Latest news with #JohnDowns
Miami Herald
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
New Nerds Gummy Clusters Candy Wins ‘Most Innovative' Award During Debut
A new variety of Nerds Gummy Clusters just won a huge award ahead of its official release. The Sweets & Snacks Expo kicks off in Indianapolis today, with several big-name brands showcasing all-new products and returning favorites for 2025 and early 2026. So far, we've learned about a first-ever flavor of Nutella, an upcoming Crunch bar variety, the new look coming for Ferrero Rocher, got a preview of Butterfinger's new marshmallow-flavored bar, new Keebler cookies, and even had a highly-awaited Tic Tac collab confirmed. But now that the event is officially here, experts are releasing their top picks for "Most Innovative" new snack and sweets releases, and unsurprisingly, the new Nerds Juicy Gummy Clusters won for the Gummy category. Related: Gushers Brings "Impossible to Ignore" Fan Request to Life With New Release "The Most Innovative New Product Awards are a celebration of the creativity and ingenuity that keeps people coming back to the candy and snack aisles," John Downs, president & CEO of the National Confectioners Association, the host organization for Sweets & Snacks Expo, said in a May 12 press release. "Consumers turn to confectionery and snack products to add a little sweet or salty touch to special occasions and everyday moments. This year's MINPA winners are outstanding examples of the ways in which the confectionery and snack industries are delivering products to meet consumers where they want to be met." According to a description reviewed by Parade, the new subline will "unleash all of your senses with an epic bigger-than-ever candy experience" and is said to feature "a delicious strawberry punch flavor combined with the crunchy, gummy, juicy textures in a satisfying bite for a next level experience that only NERDS can bring." When our editors inquired about the new release about a week ago, a spokesperson for the brand confirmed that while it's excited to announce the release at the expo, other details would have to wait "closer to launch." Related:New Trolli Sour Candy Offers "Enhanced" Sensory Experience An official release date for the new Juicy Gummy Clusters has not yet been made public, but it's likely safe to assume that fans will see them on shelves by year-end or within the first quarter of 2026. Along with the Nerds candy, other new product award winners this year include: Amos Tastysounds JinglePop Graffiti, Most Innovative New Seasonal Product Belle's Gourmet Popcorn Matcha Latte Popcorn, Best In ShowChunk Nibbles Toffee Sweet & Salty Clusters, Most Innovative New Sweet SnackJuicy Drop® Gummy Mystery Cube 5oz Original Flavor, Most Innovative New Non-Chocolate CandyNomad Snacks Pad Thai Flavored Ready-to-eat Popcorn, Most Innovative New Small Business InnovatorPop & Sol Coconut Flaked White Chocolate Covered Cashews, Most Innovative New Chocolate ProductSnak Club Ramen flavored Snack Mix, Most Innovative New Savory SnackTrashy Gourmet Shortbread Cookies with Mini Strawberry Boba from Molly Bz Cookies, Most Innovative New Baked Good. Next:Popular Pudding Brand's New Flavor Has Fans' Attention: "Stop Playing" Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sweets & Snacks Expo Announces 2025 Most Innovative New Product Awards Winners
INDIANAPOLIS, May 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sweets & Snacks Expo announced today the winners of the 2025 Most Innovative New Product Awards, recognizing excellence in 12 categories and showcasing the broad range of innovative offerings across the candy and snack industries. "The Most Innovative New Product Awards are a celebration of the creativity and ingenuity that keeps people coming back to the candy and snack aisles," John Downs, president & CEO of the National Confectioners Association, the host organization for Sweets & Snacks Expo, said. "Consumers turn to confectionery and snack products to add a little sweet or salty touch to special occasions and everyday moments. This year's MINPA winners are outstanding examples of the ways in which the confectionery and snack industries are delivering products to meet consumers where they want to be met." This year, a record number of products – more than 400 total – were submitted for consideration in a variety of categories, with retail leaders specializing in these powerhouse categories serving as judges. Beginning May 13, these products will be on display in the Featured Product Showcase at the Sweets & Snacks Expo. The Most Innovative New Product Awards Winners are: Best in Show: Belle's Gourmet Popcorn Matcha Latte Popcorn