Hey Funhouse Fam! 🍬
Your Candyologists are live on the floor at the Sweets & Snacks Expo 2026 in Las Vegas, and WOW — this year is something else.
The first-ever Vegas edition of the biggest candy trade show in North America delivered. We have walked every aisle, sampled everything we could get our hands on, and after three days of extremely serious candy research, we are ready to report back.
This year's show had a record-breaking nearly 500 products entered for the Most Innovative New Product Awards — and that energy was everywhere on the floor. New formats, wild flavour combinations, unexpected collabs, and a few things that genuinely made us stop mid-aisle and do a double take.
Here are the 15 new candy and snack products that had our Candyologists most excited at the 2026 Sweets & Snacks Expo. Some of these are coming to Candy Funhouse & some have launch dates you'll want to circle.
All of them are worth knowing about!
Here's What We Found - The Quick List:
- 🍦 Nutella Ice Cream Cones | Ferrero 🏆
- 🍡 Go Wandr Mini Mochi Gummy | Bazooka Brands
- 💍 Ring Pop Wedding Collection | Bazooka Brands
- 🍑 Nerds Rope & Gummy Clusters Peach Strawberry | Ferrara
- 🍈 HI-CHEW Lychee & Raspberry Stick | Morinaga
- ☕ Amos Refreshing Iced Coffee Mints | Amos
- 🫧 Bubblicious Gummy Gum — Watermelon & Strawberry Orange | Perfetti Van Melle 🏆
- 🌴 The Perfect Man Tropical Gummies
- 🍬 Airheads Xtremes Mega Bites | Perfetti Van Melle
- 🍋 Retro Sours: Pineapple, Lychee & Peach
- 🩹 OUCH! Bubble Gum Red, White & Blue Mix
- 🍵 Leonessa Matcha Latte Chocolate Cones
- 🐔 Chick-fil-A Chips
- 🍓 Alli & Rose Strawberry Smoochies | CAL Marketing 🏆
- 💥 WARHEADS Loud Mouth Bites | CandyRific 🏆
🏆 = Most Innovative New Product Award winner at the 2026 Sweets & Snacks Expo
1. Nutella Ice Cream Cones | Ferrero 🏆 MINPA Winner
Starting with a winner...literally. Nutella Ice Cream Cones just took home the Most Innovative New Product Award for Sweet Snacks at the 2026 Expo, and we completely understand why.
Picture this: a crispy waffle cone filled with the iconic hazelnut chocolate spread you've been putting on everything since forever BUT in a portable, snackable format of ice cream. It's the kind of product where the moment you hear the concept you immediately wonder why it didn't exist before. The Ferrero team has taken one of the most beloved spreads in the world and turned it into a grab-and-go ice cream snack that works any time of day. Breakfast treat? Dessert? 3pm snack crisis? Yes to all three.
The cones are light, the filling is generous, and the Nutella flavour hits exactly as expected. Rich, hazelnut-forward, unmistakably Nutella. This is going to be a massive seller.
Expected availability in Canada: TBC 🇨🇦
2. Go Wandr Mini Mochi Gummy | Bazooka Brands
Bazooka Brands the company behind Ring Pop, Push Pop, and the classic Bazooka Bubble Gum just launched an entirely new candy brand at this show, and it's genuinely exciting.
Go Wandr is built for a generation that is globally connected, with a mission to bring the best candies from around the world under one roof!
Their debut product, Mini Mochi Gummy, is exactly what it sounds like: a poppable candy that fuses the familiar chew of an American gummy with the soft, pillowy bounce of Japanese mochi. It's launching in two flavour blends: a Fruity Mix with Cherry, Mango and Watermelon, and a Berry Mix with Strawberry, Raspberry and Wild Berry. The texture is genuinely unlike any gummy we've tried before. There's a softness and squish to it that feels brand new.
Go Wandr Mini Mochi Gummy launches on TikTok Shop in Fall 2026 and at major retailers in early 2027. Canadian availability TBC but this one has the viral TikTok format written all over it.
