Sweets & Snacks Trends 2026: ISM Cologne

Published 09 February 2026

Author

8 min read

ISM Cologne (February 1-4), the world’s largest trade show for the snacking industry, continues to offer a feast of sweet and savoury innovation. This year, brands doubled down on healthier bites, climate-resilient ingredients and playful eats for all ages and budgets.

Healthful Swaps

Climate-Attuned Edibles

Foreground Flavour & Fun

Brands vied for a slice of the soaring functional confectionery market, a sector set to almost double in value to $4.96bn by 2032 (Data Bridge, 2025). Energy was a prevalent wellness focus, while snackable creatine products took centre stage, and healthier chocolate products provided moments of guilt-free indulgence. See Wellness Ingredients to Watch: 26/27 or a broader look at trends in the functional food space.

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Alt-chocolate is becoming more ubiquitous in the European confectionery space as cocoa supply chains continue to struggle, primarily due to climate change. A plethora of confectionery brands are either creating new cocoa-free chocolate options or adopting these alternative ingredients in a wider array of products designed for snacking. Upcycling waste ingredients via next-gen fermentation techniques as well as more traditional production methods was also a trend across the show.

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Much of the innovation focused on light-hearted product development, with intriguing crunchy textures, frozen candy and interactive sweet treats filling the show floor. Meanwhile, unusual, sweet and herbal flavour combinations provided new options for adventurous snackers. For more product and taste directions in the sweet realm, see Future Flavour Forecast 26/27: Radical Sweetness.

Sweets & Snacks Trends 2026: ISM Cologne

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