Despite being at home for the majority of the past few months, and wanting to indulge in comforting sweets and treats, consumers still have a focus on eating healthily.

In April, the brand introduced Sweet Chews, its first innovation outside of the gummy category. While fans had been asking for a fruit chew product, the timing wasn’t ideal, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new chocolate correlates with the growing demand for plant-based products, particularly among Millennials and Generation Z consumers.

Having identified the Top Ten Trends for 2020, Innova Market Insights has highlighted how some of these trends impact the sweets and snacks categories.

Endangered Species Chocolate is launching a line of chocolate bars made with oat milk instead of dairy milk.

SmartSweets is adding Peach Rings to its lineup of plant-based gummies. 

Interest in plant-based diets continues to sprout, giving food manufacturers and retailers a chance to cultivate shopper engagement and grow sales, Chicago-based research firm IRI says.

Fazer Group plans to invest €40 million in a new production facility in Lahti, Finland, to move further into the plant-based product market.