringing new shapes to gummy textures, like with LIFE SAVERS® X’s & O’s, Mars is leaning into a classic game and a quest for fun – all with a twist on flavors like watermelon, blue raspberry, lime, pink punch, and grape.
Bold Flavors
Consumers are gravitating to punchy flavors, driven by demand from Gen Z and Millennials. Innovations like new SKITTLES® Gummies Fuego lean into the growing interest for “swicy” (sweet and spicy) treats. Mars tapped into its global network to get the right ratio of spicy and sweet to combine fan-favorite SKITTLES® flavors with the perfect amount of heat.
Honey is another flavor on the rise, as it delivers both familiarity and fun for c-store shoppers looking for something new. M&M’S® Honey Roasted Peanut is the newest permanent addition to the brand’s lineup, combining the crunch of roasted peanuts and the sweetness of chocolate and honey, for a pairing that’s more fun together.
Nostalgia Reinvented: Newstalgia
Nostalgic brands remain essential to the snacking landscape. In fact, 44% of consumers in the U.S. and Canada say traditional and nostalgic flavors influence their food and beverage choices. But shoppers also crave modern twists on familiar favorites, and brands are leaning in with “newstalgia.”
A few of the latest innovations from Mars marry timeless appeal with fresh creativity – like the new SNICKERS® Crunchy Peanut Butter Ice Cream Bar. It features everything fans know and love about original SNICKERS® Ice Cream Bars – 100% real peanut butter ice cream, crunchy peanuts, and smooth caramel covered in a delicious milk chocolatey shell – but with an explosion of peanuts both inside the ice cream and on top. Mars holds the top selling frozen novelty items in c-stores with SNICKERS® and TWIX® Ice Cream Bars, and this latest innovation builds on the popularity of the Mars portfolio, with a new twist on an iconic treat.
Mars is also bringing back a fan favorite which originally debuted in 2014. SNICKERS® Xtreme is returning to shelves to satisfy peanut lovers with more of what they love in every bite. Consumers asked to bring it back, and Mars is delivering.
Of course, we can’t talk about nostalgia and c-stores without COMBOS®, a classic road trip treat that c-store shoppers love. Announced at NACS, Mars is launching new COMBOS® Garlic Parmesan, which combines the taste of savory parmesan cheese with the sharp kick of garlic to add an explosion of flavor to any on-the-go lifestyle.
And as we head into the winter holiday season, there’s nothing like the warm, comforting taste of cinnamon-sugar. TWIX® Snickerdoodle brings a new twist on a c-store favorite, featuring the signature TWIX® crunch with cinnamon-sugar caramel for a cozy yet bold flavor profile.
These products leverage the power of nostalgia while introducing innovative elements, appealing to consumers across generations.
Consumers today expect more from their snacks – variety and excitement – delivered with convenience and ease. As shoppers increasingly seek new experiences in every bite, this year’s NACS Show highlighted how brands are evolving to meet these demands, from sensory-driven treats to bold flavors and nostalgic innovations.
