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The Kitchn’s Ali Domrongchai reports that U.S. grocery shelves are showing a wider range of candy, including sweets made without artificial colorants, European gummy brands and crunchy versions of familiar candies. The report reflects one editor’s shopping observations, not sales data establishing that these products are taking over the market.
The Kitchn’s Ali Domrongchai has reported seeing a broader mix of candy in U.S. grocery aisles, including sweets made with plant-based colorants, European gummies and crunchy takes on familiar brands. The October 2026 piece is a shopping report based on the editor’s observations; it does not provide sales figures to confirm that the products are taking over the market.
Domrongchai describes a split between traditional candy made with artificial dyes and newer products that use colorants from plants such as turmeric and beets. She points to UNREAL as one example, describing its milk and dark chocolate candies as made with simple ingredients and natural colorants. The report also names FUNDAY, Joyride and YumEarth as brands offering candy without artificial ingredients.
The report highlights the spread of European sweets into U.S. retail. Domrongchai cites Swedish brands and products including Bub’s, Sockerbit gummies and Bilar, as well as British sweets Percy Pig and Colin the Caterpillar. She says Percy Pig and Colin the Caterpillar are available at Target, while Sockerbit products have reached major retailers and online stores.
A third trend in the report is texture-focused candy: familiar chewy sweets are being changed into crunchy formats. Domrongchai points to freeze-dried Skittles and Nerds Gummy Clusters as examples of brands combining or changing textures. The article offers product examples and the writer’s impressions, but does not compare prices, sales, availability by location or nutritional value.
How Candy Choices Are Expanding
The examples point to more variety for shoppers choosing Halloween treats and everyday sweets, from different ingredient approaches to imported gummies and altered textures. That variety may appeal to people seeking particular ingredients or flavors, but the report does not establish that any one style is healthier, more popular overall or better value.
For retailers and candy makers, the assortment described suggests room to compete through ingredient choices, international products and novelty textures. For shoppers, the practical takeaway is to check package labels and local availability: a brand’s description does not replace reviewing ingredients, allergen information or prices on the specific product.
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From Swedish Shops to Supermarkets
Domrongchai connects the visibility of Swedish candy in the United States to her experience visiting the Swedish candy shop Bon Bon several years ago. She writes that Swedish sweets have since become a social-media phenomenon in the U.S., and gives Bub’s as an example of a foamy gummy that has attracted online attention. Her account is personal observation, not a measured study of consumer demand.
The piece also situates current products within a recent push to change familiar candy formats. Domrongchai cites Nerds Gummy Clusters as an earlier example of combining textures, then describes freeze-dried Skittles as another move toward crunchy candy. The report does not give launch dates or sales results for the products discussed.
““There are more flavors, shapes, textures, and ingredients in (and out of) candy than there’s ever been.””
— Ali Domrongchai, The Kitchn associate editor for groceries
What the Shopping Report Cannot Show
The article does not include sales figures, retailer data or consumer surveys, so it cannot establish whether these candies are gaining market share or how widely they are available. Its descriptions of popularity and social-media attention are the author’s observations, not quantified trends.
It is also unclear how prices and product selection vary among stores, or whether every product is stocked nationwide. The article’s ingredient descriptions are not a substitute for checking individual labels; recipes and allergen information can differ across products and change over time.
What Shoppers Can Check
The report gives no announced follow-up, release schedule or next market milestone. Shoppers interested in the named sweets can check nearby retailer listings and the package for ingredients, allergens and current price. Availability may differ by store, and the source does not confirm a nationwide rollout for every product.
Whether these examples become lasting fixtures or remain limited product trends is not established by the article. More reliable evidence of a broader shift would require later sales or distribution data, neither of which is provided in the report.
Key Questions
What candy trends does The Kitchn report describe?
The article describes candy using plant-based colorants, European gummies appearing in U.S. stores and crunchy versions of familiar sweets. These are examples observed by the writer, not quantified market findings.
Which European candies are mentioned?
The report names Swedish sweets including Bub’s, Sockerbit gummies and Bilar, along with the British candies Percy Pig and Colin the Caterpillar.
Does the report prove these candies are taking over grocery stores?
No. It describes products the writer has seen and some retail availability, but provides no sales figures or market-share data to establish how widespread or popular they are.
Which brands are cited for candy without artificial ingredients?
Domrongchai names UNREAL, FUNDAY, Joyride and YumEarth. Shoppers should check the specific package for its current ingredient and allergen information.
Source: thekitchn.com
