Americans’ love for Halloween candy continues to grow, with sales increasing by 14% between 2021 and 2022. This year is on track to see the same trend, with American consumers having already spent over $3.7 billion on candy in the six weeks leading up to the holiday. Among consumers’ favorite sweets, chocolate takes the top spot, with Americans buying it in almost a 2:1 ratio compared to other types of candy. Specifically, milk chocolate reigns supreme, as more people purchased milk chocolate last Halloween season than all other non-chocolate candy combined.
While unit sales of chocolate candies have remained stable over the past five years, the growth market lies in other types of candies. Last Halloween season, Americans bought about 7.8% more packages of non-chocolate candy compared to 2018, while sales of chocolate packages fell by 2.5%. However, there is one exception to the rise of non-chocolate sweets: the iconic “candy corn” typically associated with Halloween.
Data from NIQ shows that Americans are purchasing fewer packages of candy corn each year since at least 2018, reaching a low of 12.7 million packages in 2022. As of October 14th, Americans had only bought 5.3 million packages of candy corn this season. In contrast, sales of gummy and marshmallow candies, including Peeps, have each risen by more than 30% since 2018.
According to candy historian Susan Benjamin, the taste of candy corn is characterized by an indescribable sweetness that often defies expectations. Attribute Analytics conducted a flavor profile of candy corn on October 8th, which showed that the candy primarily carries a high degree of “sweet” flavor, with other flavors being less noticeable and quickly dissipating. In comparison, a variety pack of Albanese Gummi Bear Cubs exhibited a range of flavors that lingered longer in the mouth and complemented each other.
Besides flavor, texture also plays a significant role in candy. Candy corn’s grainy and crystallized appearance falls short compared to gummies, which bounce happily in the mouth as they are chewed and then dissolve. Beth Kimmerle, founder of food data company Attribute Analytics, considers candy corn to be somewhere in between a marshmallow and a hard candy.
Despite the lackluster taste and texture, both Kimmerle and Benjamin believe that people feel compelled to buy candy corn due to its nostalgic appeal. For many, candy corn evokes childhood memories and serves as a reminder of the past. As Benjamin puts it, “candy is as much about memory as it is about flavor.”