Sweets & Snacks Expo reveals innovative products winners

MINPA winners ranged from chocolates to baked goods to salty snacks.

photo by Liz Parker

Sweets & Snacks Expo has announced the winners of the 2024 Most Innovative New Product Awards (MINPA), recognizing excellence in 13 categories and showcasing the most innovative ideas, concepts, and products across the candy and snack industries.

“With the Most Innovative New Product Awards, we celebrate the innovation that sets flavor and product trends for the confectionery and snack categories, and, in many ways, carries heavy influence across the entire food industry,” says John Downs, president & CEO of the National Confectioners Association, the host organization for Sweets & Snacks Expo. “As consumers look to confectionery and snacks to enhance special moments, celebratory occasions, holidays, and everyday activities, this innovation is more important than ever before. Through these awards, we recognize the manufacturers, retail partners, suppliers, and brokers who play a role in delighting consumers across the country and around the world.”

Each year, more than 300 confectionery and snack products are submitted for consideration in categories including Small Business Innovator and Best in Show, and retail leaders specializing in these powerhouse categories serve as judges. From May 14–16, the products were be on display in the Featured Product Showcase at the Sweets & Snacks Expo.

The Most Innovative New Product Awards Winners are:

Chocolate: Skippy – Milk Chocolate PB Minis
Meat Snacks: Chylers – Hawaiian Beef Chips – Original with Roasted Garlic
Savory Snacks: For the first time in MINPA history…a tie!

Our Home, You Need This – Hot Cheddar Fries
PepsiCo Foods – Doritos Dinamita Smoky Chile Queso

Seasonal: Crazy Candy, Anderson’s Crazy Candy – Peanut Brittle
Gum & Mints: Mars Wrigley North America, Hubba Bubba – Mini Gum in Skittles Original Flavors
Gourmet/Premium | Candy: Lakrids by Bulow – Passionfruit Chocolate-Coated Licorice
Baked Goods: Simply Good Foods Company, Quest – Strawberry Cake Frosted Cookies
Novelty/Licensed: Amos Sweets Inc., Amos Peelerz – Gummy Banana
Non-Chocolate Candy: Amos Sweets Inc., Amos Peelerz – Gummy Mango
Salty Snacks: Nomad Snacks – Ramen Popcorn
Sweet Snacks: Nerdy Nuts – Banana Cream Pie Peanut Butter Treat
Small Business Innovator: Issei – Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberry Mochi Gummies
Best in Show: Nerdy Nuts – Avalanche Peanut Butter Treat

Liz Parker Kuhn is the senior editor of Candy Industry and Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, and has worked at BNP Media since 2012. She has written for CBS Detroit as well as for her own blogs. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. Liz can be contacted at (248) 839-7156 or at parkere@bnpmedia.com.