Small Business Innovator: Nomad Snacks Pad Thai Flavored Ready-to-eat Popcorn Chocolate: Pop & Sol Coconut Flaked White Chocolate Covered Cashews Gourmet/Premium Confections: Mattigan's Dubai Style Chocolate Spread Gum & Mints: breathROX Popping Breath Mints – Blue Raspberry Gummy Candy: Nerds Juicy Gummy Clusters – Strawberry Punch Non-Chocolate Candy: Juicy Drop® Gummy Mystery Cube 5oz Original Flavor Novelty/Licensed: Ezee Freezee Freeze-n-Peel Strawberry Pop Seasonal: Amos Tastysounds JinglePop Graffiti Meat Snacks: Bavarian Meats Original Lil' Landjaeger Individually Wrapped Stick Salty Snacks: Belle's Gourmet Popcorn Dubai Chocolate Popcorn Savory Snacks: Snak Club Ramen flavored Snack Mix Sweet Snacks: Chunk Nibbles Toffee Sweet & Salty Clusters Baked Goods: Trashy Gourmet Shortbread Cookies with Mini Strawberry Boba from Molly Bz Cookies To set up an interview with a Sweets & Snacks Expo spokesperson, please email candy@ Visit the official Sweets & Snacks Expo Media Kit for more information on the show and media resources. About Sweets & Snacks ExpoThe Sweets & Snacks Expo is the premier event for the confectionery and snack industries. Featuring new product launches, business-building solutions, and merchandising innovations, this annual trade show brings together qualified candy and snack retail professionals and company representatives who showcase the latest in candy and snack products. The event is sponsored by the National Confectioners Association. Learn more at About the National Confectioners Association (NCA)The National Confectioners Association is the voice of the U.S. confectionery industry. Our member companies create moments of joy with chocolate, candy, gum, and mints, drive $54 billion in retail sales, and add a little sweetness to life. NCA champions policies that help candy makers and other stakeholders in this unique category thrive while reminding consumers that chocolate and candy are treats. Learn more at or follow NCA on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Media Contact:candy@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Sweets & Snacks Expo Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ:KHC) the Best Chocolate Stock to Buy According to Hedge Funds?
We recently published a list of 12 Best Chocolate Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. In this article, we are going to take a look at where The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ:KHC) stands against other best chocolate stocks to buy according to hedge funds. According to a National Confectioners Association (NCA) survey, 95% of customers use chocolate and candies to celebrate the winter holidays. Sales of holiday confections hit $7 billion in 2023 and are predicted to increase by 3% in 2024. While 72% of Americans prefer chocolate or candies in stockings over gum, 56% of adults prefer giving and getting chocolate over wine. Sixty-four percent feed themselves more sweets, 60% bake holiday treats, and 70% use candy. As per NCA CEO John Downs: 'Chocolate and candy are essential parts of the winter holidays.' According to Global Market Insights, in 2024, the global chocolate industry was estimated to be worth $125 billion. From 2025 to 2034, it is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 3.3%. Consumer desire for indulgent products, premium offers, and health-conscious alternatives like dark and organic chocolate drives the global market. There are a number of noteworthy trends in the chocolate industry, including customers' growing preference for artisanal and premium chocolates. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that the world consumed 5.05 billion metric tons of cocoa in 2022-2023, showing a rise in demand for high-end chocolate goods. A few massive global companies control a large portion of the manufacture and distribution of chocolate and associated candies. The Mars family is the private owner of Mars, the biggest manufacturer of chocolate products and the company behind popular chocolates like Snickers and M&Ms. Investors have found chocolate stocks to be an appealing investment since they have experienced financial gains. As of February 7, 2025, the broader market's cocoa industry returned 86.69% in one year, 56.15% over three years, 28.19% over five years, and 13.71% over ten years. According to the World Bank, concerns about new supply caused cocoa prices to rise again. In December, the price of cocoa increased by 30%, reaching an average of almost $10 per kilogram. Strong seasonal demand combined with worries about the unfavorable weather in West Africa caused this dramatic spike. According to estimates, the world's cocoa production decreased by 