Mars offers major Sweets & Snacks launches for core Starburst, M&M’s and Skittles lines
Mike Gilroy of Mars, welcomes new launches at Sweets & Snacks including Skittles Pop'd. Pic: Neill Barston
During an action-packed three days in Indianapolis, Mars offered a major platform to several key confectionery line launches including Starburst Gummies, M&M’s Peanut Butter & Jelly, as well as Skittles Pop’d, reports Neill Barston.
Confectionery Production magazine was on hand to gain the inside track on latest developments at the event last week at the Indiana Convention Centre, with full coverage in our upcoming edition of our publication featuring an interview with Mike Gilroy (pictured main image), vice president of trade and development and sponsorship, as well as our exclusive overall video review of the record-breaking event, which you can view below.
As the company noted, there are several new offerings that have emerged in response to consumer demand for better-for-you options, as well as seeking to react to Gen Z’s affinity for adventurous textures and formats, and chocolate’s continued reign around seasonal moments.
The big reveals from the business included Starburst gummies, which are plant based with 4g of sugar per serving, and have been developed as a source of fibre, and also feature real fruit juice.
On the M&M’s front, the firm also featured a new release linked to its peanut butter series, featuring berry flavoured bite-sized chocolate treats with smooth peanut butter centre that aim to recreate an American favourite in the form of a PB&J sandwich.
Among one of its core innovations is its new Skittles Pop’d, which taps into the freeze-dried candy craze, featuring an unexpectedly crunchy, crispy way to enjoy the fruity Skittles and its latest sour flavour
Not to be outdone, the company’s flagship Snickers brands also has some fresh entrants in the form of a pecan offering, as well as a seasonal shapes offering, in response to consumer demand for innovative textures and designs.
Tim LeBel, President of Sales at Mars Wrigley North America, was on hand at this year’s Sweets & Snacks Expo for a special panel on treating trends, and enthused on its appearance at the 2025 event.
He commented: “”Treating plays an important role in life’s moments, big and small. As a consumer-obsessed company committed to shaping the future of snacking, Mars is constantly innovating ways for our brands to deliver exciting experiences with our products. Through new and nostalgic flavours, festive shapes and playful textures, we help drive the category and empower retailers to deliver moments of everyday happiness for consumers.”
Hi Neill,
Your coverage of Mars’ launches at the Sweets & Snacks Expo was a great read! The PB&J twist on M&M’s and the Skittles Pop’d format show how seriously Mars is leaning into texture innovation and it’s exciting to see how they’re responding to Gen Z’s preferences. Also, the plant-based Starburst gummies with added fiber are a clever move toward the better-for-you segment without losing the brand’s fun spirit. It’s clear Mars is playing the long game by blending nostalgia with functional snacking. Looking forward to seeing how these releases perform in the market!
Thank you indeed to the team at Linear Bar, what can I say, this year’s event in Indianapolis pulled out all the stops, despite some challenging wider conditions. So here’s hoping you enjoyed it if you were there yourselves, thanks, Neill