2026 Most Innovative New Product Awards
Novelty/Licensed
Product Submissions
| Exhibitor | Brand | Product | innovation Statement | Price | Weight | Product Photo | Award |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1UP Candy | 1UP | Mashups Candy Salad Kit | Productizes #CandySalad TikTok trend (125M+ views) into a first-of-its-kind DIY candy kit — gummy mix + sour powder + 2 sauces + tongs. Net-new format in bagged candy. Built for content creation. Brings the trend-shopper into the aisle. Fully incremental, not a line extension. | $3.50 | 5.2 oz |  |  |
| Exclusive Brands | Gummi Popz | Sweet - Wild Berry | Sweet Venture Group is shaking up the candy aisle with Gummi Popz™: the world’s first popping gummy candy. This new candy format layers chewy gummies, tangy candy gel and popping candy for a bold multi-sensory experience. Your Flavor, Your Way. | $2.99 | 1.8 oz |  |  |
| Fat and Weird Cookie | Stuffed Cookie Dough Bites | Some Mores Stuffed Cookie Dough Bites | Indulge in our bite-sized s’mores treats—soft, chocolatey cookie dough stuffed with gooey marshmallow and melted chocolate. Finished with a hint of graham cracker crunch, each bite delivers the perfect nostalgic campfire flavor. | $6.99 | 8 oz |  | |
| OPP Omaha Protein Popcorn | OPP Omaha Protein Popcorn | Spicy Dill Pickle | Omaha Protein Popcorn, greatest tasting healthy protein popcorn you wouldn't even think was healthy by how phenomenal it tastes with our newest flavor Spicy Dill Pickle. 32g Whey Isolate Protein | Coconut Oil | Gluten Free | No High Fructose. Cobranded & Made with Lola's Hot Sauce, the finest ever! | $9.99 | 4.1 oz |  | |
| Huer | Huer | Cholula Chamoy Tropical Ring Mix | Huer Cholula® Chamoy Tropical Ring Mix redefines “swicy” with sour watermelon, pineapple, and mango rings dusted in authentic Cholula®. A layered hit of sweet, tangy, salty, and chili-umami heat, capturing the booming sweet-meets-spicy trend and pushing the boundaries of what gummy candy can be. | $3.79 | 5 oz |  | |
| Crown Chocolate | Crown Chocolate | Slap-Ya-Mama Spicy Dark Chocolate Wedges | This dark chocolate wedge features a refined blend of Cajun spices, offering a balanced level of heat that enhances the palate with a distinctive burst of flavor. | $6.99 | 3 oz |  | |
| Oyatsu Baby Star Ramen Snack | SPLASHLYTES | Lemon Splash | Japan’s #1 electrolyte tablets—no water needed, just chew. Packed with sodium, potassium, and citric acid to replenish electrolytes lost when sweating. Individually wrapped for easy, on-the-go hydration. A new, delicious chewable format in a powder dominated market. Chew. Hydrate. Go! | $5.99 | 2.64 oz |  | |
| Feastables | Feastables | White Chocolate Peanut Butter Yoshi Eggs | Introducing Feastables White Chocolate Peanut Butter Yoshi Eggs, a limited-edition treat celebrating The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Crack open smooth white chocolate eggs filled with creamy peanut butter, made with high-quality ingredients and Fairtrade certified cocoa. | $2.99 | 2.46 oz |  | |
| Bixby Chocolate | Bixby Chocolate | Milk Chocolate Sardines | Adorably crafted milk chocolate sardines — rich, creamy, and irresistibly cute. Packaged like the real deal, these bite-sized chocolates are a novelty lover's dream. High gift appeal, strong impulse-buy power, and margins to match. A crowd-pleaser that sells itself. | $10.00 | 1.8 oz |  | |
| Dippin' Dots, LLC | Dippin' Dots | Dr Pepper Flavored Dippin' Dots Ice Cream | One-of-a-kind taste meets one-of-a-kind ice cream! We’ve taken the bold, refreshing flavor of Dr Pepper® and turned it into the coolest treat around—Dr Pepper® flavored Dippin’ Dots! Every spoonful captures the signature blend of 23 flavors you know and love. And it’s free of artificial dyes! | $2.99 | 2.5 oz |  | |