14% during the 2023-24 season, from 4.9 million metric tons in 2022-2023 to 4.2 mmt. The main cause of this fall is the decreased production in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, which together account for around 60% of global cocoa production. As per the World Bank, the 2024-25 season is anticipated to see an improvement in supply conditions, especially in Côte d'Ivoire, where favorable weather across important growing regions could increase production by as much as 17 percent. Prices are expected to drop by about 13 percent in 2025 and another 2 percent in 2026 as more supplies hit the market, following an anticipated doubling in 2024. However, there is a considerable upside risk to prices because of the possible recurrence of unfavorable weather in West Africa. Looking forward, according to JP Morgan's report, the worldwide scarcity of supply and ongoing underinvestment in cocoa crops are two reasons driving up cocoa prices. Cocoa prices are expected to stay high in the medium term, circling about $6,000/tonne once a balanced market is achieved, despite expectations for a better crop in the 2024-2025 season. This could impact the chocolate industry, as confectionery costs are anticipated to rise by 2025. Celine Pannuti, Head of European Staples & Beverages, J.P. Morgan, stated: 'Pricing has yet to pick up meaningfully, but we expect this to accelerate potentially to the low-teens in 2025. We see the chocolate market set for inflation largely unprecedented in recent history.' A closeup of an assembly line worker inspecting a newly produced jar of condiments and sauces. We sifted through holdings of chocolate ETFs and online rankings to form an initial list of 20 chocolate stocks. From the resultant dataset, we chose 12 stocks with the highest number of hedge fund investors, using Insider Monkey's database of 900 hedge funds in Q3 2024 to gauge hedge fund sentiment for stocks. We have used the company's market capitalization as of February 4 as a tie-breaker in case two or more stocks have the same number of hedge funds invested. Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter's strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points. (). Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 38 Leading the food and beverage industry worldwide, The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ:KHC) sells cheese, sauces, condiments, and drinks. One of its established brands is Baker's, a reputable name in chocolate baking. Baker's continues to be an important part of the company's varied product line, offering exceptional baking products to both professionals and home bakers. The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ:KHC) was created by the 2015 merger of Kraft and Heinz; however, it hasn't produced the expected results. It is currently modifying its approach by removing underperforming products and focusing on its core offerings as a result. Despite these difficulties, the company's solid cash position should reassure income investors. The firm had strong cash creation in its most recent quarter, as evidenced by its year-to-date operating cash flow, which increased 6.7% to $2.8 billion over the prior year. Free cash flow increased by 9.7% year over year to $2 billion. The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ:KHC) reported mixed Q3 of 2024 results overall, continuing to lag behind analyst projections. Its revenue for the same period last year was 2.85% lower, at $6.38 billion. Nonetheless, the business's gross profit margin improved, increasing by 20 basis points to 34.2%. The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ:KHC) is committed to making investments in technology, marketing, and R&D in order to support future revenue growth and offer consumers value-driven solutions. The company's ability to sustain solid cash flow and streamline operations supports these initiatives. It is also dedicated to bringing its well-known and up-and-coming food and beverage businesses to a worldwide audience. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway was the largest stakeholder in the company among the funds in Insider Monkey's database at the end of Q3 2024. It owns 325.63 million shares worth $11.43 billion as of Q3. Overall, KHC ranks 4th on our list of best chocolate stocks to buy according to hedge funds. While we acknowledge the potential for KHC to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than KHC but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the . READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and Complete List of 59 AI Companies Under $2 Billion in Market Cap Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
