I have to admit, I love spicy candy! Red hot cinnamon bears, hot tamales, hot jolly ranchers, anything that adds a little heat is fine by me. According to recent data, it looks like a lot of people are starting to enjoy the spice of life. Sales of spicy and hot flavored candy were up 16% in 2017 and 25% in the past 52 weeks.
One unique factor that contributes to this trend is the rising popularity of traditional Mexican candy – which caters to the more spicy and savory flavors popular in Mexico. Mexican candy is more available now than ever. More and more Mexican made candies are being imported, which could be part of a virtuous cycle of increased availability creating more awareness and thus demand. Digging through sales data from CandyStore.com and industry partners, traditional Mexican candy sales are up close to 31% over the last 18 months, 35% in the last 24 months. While American brands’ spicy candies are up 24% in the last 24 months.
The graph shows an earlier upward movement of Mexican candy and a strong reaction by the US brands to ramp up thereafter. This reaction included the creation of all those new “hot” flavors of candy showing up. A larger overall trend in the food world towards new spices and spicy flavors likely lead to increased sales of increasingly available Mexican candy, which triggered American candy makers to jump on board too.
Like chocolate and peanut butter, trendiness and candy have always gone together. Big candy companies follow trends and create fun variations to sell more candy. Sometimes these candy trends are short lived and the new flavors vanish forever.
If you are intrigued, try these products soon…before the next trend takes over.
