Liz Parker Kuhn: What are some consumer trends and behaviors in the chocolate category?   

Jennifer Hockey: The world of chocolate is marked by many trends—some fleeting, others more enduring. Take Dubai chocolate, for example—while still holding strong in some markets, we are seeing it begin to fade in the chocolate category due to the oversaturation (though that didn’t stop us from creating some delicious pistachio bonbons, bombalinas, and truffles in 2025). But for 2026, we are putting a lot of our focus on “newstalgia” and purpose. As the general public craves “simpler times,” many of our guests and consumers are seeking classic, familiar flavors, reimagined with whole, functional ingredients and refined techniques. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to combine  our attention to detail and our mission of intention to create warm, nostalgic moments through chocolate.   

Flavor-wise, pistachio and “swicy” concepts are still in play, but now lingering textures (think gooey centers or crunchy, buttery bites), botanicals, florals, and sustainable, plant-based options are on our kitchen tables for this year.   

LPK: How does your company work to keep up with current consumer interests? For example—you've had quite some interesting flavor profiles in your chocolate products—how do you choose these profiles? Do you taste-test with consumers, too?  

Ash Mishler: Flavor trends and public interest move quickly, so when developing flavor profiles, we always consider classic, timeless flavors alongside emerging trends in the marketplace. Abandoning our classic, bestselling flavors for the “new and hot” isn’t the goal, but staying current is important to us—especially because, like our guests, our palates evolve too! Of course, we research, connect with fellow brands in the marketplace, and track studies and reports relevant to our industry, but we also take guest outreach very seriously. Many of our loyal fans will suggest flavor profiles or pairing ideas that we will test from time to time. Internally, our chef and our team are constantly coming up with new concepts to test and taste, some work, some don’t, and some become beloved—like our macarons, for example.   

LPK: Any notable innovations in chocolates that you are seeing?   

JH: Climate change and global cacao shortages are pushing the envelope of innovation. What we do, how we work, what we use, and how we use it is consistently shaped by this reality, and watching our fellow brands in the industry experiment with new processes is incredibly inspiring. With this, more and more chocolate brands are joining the call for mindful indulgence and immersive  chocolate experiences— chocolate with purpose. The sensory feast that we can create in the chocolate space is an incredibly impactful way to boost moods and build emotional connections. 

LPK: Do you have any recent or upcoming chocolate launches to share? Anything upcoming in 2026?   

AM: 2025 was a big year for us—our Smashing Pumpkins collaboration, adventures in Dubai chocolate, and our enrobed Macarons took center stage for us. We also introduced our 12 Days of Chocolate Advent calendar alongside our 25-day edition.   

Now, we’re already two months into 2026 and looking ahead to 2027. This year, we have a very special collaboration planned with Kora Bernabé of Valcaco that honors the unique terroir of Martinique and the incredible cacao that springs from its soils. 

We are also bringing back some classic flavors from the Vosges Vault for Easter, Mother’s Day, and fall/winter this year. Without giving it all away, we can say that the coming months will feel  like an embrace, filled with nostalgic flavors, new designs, and connection crafted in chocolate.    

Related: Vosges debuts holiday treat collections