Nassau Candy talks innovation, trends in chocolate
Wellness is shaping how consumers approach the category.
We recently touched base with Dana Rodio, director of marketing and brand strategy, Nassau Candy, to talk about trends in the chocolate category, and how the company keeps up with consumers.
Liz Parker Kuhn: What are some consumer trends/behaviors in the chocolate category?
Dana Rodio: A big flavor we’re seeing at the moment for chocolate is pistachio. While Dubai chocolate opened the door, pistachio is experiencing a renaissance as a standalone flavor profile—particularly in chocolate products. But it’s more than pistachio crème. It’s showing up as a drizzle, or as a standalone flavor added to white chocolate or white confection.
This love of pistachio inspired the launch of our Pistachio Collection late last year. In this collection, you will find an assortment of our bestselling factory-fresh chocolate creations with a pistachio spin like Pistachio S’mores, Chocolatey Mini Pretzels with a Pistachio Drizzle, and Pistachio Almond Bark.
Looking ahead to 2026, wellness is also shaping how consumers approach chocolate. Whether driven by GLP-1 usage or a broader focus on balanced indulgence, shoppers are increasingly mindful of portion size. This has fueled demand for single-serve and bite-size formats that allow consumers to indulge without overcommitting. Single-serve today extends beyond a traditional chocolate bar. It includes small-format treats like a single chocolate-covered pretzel, a dark chocolate graham cracker, or a two-pack of sea salt caramels.
LPK: How does your company work to keep up with current consumer interests?
DR: Staying close to consumer interests means paying attention not just to flavors, but to how shoppers engage with chocolate as a gift and as an experience. We continuously track buying behavior, retail feedback, and emerging trends to understand what will resonate at shelf and scale in production.
One innovation we’re seeing gain real traction, particularly in promotional and gifting, is etched chocolate. Using advanced laser technology, detailed designs can be etched directly onto milk chocolate bars, turning the chocolate itself into the visual focal point rather than relying solely on packaging. From a manufacturing standpoint, it’s especially compelling because it eliminates the need for custom molds, supports faster turnaround times, and offers a more sustainable approach to customization.
We’ve recently added chocolate etching capabilities within our promotional chocolate business and are actively evaluating broader applications. It’s a great example of how innovation in confectionery today is being driven by a balance of creativity, efficiency, and scalability.
LPK: Do you have any recent or upcoming chocolate launches to share?
DR: We’ve launched several new chocolate creations recently, with our Pistachio Collection standing out as the most significant. Pistachio continues to gain momentum with consumers, and we’ve leaned into that demand by reimagining some of our top-performing bulk chocolate items with a pistachio twist.
The collection includes Pistachio S’mores, featuring fluffy marshmallow and crisp graham coated in a creamy white pistachio-flavored confection, as well as Pistachio Almond Bark, which combines pistachio-flavored confection with crunchy almonds in bite-sized pieces. We’ve also extended the flavor into our pretzel line, coating pretzels in chocolatey confection and finishing them with a pistachio drizzle for added visual and flavor appeal.
We also expanded our caramel lineup with the launch of Double Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels, featuring a rich chocolate caramel center made from our perfected in-house caramel recipe, adjusted to deliver a deeper cocoa flavor and balance, that’s enrobed in either milk or dark chocolate for a more indulgent take on a longtime favorite.
LPK: What is your personal favorite Nassau Candy chocolate item to enjoy?
DR: One of the best parts of my job is getting to work alongside an incredibly talented team to create custom chocolate items for a wide range of customers across every class of trade, from everyday staples to seasonal. Being that close to product development makes it hard to pick just one favorite.
That said, my personal go-to has always been our Sea Salt Caramel Pretzels. It’s an exclusive Nassau Candy factory innovation and a perfect example of what we do best—balancing flavors and textures.
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