Expected availability in Canada: Early 2027 — we're watching this one closely and WE will be selling it here! 🇨🇦
3. Ring Pop Wedding Collection | Bazooka Brands
Okay we were NOT expecting to see this and we absolutely loved it. The Ring Pop Wedding Collection from Bazooka Brands takes the iconic wearable candy into full wedding mode. Elegant packaging, occasion-specific flavours, and a design that actually looks the part.
This is the Ring Pop your inner seven-year-old always dreamed of proposing with.
Whether it's for bridal parties, wedding favours, engagement celebrations, or just embracing the fact that Ring Pops are forever — this collection hits the nostalgia button hard while making it feel current and giftable.
Wedding candy has been a growing category and this is a smart, playful entry that will be all over Pinterest before the year is out!
Best for: Bridal showers, wedding favours, engagement party gifts
Expected availability in Canada: August/Septemeber 2026 — we already got this one ordered and are so excited to share it with you! 🇨🇦
4. Nerds Rope & Gummy Clusters Peach Strawberry | Ferrara
Nerds Rope is one of those candy formats that just works. A chewy rope coated in crunchy Nerds, two textures, immediate satisfaction. The original rainbow, very berry, and tropical flavours have legions of fans. And now there's Nerds Rope Peach Strawberry.
Peach is the flavour of the moment in candy right now, and applying it to the Nerds Rope format is a very smart move.
The peach strawberry gummy rope base carries that sweet, summery stone fruit flavour beautifully, and the Nerds coating adds the signature tang that makes the whole thing snap. It tastes like summer in a way that the original flavours don't quite achieve.
This one is going to go fast when it hits Candy Funhouse shelves. If you see it, don't hesitate!!
Expected availability: TBC -- Actively working on getting this to you ASAP. 🇨🇦
5. HI-CHEW Lychee & Raspberry Stick | Morinaga
We have been waiting to see what HI-CHEW was going to do with the lychee flavour trend and they delivered in a big way. The HI-CHEW Lychee & Raspberry Stick is the first dual-flavour stick the brand has ever released. A tangy raspberry outer layer with a smooth, sweet lychee centre that hits in sequence as you chew.
Lychee candy has been a staple in Asian confectionery for years and it's now firmly arriving in the North American mainstream.
The flavour is floral, sweet, and gently exotic. Nothing artificial, nothing sharp; the raspberry layer balances it beautifully. This is genuinely one of the most sophisticated flavour combinations we've tried all show.
For Canadian fans of HI-CHEW, this is the new flavour to watch for. The lychee experience alone makes it worth seeking out.
Expected availability in Canada: TBC. 🇨🇦
6. Amos Refreshing Iced Coffee Mints | Amos
Amos knows how to make a mint that actually does something interesting. Their Refreshing Iced Coffee Mints are exactly what the name promises.
A cool, coffee-forward mint that delivers both the refreshing hit you want from a mint and the iced coffee flavour profile that a very large portion of the population is obsessed with (myself included).
This is the candy for the person who has an iced coffee in one hand and a mint in the other and wishes they didn't have to choose.
The flavour is smooth and cold, the mint isn't overpowering, and the coffee note is genuine rather than vaguely coffee-adjacent. Smart product for a very large target audience.
Best for: Iced coffee obsessives, fresh-breath enthusiasts, the entire afternoon slump demographic
Expected availability in Canada: TBC. 🇨🇦
7. Bubblicious Gummy Gum — Watermelon & Strawberry Orange | Perfetti Van Melle 🏆 MINPA Winner
Bubblicious Gummy Gum just won the Most Innovative New Product Award for Gum & Mints at the 2026 Expo, and once you understand what it is, the win makes complete sense.
Bubblicious Gummy Gum is exactly the mashup your brain starts manufacturing the moment you hear the name. It starts with the softness and chewiness of a gummy candy, then transitions into actual bubble gum — two textures, one piece, zero regrets.
The Watermelon flavour is bold and juicy, the Strawberry Orange brings a brighter citrus note alongside the sweetness. Both are genuinely fun to eat in a way that regular gum hasn't been in years.