| Amos Sweets Inc. | TastySounds | AI Chat Lollipop - Mulberry Strawberry | The world’s first AI bone conduction Bluetooth lollipop, featuring an exclusive Tara star astrology theme. As a pioneering tech-integrated confectionery, it fills the market gap of trendy functional snacks. With bone conduction technology, combining taste and a fun interactive experience. | $13.99 | 0.42 oz |  | |
| Candy Dynamics | Toxic Waste | Sour Cotton Candy - Lemon | It's fluffy, it's tart, it's Toxic Waste Cotton Candy! Available in 2 flavors (watermelon and lemon) this item brings a new form factor to sour candy making the consumption experience more than just a sweet treat. Sprinkle the packet of sour powder for a unique sensory sour experience. | $2.29 | 1.58 oz |  | |
| Crown Chocolate | Crown Chocolate | Slap-Ya-Mama Extra Spicy Dark Chocolate Wedges | Get ready—Slap Ya Mama's Hot Blend extra spicy seasoning brings a fiery kick to your taste buds while delivering authentic Cajun flavor. When paired with our rich dark chocolate, it creates a unique blend of heat and creamy smoothness. | $6.99 | 3 oz |  | |
| LUPY LUPS ! | LUPY LUPS! | Cotton Candy Crumbles | 1.25 oz of delicious soft cotton candy, sour watermelon flavored crumbles in a small tub with a dextrose stick to dip and lick! | $1.99 | 1.25 oz |  | |
| Promise Confections / Edward Marc Brands | Edward Marc Chocolatier | Jif Snappers | Jif Snappers milk chocolate peanut butter pretzel cluster. | $5.99 | 6 oz |  | |
| Yowie North America Inc. | Yowie | Yowie Puzzle Pack - Toffee Choc Bar | Yowie Puzzle Pack combines a portion-controlled snack with a collectible educational cardboard animal puzzle in every pack. Designed for parent-and-child play, it promotes STEM-inspired problem solving and learning about nature through interactive plastic-free play. | $1.99 | 0.71 oz |  | |
| MONARK | Mattigan's | Popping Candy Spread | A spread unlike any other. Mattigan's Popping Candy Spread reinvents the chocolate hazelnut category with real popping candy crackling inside — a multi-sensory experience with a surprise in every bite. Bold. Playful. Unforgettable. Where indulgence meets delight. | $5.99 | 7.05 oz |  | |
| Jel Sert Company | Dunkin' | Refreshers Drink Mix - Strawberry Dragonfruit Lemonade | Same Dunkin’ taste you love now in a portable drink mix that moves with you. Fueled with 80mg of caffeine, energy from green tea and B vitamins, zero sugar and low calorie. Turn your water into Dunkin’s favorite Strawberry Dragonfruit Lemonade Refresher anytime no matter how you run. | $2.98 | 0.95 oz |  | |
| Tillamook Country Smoker | Tillamook Country Smoker | Mike's Hot Honey Beef Jerky | We’ve taken the bold, sweet heat of Mike’s Hot Honey and paired it with our premium, hardwood smoked beef jerky for the ultimate “swicy” experience. Each snack is packed with 10g of protein per serving. And with no artificial ingredients, you can feel good about every delicious bite. | $7.49 | 2.2 oz |  | |
| Velondi Brands Inc. | Gupperz | Gupperz Crayola Liquid Filled Gummy Popperz | Gupperz Crayola Gummies are colorful, flavorful, chewy candies shaped like Crayola crayons bursting with a fruity liquid filling. Each bag comes with four different flavored gummies: Blue Raspberry, Watermelon, Banana and Strawberry. Gupperz liquid filled popperz - gummy first than a juicy burst. | $3.99 | 2.54 oz |  | |
