January 21, 2026 – Each year, Innova unveils its Top Ten Trends predications, detailing the major drivers expected to redefine the food and beverage industry for the year ahead. These trends draw from insights across category, consumer, ingredient, flavor, product, and packaging data, providing brands with actionable insights that they can use to inform innovation strategy. In the sugar confectionery category, the Gut Health Hub, Layers of Delight, and Authentic Plant-Based are a few of the top global sugar confectionery trends in 2026 that are set to impact the global market. Innova’s “Top Global Trends 2026 in Sugar Confectionery” report explores all five trends in depth, highlighting opportunities for new product development.
The Rise of Gut Health-Enhancing Products in Functional Confectionery
Gut Health Hub is one of Innova’s top trends influencing global sugar confectionery trends in 2026. Consumers increasingly view gut health as an important avenue for holistic wellness, sparking demand for products that deliver benefits across the body and mind. 44% of global consumers report noticing benefits across skin, energy, and immunity when improving their gut health. Therefore, functional ingredients in sweets, such as probiotics and fiber, are in demand for their positive contributions to the gut microbiome. Fiber still occupies a niche segment in sugar confectionery, but innovations are beginning to emerge and expand its influence. Brands are also expanding benefits and functional ingredients in sweets to include a broader range of claims. These extend beyond digestive health to also encompass immunity, weight, management, and heart health, among others. Freeze-drying is also evolving beyond texture innovation and is now being repositioned for gut health confectionery products, particularly in the Asian market.
Layers of Delight: Engaging in Multisensory Indulgence
Layers of Delight, one of Innova’s Top Ten Trends of 2026, is another important influencer of sugar confectionery. This trend is all about mood-enhancement, rich sensory experiences, and well-being. Although familiar sensations continue to resonate with global consumers, exciting experiences are capturing those seeking indulgence, as 60% of consumers want to explore new things. Textural excitement is also crucial to exploration and an indulgent sensory experience. For example, brands are responding with new fillings and texture combinations for multi-layered experiences. Nevertheless, flavor is still the leading driver for the sugar confectionery category, pushing innovation to encompass more bold and unconventional flavor combinations. Fruit, soda-inspired, and dairy and fruit are some of the fastest growing combinations. Hot and spicy is also gaining ground in combination with fruit flavors.
Additionally, wellness concerns are also bleeding into consumers’ expectations in confectionery. Sugar remains a key consumption barrier, and regulatory pressures are also influencing the movement towards natural ingredients. Sugar reduction trends are gaining momentum, while natural flavors and botanical ingredients are on the rise.
Innovations in Plant-Based Confectionery
In alignment with Innova’s, Authentic Plant-Based trend, healthier plant-based candy innovation is important to consumers, and as a result, innovation in fortified, clean-label, and plant-based products is also being seen in the sugar confectionery market. Plant-based confectionery is increasingly incorporating functional ingredients in sweets, like fiber and protein, while sugar and artificial ingredient reduction remains an important factor. To address consumer demand, naturalness will become a key message for brands, and the use of natural fruit extracts will be significant, alongside sugar reduction trends. In vegan confectionery, gelatin replacements are also driving innovation, as the global confectionery market has witnessed a 19% increase in launches with a vegan claim.
Occasion-Based Drivers of Global Confectionery Consumers
Innova’s Made for Moments trend underscores how sharing and on-the-go occasions are core drivers of format innovation, reflecting consumers’ shifting lifestyles. Products designed for sharing rank as the top purchased formats in sugar confectionery. Time-based innovations are also pushing brands to respond to specific consumption moments, whether this is an afternoon snack or an evening treat. Occasion-based innovations are also tapping into stress and emotional management. In fact, 39% of global consumers turn to chocolate and confectionery to boost happiness, while 28% rely on these products for comfort. This highlights the impact of chocolate and confectionery on emotional regulation and opportunities to leverage emotion in new launches. Beyond personal moments, limited-edition launches can also be used to embrace trending cultural moments.
How Heritage Influences Confectionery Choices
Ingredient origin and food heritage are influencing consumer confectionery choices, as noted in the Crafting Tradition trend. Traditionally made claims remain the most important to 13% of consumers, but low sugar versions of traditional products are gaining ground. Ingredient origin also plays an important role for consumers purchasing sugar confectionery products. Handmade or artisanal claims signal tradition to consumers. However, “traditional F&B” has different connotations around the world, underscoring that brands should make distinctions when defining product characteristics per region. For instance, in Latin America and Europe, regional or local recipes define traditional food and beverages to consumers. In contrast, North American consumers view tradition as childhood favorites. Across categories, authentic taste in traditional F&B is another key aspect to preserve.
This article is based on Innova’s Top Global Trends 2026 in Sugar Confectionery report. This report is available to purchase or with an Innova Reports subscription. Reach out to learn more.