Simply Chocolate, the year-old gifting and chocolate appreciation platform developed by 1-800-Flowers.com, is heading into Valentine’s Day with four new partner brands.

It’s no secret that consumers seeking food without certain allergens, animal products, pesticide use or GMOs are at a disadvantage when it comes to finding items that meet their needs. Fortunately, product variety and transparency will continue to improve as more manufacturers move into the space and adopt measures to make information available.

Consumer curiosity to discover something new is leading to bolder flavors and blends, surprise textures and a greater focus on visual appeal in the sweets and snacks arena.

Fazer Confectionery is removing milk fat from the recipe of its Fazer Pure Dark chocolate to better serve vegan consumers.

Building on the popularity of unbaked cookie dough as a treat, DoughLish is raw, shelf-stable and made without eggs.

Peeps maker Just Born Quality Confections will open its factory to consumers for the first time through a partnership with United Way and the launch of a nationwide sweepstakes. 

Inspiring impulse shopping online, offering mini meals and creating better search results are all crucial to confectionery success in 2019 — at least according to Hershey. 

Market research firm Packaged Facts estimates chewing gum sales comprise 11 percent of the total U.S. retail candy market, which also includes chocolate and non-chocolate candy products.