Sweet Shifts: Candy Snacks and Flavor Cravings Change by the Clock

When Halloween arrives, the North American candy season kicks into high gear. Market research firm Circana reports about two-thirds of total candy sales occur between Halloween and Easter, but most households enjoy candy snacks throughout the year. With Americans eating 22 pounds of candy on average and Canadians enjoying 13 pounds per year, the category represents more than $53B annually. The future of candy looks sweet, with forecasted growth of more than 5% annually over the next five years.  

FlavorSum’s proprietary research with North Americans reveals that reasons for choosing candy snacks change throughout the day, and desirable candy flavors also shift over time. Read on to learn how to align your brand and flavor assortments with shopper needs.

Who’s Buying Candy Snacks?

Almost 8 in 10 people in our survey reported purchasing candy in the last 60 days. Women and Gen X candy buyers indexed significantly higher than the population average. Traditional retail outlets are a first stop for about 60% of candy buyers (National Confectioner’s Association). More than one-third (36%) purchase from stores or online retailers, and 5% shop online only.

EFFECT OF PRICING ON CANDY SNACK PURCHASES

With candy prices up by 40% since 2020, about 4 in 10 shoppers report changing their candy buying habits. The NCA survey reveals that:

• 44% are buying less often
• 30% buy candy on sale
• 26% buy smaller pack sizes
• 26% buy larger pack sizes
• 25% stick to favorites (no new items)

More Gen Z, Millennials, households with children, and lower-income households are changing their candy purchasing habits than the total population.

WHAT’S INFLUENCING CANDY SNACK CHOICE?

Other influences on candy purchases beyond price include flavor, brand, mood, and nutrition. FlavorSum proprietary research shows sugar confectionery buyers prioritize flavor over the brand by a wide margin. Almost all North Americans (98.5%) say flavor influences their choice, with 77% agreeing that the brand name affects the buying decision. Gen X and Boomers are more likely to prioritize brands than younger generations.

NCA research shows that mood can influence candy choice for 41% of buyers, with more Millennials (47%) mentioning mood helps them decide. Although fewer than two in 10 candy buyers consider the nutritional composition of candy, more Millennials (27%) and Gen Z (26%) evaluate the nutrition facts before purchase.

What Do Shoppers Want From Candy Snacks?

About half of the candy buyers in our survey report snacking on the sweet treats (either sugar confectionary or chocolate). The popularity of candy snacks increases as the sun rises, peaking during the after-dinner and midnight hours.

MORNING GOALS FOR CANDY SNACKERS

For about half of the people in our survey, morning snack goals center around energy and healthfulness. Indulgence is a driving motivator for people choosing candy snacks in the morning. Portion control is more important with candy than with other snacks in the morning, while energy and healthfulness are considerations on par with other morning choices.

Millennials, particularly women, are more likely to choose candy as a morning snack. Candy is less likely to appeal to Gen Z and Boomers in the morning.

AFTERNOON GOALS FOR CANDY SNACKERS

Indulgence remains important for people choosing candy as an afternoon treat. The desire for healthier candy options outpaces the average afternoon snacker, while energy and portion control play a more minor role for candy snackers during midday.

Gen Z has a higher propensity for candy than other snacks in the afternoon.

EVENING GOALS FOR CANDY SNACKERS

The desire for indulgence carries through the evening for people choosing candy snacks. But more candy snackers want energy than other late-night noshers, with portion control and healthfulness lower priorities.

Boomers are significantly more likely than other generations to choose candy as an evening snack.

How Do Snack Flavor Preferences Change Across the Day?

We asked people to indicate their interest in flavor families across dayparts regardless of their snack choice.

MORNING SNACK FLAVOR PREFERENCES ARE FRUIT-FORWARD

In the morning, the top 10 snack flavor preferences include profiles associated with health, like berries, tree fruits, citrus, or tropical. But indulgence can captivate daytime snackers through bakery-inspired flavors like brownie or cookie dough, sweet flavors like vanilla, maple, or honey, and the always-popular chocolate. Peanut butter falls in the indulgent flavor family, along with items like s’mores. Combining tree fruits with chocolate or vanilla can also address interest in indulgent tastes and carry a health halo.

Morning flavor preferences don’t vary significantly by age group, but slightly more women are choosing bakery-inspired, chocolate, sweet, and salty flavors in the morning compared to men.

Spice profiles for a morning snack are on the gentler side of the intensity spectrum, with options like cinnamon, cayenne, paprika, ginger, chili powder, and black pepper.

AFTERNOON SNACK FLAVORS SHIFT TO SAVORY AND INDULGENT

From a flavor perspective, afternoon choices focus more on savory and indulgently sweet tastes. More women look for berry, salty, and chocolate flavors, while men gravitate toward tropical and spicy flavors.

Flavor intensity can ramp up in the afternoon on the sweet or savory side to achieve the desired indulgence or energy-boosting pick-me-up people seek from mid-day snacks. Spicy flavors like sriracha, harissa, jalapeno, curry, chipotle, and chili flakes can play a role in the afternoon, along with brighter citrus or tropical fruits. “Swicy” can fit with afternoon flavor preferences, combining a traditional sweet profile with a little heat.

EVENING SNACK FLAVORS DELIVER INDULGENCE

Evening snack flavor choices push indulgence with evening the first daypart that shows indulgent flavors like s’mores, caramel, and peanut butter in the top 10. Berry flavors still appeal to about one-third of evening snackers.

Tree fruit flavors like apple, peach, or cherry could fit in the evening, especially when paired with chocolate or brownie flavors. Tropical and citrus flavors may have appeal but with diminished intensity compared to the afternoon. A mild tangerine, blood orange, or tropical blend will fit better than a zingy lime flavor. Snack brands can also feature toned-down spicy flavors, like smoked paprika, garlic, mild jalapeno, or a touch of cayenne.

What are Daypart Flavor Preferences for Candy Snacks?

Innovation opportunities emerge when we compare flavor preferences among candy snackers to total snackers. The heat map below shows flavors that ‘fit’ with candy throughout the day.

Flavors in darker greens represent the strongest alignment with the daypart. Appeal diminishes as the color spectrum changes to yellows and reds.

FLAVOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR CANDY

While some of the flavor-daypart preferences are intuitive, others may offer inspiration for new profiles or flavor combinations.

For example:

What’s Your Next Flavor for Candy Snacks?

If you want to discuss specific flavor profiles for your candy brand or need application support to deliver a desirable taste experience, our team is ready to help. Success tastes sweet when you partner with FlavorSum for insights, flavor creation, applications, and commercialization expertise. Contact us today!