| Indiana Import LLC | AZRA | Banana Juice | AZRA Banana juice with Banana pulp is made from 100% fresh bananas, carefully selected from banana-growing regions across Vietnam — a fruit deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture and daily life. Our ripe golden bananas deliver a richly sweet, mildly fragrant, thick, and creamy flavor. | $3.00 | 16.9 oz |  | |
| CandyRific | CandyRific | Nickelodeon SpongeBob Stretch-eez | The SpongeBob Stretch-eez have character shaped bodies and retractable plastic tubes with suction cups at the ends of the arms and legs. Each arm and leg stretches out 7 inches so the total reach becomes 15 inches. Get creative and stick the Stretch-eez to any hard surface. | $3.99 | 2.98 oz |  | |
| Jel Sert Company | Dunkin' | Refreshers Drink Mix - Mango Pineapple | Same Dunkin’ taste you love now in a portable drink mix that moves with you. Fueled with 80mg of caffeine, energy from green tea and B vitamins, zero sugar and low calorie. Turn your water into Dunkin’s favorite Mango Pineapple Refresher anytime no matter how you run. | $2.98 | 0.81 oz |  | |
| Tannas Botannas | Tannas Botannas | Chamoy Pickle Kits | An interactive chamoy pickle kit featuring a Van Holten Chamoy pickle, Lucas Gusano, Lucas Salsaghettis, fruit roll-up, Mini tajin bottle & our signature 2oz Rim Drip packet. Delivers a bold sweet, sour, & spicy experience that drives impulse buys & repeat sales. $3,000,000 in sales generated alone. | $19.00 | 16 oz |  | |
| Jel Sert Company | Pure Kick | Alkaline Drink Mix - Cucumber Lemon | Pure Kick Alkaline is a powdered drink mix designed to enhance the pH balance of water to 8.5 or more, providing a smoother, cleaner taste. Experience the spa-like blend of cool cucumber and zesty lemon to seamlessly fit into your active, on-the-go lifestyle. | $4.99 | 0.35 oz |  | |
| Candy Dynamics | Toxic Waste | Sour Cotton Candy - Watermelon | It's fluffy, it's tart, it's Toxic Waste Cotton Candy! Available in 2 flavors (watermelon and lemon) this item brings a new form factor to sour candy making the consumption experience more than just a sweet treat. Sprinkle the packet of sour powder for a unique sensory sour experience. | $2.29 | 1.58 oz |  | |
| Huer | Huer | Huer x Masters Of The Universe Gummies | Huer x Masters of the Universe™ Gummies bring Eternia to life with highly detailed, character-shaped gummies: He-Man™, Skeletor™, Evil-Lyn™, and the Power Sword™. A first-of-its-kind fusion of fandom, storytelling, and elevated candy design that delivers an immersive, cross-generational experience. | $3.79 | 3.5 oz |  | |
| Bubblegum Kids | Bubblegum Kids | Ninja Turtles Liquid Filled Gummies | Power up with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Liquid Filled Gummies! Soft, chewy bites with a burst of fruity liquid inside. Bold flavors and action-packed fun—perfect for snacking, sharing, or fueling your next adventure. | $3.99 | 2.54 oz |  | |
| CandyRific | CandyRific | Licensed Assorted Sweet Spinz Fan | Licensed Sweet Spinz Fans are available in three various characters- Disney Stitch, Nickelodeon SpongeBob or Universal/DreamWorks Shrek. Squeeze trigger on the handle to activate spinning fan and lollipop functions. Each fan includes a fruit flavored lollipop. Any standard lollipop stick will fit. | $3.99 | 2.82 oz |  | |
| Jel Sert Company | Pure Kick | Alkaline Drink Mix - Watermelon | Pure Kick Alkaline is a powdered drink mix designed to enhance the pH balance of water to 8.5 or more, providing a smoother, cleaner taste. Quench your thirst and seamlessly fit into your active, on-the-go lifestyle with a sweet taste of watermelon. | $4.99 | 0.35 oz |  | |
