Styling and Photography By Laurie Mosco

Newstalgia is living up to its hype as the TOP candy trend.

First identified by the National Confectioners Association, newstalgia is “a twist on candy classics.”

The best thing about newstalgia — it’s breathing new life into our FAVORITE nostalgic candy and food brands!

Here’s how iconic brands are serving up new ways to enjoy. 

Classic Candies in New Forms

One way brands are creating new snacking experiences is by offering our favorites candies in new forms. 

They might look a little different, but don’t worry. The candies still have their popular logos and mascots, so they’re easy to spot.

One of the most popular ways to switch things up – classic candies as gummies. Makes sense as gummies are one of the largest growing candy categories. 

Even candy juggernaut Skittles® is lending its rainbow of fruit flavors to gummies with Skittles Gummies. All our Skittles flavor favorites are included from Original, to Wild Berry — even Sour Gummies. While the texture might be very different, Skittles gummies still have that classic round shape and are decorated with an “S.”

Lolli-POP sensation Push Pop is bringing its fun packaging and fruit flavors to gummies with the Push Pop Gummy Roll. 

The best part of the Push Pop experience is pushing up the pop and putting on the cap to enjoy later. Ring Pop Gummy Tape continues the tradition with a dispenser that lets you rip a piece and enjoy now, and save for later.

Ring Pops are getting in on gummies too with Ring Pop Gummy Chains. A wearable gummy bracelet with gummy charms, Ring Pop Gummy Chains are off the chain!

A hard candy showing its softer side is tangy fruit favorite Jolly Ranchers and their Jolly Rancher Fruit Chews. Chewy candy in the classic Jolly Rancher flavors like watermelon, cherry, green apple, strawberry, and blue raspberry will make you jolly.

Sour candy fans need to take a look at the newstalgic twists by SweeTarts and their Chewy Fusions and Chewy Ropes.

SweeTarts Chewy Fusions are a fusion of flavor and texture. They bringing together a thin candy shell, crunchy candy bits, and soft chewy candy into one exquisite sweet yet tart bite.

SweetTarts Chewy Ropes are a total departure from the original crunchy sweet yet tart candy discs. Each fun, flexible candy rope has long lasting chew and bright bold cherry flavor you will love.

Another popular newstalgic trend are classic candies reimagined as Squeeze Candy like Smarties Squeeze Candy. Smarties candy flavors in a fun liquid gel will tantalize your taste buds.

One of the biggest transformations we’re seeing at the moment are candy brands offering up their flavors as craft sodas.

Zotz are already known as the fizzing hard candy, but those bubbles are even brighter when part of Zotz Soda.  Zotz Soda features all your favorite Zotz flavors like Grape, Cherry, Watermelon — even Blue Raspberry. Added bonus – Zotz soda comes in a nostalgic glass bottle making it even more memorable.

There’s also popular snack brands teaming with candy favorites for what we’ve deemed a “snacking super group.”

An example of this is longtime Swiss chocolate brand Milka, and their Milka Chips Ahoy! Bar.  Iconic Chips Ahoy! Cookies sandwiched between 2 layers of rich Alpine Milk Chocolate is a collab we can truly get behind.

Fans of Goetze’s Caramel Creams, will be excited to hear that they’ve teamed up with iconic cookie brand, Oreo. Introducing: Goetze’s Caramel Creams with Oreo. Chewy caramel with Oreo Cookie Pieces surrounding a creamy center is a whole new way to enjoy these classics.

Some newstalgia changes are a little more subtle like Tootsie Pop Drops. The classic lollipop with the chewy Tootsie Roll center lost its stick and are now mini hard candies. Smaller hard candies = less licks to get to that fun chewy, chocolatey center. AND more enjoying of all the flavors you love from chocolate to cherry. 

Classic Food Brands Reimagined as Candy

Many snack, beverage, and food brands are getting in on the newstalgia craze too with a transformation to candy.

Just like classic candy brands are getting changed into beverages, the opposite is happening too. Popular beverage brands are getting the candy treatment. And let me tell you, it’s pretty tasty!

The candy forms that beverage brands are taking is pretty varied.

Some are transformed into fluffy, sweet cotton candy like Country Time Lemonade Cotton Candy. In each bag there’s lemonade AND pink lemonade to quench your craving.

Another beverage brand getting a candy refresh is Kool-Aid. There’s a lot of different ways to enjoy the iconic sweet, fruity beverage.

For an option that really pops, try Kool-Aid Popping candy. The pouches might look like the classic drink mix, but they’re actually filled with popping candy in flavor favorites Cherry, Grape, and Tropical Punch.

You can’t think of Kool-Aid without the Koo-Aid Man. Thanks to newstalgia, we can play and interact with the popular character through novelty candy like Kool-Aid Lollipop Dippers and Kool-Aid Character Fan.

Kool-Aid Lollipop Dippers serve up a lollipop in the shape of the Kool-Aid Man with candy powder to dip. The fan of the Kool-Aid Character fan keeps you cool. Kool-Aide Inspired gummies tucked in the handle of the Kool-Aid Character Fan make it extra refreshing.

Speaking of cool, frozen drink, ICEE is getting a candy makeover too! The sweet fruit flavors can be found in Squeeze Candy, Gummies — even Spray Candy.

Other beverage brands taking candy forms to note: Tic Tac Sprite with the sweet lemon lime flavor. Also Hawaiian Punch Chews, chewy candies in flavor favorites like Berry Blue Typhoon and classic Fruit Juicy Red.

Know we’ve been mentioning a lot of fruity flavored beverages as candy. Don’t worry chocolate fans, you’re not left out of the newstaliga fun. There’s Yoo Hoo Milk Chocolate Flavored Candy Bars.

It’s a childhood dream to have candy for breakfast. Under the new newstalgia trend, that dream is coming true with popular breakfast cereal brands as candies and snacks.

One breakfast brand that’s popping up a lot in the sweets and snacks space is Fruit and Cocoa Pebbles cereals. Pebbles are adding their taste and signature crunch to the Fruity Pebbles Candy Bar, and Milk Chocolate Cocoa Pebbles Bar. 

Pebbles is also adding extra texture and sweet flavor to popcorn with Cereal Pop. They’re great for binge watching your favorite streaming show. 

Even iconic food brands usually seen around the lunch and dinnertime table are getting in on the candy fun.

We all get a little cheesy nostalgic for cheese favorite, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. Now you can enjoy it for dinner AND dessert with Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Gummies. The box and the shape looks the same, but inside you’ll find tropical flavored gummies that will “mac” you crazy.

Even lunchbox classic, Oscar Mayer Lunchables isn’t immune to the candy treatment. There’s now Lunchables Gummies in iconic Cracker Stacker and Pepperoni Pizza versions. Each item found in a typical Lunchable is NOW a gummy allowing you to stack them high or trade with friends.

Snacking adventures with the brands we know and trust. Newstagia takes us on a detour from memory lane with a new way to try your favorite brands.

We have the newstalgic candies to make your selection memorable