The 2026 awards program introduced two new top honours: the Trailblazer Award and Powerhouse Award...and saw a record number of entries. Nearly 500 products competing,winning the Gum & Mints category in that field is no small thing.
Expected availability in Canada: TBC. 🇨🇦
8. The Perfect Man Tropical Gummies
![the Perfect Man Tropical Gummies — new candy product at Sweets & Snacks Expo Las Vegas 2026]](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0250/7483/files/0ECFD007-045D-4009-9D60-CE686D77EEF0.jpg?v=1779404755)
The branding on this one alone stopped us at the booth. The Perfect Man Tropical Gummies, a tropical fruit gummy lineup with a name that is a very confident product statement & an extremely good joke. You may recognize the name as The Perfect Man Chococolate Bar (usually sold during Valentine's Day for obvious reasons). This is teh first time ever they have done the Perfect Man in gummy form.
But hey, were not complaining!
The tropical flavour profile is bright and layered. Think pineapple, mango, passion fruit, and coconut notes playing together without any one of them taking over. The gummy texture is soft and chewy with a nice weight to each piece. And the packaging? Very giftable. Very TikTok-ready. The kind of thing you pick up for yourself and immediately also buy as a gift.
We expect this one to find a very enthusiastic Canadian looking for THE perfect man once it arrives!
9. Airheads Xtremes Mega Bites | Perfetti Van Melle
Airheads Xtremes are already a fan favourite in Canada, so when we spotted the Mega Bites format at the Expo we immediately went in for a sample. The result? Extremely satisfying.
The Mega Bites take the sweet-and-sour intensity that Airheads Xtremes are known for and deliver it in a MEGA, poppable (semi) bite-size format with a texture that's somewhere between a chew and a soft candy. The sour coating hits first, the sweet Airheads flavour follows, and the whole experience is over in about four seconds; meaning you immediately want another one. Which is, of course, the point.
This is the format for Airheads fans who want maximum sour delivery per piece. We're expecting a very warm Canadian reception for this delicious addition!
10. Retro Sours: Pineapple, Lychee & Peach
Everything old is new again — and the Retro Sours lineup in Pineapple, Lychee, and Peach is a perfect example of the "Newstalgia" trend the National Confectioners Association named as 2026's biggest candy direction.
Retro sour candy formats - the kind that were everywhere in the 90s and early 2000s — are getting serious modern upgrades.
The Pineapple is tropical and aggressively tart. The Lychee is floral and unexpected in the best way (notice how lychee is showing up everywhere at this show — it's officially the flavour of 2026). The Peach rounds it out with that sweet stone-fruit softness that's making everyone obsessed right now.
Three flavours, one purchase. If you were a sour candy kid in the 90s, this is made specifically for you!
11. OUCH! Bubble Gum Red, White & Blue Mix
The OUCH! bubble gum tin is one of the most iconic pieces of candy packaging ever made! A little metal tin shaped like a bandage box, with tiny pellets of bubble gum inside. We grew up with these. You probably grew up with these. And now they're back with a Red, White & Blue Mix that has us feeling very nostalgic and also very patriotic.
The patriotic flavor lineup includes Cherry (Red), Cotton Candy (White), and Blue Raspberry (Blue),
It tastes like classic fruit gum in the OUCH format — fruity, sweet, and impossible not to pour directly into your hand and eat five at a time. This is pure nostalgia play done correctly. The tin is collectible. The gum is exactly as satisfying as you remember.
The Funhouse Fam is going to love this one!
12. Leonessa Matcha Latte Chocolate Cones
If the Nutella Ice Cream Cones are the mainstream hit of the show, Leonessa Matcha Latte Chocolate Cones are the premium discovery. A crispy cone filled with smooth matcha latte-flavoured chocolate....earthy, slightly bitter, creamy, and genuinely sophisticated.
Matcha has moved firmly from trend to staple in the Canadian market, and this product understands exactly where it sits. The flavour is real matcha — not the sweet, artificial green-powder version — balanced with the creaminess of milk chocolate for something that feels premium without being pretentious. This is the product you buy for yourself, try to savour, and fail to make last more than three minutes.