| Mars Snacking | M&M'S | Detroit Lions NFL Milk Chocolate 10oz M&M'S | Custom NFL package with personalized M&M'S featuring Detroit Lions mascot and team logos in matching colors from M&M'S Coloworks program. | $17.49 | 10 oz |  | |
| Ferrero North America | Kinder Joy | Stranger Things Egg | Kinder Joy enters the Upside Down with the new Stranger Things collection, featuring 24 Funko toys to collect: 14 iconic Funko Pop figurines and 10 accessories. The collection highlights key characters from the franchise and showcases a new iridescent toy effect to promote the Upside Down toys. | $2.39 | 0.7 oz |  | |
| Promise Confections / Edward Marc Brands | Edward Marc Chocolatier | Girl Scout Lemon Ups Bites | Crispy shortbread center with lemon flavored creme. | $5.99 | 5.5 oz |  | |
| Crown Chocolate | Crown Chocolate | Kiss-Ya-Mama Cinnamon Sugar Milk Chocolate Wedges | Kiss Ya Mama offers a sophisticated blend of robust cinnamon and refined sugar, complemented by subtle notes of aromatic vanilla. The wedges dissolve smoothly on the palate, releasing a distinct cinnamon flavor. | $6.99 | 3 oz |  | |
| Bubblegum Kids | Bubblegum Kids | Garfield Liquid Filled Gummies | Snack with Garfield Liquid Filled Gummies! Soft, chewy bites bursting with fruity liquid centers. Bold flavors, playful shapes, and purr-fect for sharing or treating yourself because Mondays need something sweet. | $3.99 | 2.54 oz |  | |
| Fortuin - Dockum BV | Creatine | Dextrose-Creatine-Tablets | Dextrose + Creatine tablets are a new kind of functional impulse product, it is an instant energy plus product and it supports your performance. The perfect spot for this product is the checkout where customers buy this product for a quick boost. | $12.98 | 4.6 oz |  | |
| A&J Novelty Company | A&J | Glow inthe Dark Lollipop-Green Apple | A&J Glow in the Dark Lollipops are a fun, new way to enjoy a candy treat. This T-Rex Dinosaur’s candy head sits atop a 3.5” plastic skeleton body that Glows in the Dark! Devouring the head of a scary creature like a T-REX while its body glows in the dark-how fun is that? 4 Scary creatures available | $1.79 | 3 oz |  | |
| Candy Fun Street | Candy Fun Street | Giannis FR34K Gummies - Strawberry Lemonade, Tropical & Mixed Berry | Built with Giannis Antetokounmpo, not just branded. Premium gummies with a soft, chewy bite and bold fruit flavors, designed for repeat purchase. A high-demand product where authenticity and cultural relevance drive real consumer pull. | $3.99 | 4 oz |  | |
| Candy Dynamics | Toxic Waste | 25th Anniversary Drum | Since launching in 2001, Toxic Waste has continued to disrupt the sour market. This new 25th anniversary drum plays on the success of the original - innovating on packaging and flavor options. We chose the top 5 flavors from our international range of drums. This viral LTO guarantees sales at retail | $1.99 | 1.48 oz |  | |
| Bubblegum Kids | Bubblegum Kids | Spongebob Liquid Filled Gummies | Dive into juicy fun with SpongeBob SquarePants Liquid Filled Gummies! Soft, chewy bites with a burst of juicy liquid inside. Bright, playful, and perfect for snacking, sharing, or adding a splash of Bikini Bottom to your day. | $3.99 | 2.54 oz |  | |
| Bubblegum Kids | Bubblegum Kids | Spongebob F.U.N. Yellow Frosting Filled Chocolate Bar | Have some SpongeBob SquarePants F.U.N.! This yellow frosting-filled chocolate bar is rich, creamy, and packed with a playful twist. It turns your tongue bright yellow! Sweet, silly, and perfect for fans, parties, or a fun surprise treat. | $2.99 | 1.75 oz |  |