We're particularly excited about this one for the Canadian market where matcha-forward products have a very loyal audience.
Expected availability in Canada: This is absolutely one we're working to bring in. 🇨🇦
13. Chick-fil-A Chips
Yes. You read that correctly. Chick-fil-A Chips. The beloved American fast food chain has officially entered the packaged snack category, and the result is exactly as good as you're hoping.
The chips carry that signature Chick-fil-A seasoning profile. The one that makes their chicken so distinctive, in a crunchy chip format that you can eat anywhere, any time, without having to find a Chick-fil-A restaurant. The seasoning is savoury, slightly sweet, and unmistakably Chick-fil-A. The chip itself has a good crunch and holds up under the flavour without feeling overpowered.
We are VERY motivated to get this available in Canada for you.
Priority for Canada: High. Very high. 🇨🇦
14. Alli & Rose Strawberry Smoochies | CAL Marketing 🏆 MINPA Winner
Alli & Rose Strawberry Smoochies won the Most Innovative New Product Award for Chocolate at the 2026 Expo. It's the kind of win that makes you want to immediately try one to understand what all the fuss is about.
These are small, strawberry-flavoured chocolate pieces with a design and flavour profile that feels genuinely premium and gift-ready. The strawberry and chocolate combination is a classic, but the way Alli & Rose executes it elevates it past the standard — better quality chocolate, a stronger and more natural strawberry note, and presentation that makes these feel like an occasion rather than a casual snack.
Winning the Chocolate category at a show with nearly 500 entries is a statement.
Expected availability in Canada: TBC, we want you to try this one! 🇨🇦
15. WARHEADS Loud Mouth Bites | CandyRific 🏆 MINPA Powerhouse Candy Winner
We saved the biggest award winner for last. WARHEADS Loud Mouth Bites by CandyRific took home the brand new Powerhouse Candy award at the 2026 Sweets & Snacks Expo. This is a new category introduced to recognize high-impact launches from established brands. And WOW, do these earn it.
WARHEADS are already one of the most iconic sour candy brands on the planet. The Loud Mouth Bites format takes that extreme sour intensity and delivers it in a small, chewable bite that absolutely does not hold back. The sour hit is immediate, aggressive, and deeply satisfying. This is not candy for the faint-hearted. This is candy for the Funhouse Fam.
The name is perfect, the concept is perfect, and the Warheads brand DNA is completely intact. Texture-driven candy and sour profiles continue to dominate consumer demand heading into 2026 and Loud Mouth Bites is the product that proves exactly why.
If you're a Toxic Waste fan, a Warheads loyalist, or just someone who believes that candy should have some consequences — this is your new favourite.
Expected availability in Canada: TBC. This one should be coming. 🇨🇦
The Trends We Saw Everywhere
Walking the full show floors gives you a sense of where candy is heading beyond any individual product. Here's what the 2026 Expo told us:
Lychee is officially the flavour of 2026. We saw it on the HI-CHEW Expo debut, the Retro Sours lineup, multiple startups on Startup Street, and at least a dozen other booths. It's crossing over from Asian candy to mainstream North American retail and it's happening fast.
Dual-texture is the new standard. Gummy meets crunch, chew meets snap, soft meets crispy — the Nerds Gummy Clusters effect has convinced every candy brand that single-texture products need to evolve. Bubblicious Gummy Gum is one expression of it. So is Go Wandr Mini Mochi Gummy. So are WARHEADS Loud Mouth Bites.
Nostalgia is going premium. OUCH! Bubble Gum is back but giftable. Ring Pop has a wedding collection. Retro Sours are reimagined with modern flavours.
The brands that grew up with the Funhouse Fam are coming back with something to say!
What's Coming to Canada 🇨🇦
We know that's the question Canadian Funhouse Fam members are most interested in. Here's the honest answer: some of these are US only for now, but we will be bringing them in just for you!
We'll be posting updates as products land at candyfunhouse.ca
In the meantime, which one are you most excited about?
Drop it in the comments 🍬
1 comment
The Go Wandr Mini Mochi Gummy candies are screaming for me to eat them!