Confectionery will once again be a key area of discovery at IFE 2026, where buyers can explore a growing mix of innovation, global influence and experiential formats shaping the category.
Taking place from 30 March to 01 April at Excel London, IFE brings together brands from across the snacks and confectionery sector, with this year’s exhibitors reflecting a clear shift towards products that prioritise novelty, interactivity and international appeal.
One of the strongest themes across the show floor is the continued rise of experiential sweets. Candy Paradise is a standout example, building its range around bold flavours, playful formats and eye-catching designs. The family-owned brand specialises in gummy and jelly-style confectionery, with products such as liquid-filled gummy grenades and bubble tea-inspired gummies designed to create a more engaging consumer experience. This focus on texture, format and visual appeal highlights how confectionery is increasingly being developed with social media and impulse purchase in mind.
A similar emphasis on innovation can be seen from Jellylicious, whose portfolio centres on 3D, peelable and jelly-filled gummies. Its peelable formats in particular tap into the growing demand for interactive sweets, while its jelly-filled range demonstrates how texture contrast is becoming a key driver of repeat purchase. The brand’s halal-certified, gelatine-free options also reflect a wider move towards inclusivity and dietary-conscious confectionery, opening up new opportunities for retailers to broaden their offering.
Alongside these product-led innovations, IFE also highlights the importance of global sourcing within the confectionery category. Hollywood Candy Wholesale brings together a wide portfolio of American, Canadian, Japanese and South African brands, underlining the continued demand for imported and hard-to-find products in the UK market. With retailers increasingly looking to differentiate through exclusive or trending lines, international confectionery remains a strong commercial opportunity.
This trend is further reinforced by 3 Aces London, which has rapidly established itself as a major distributor of global confectionery and beverages since launching in 2019. Supplying over 1,200 convenience stores and offering more than 2,000 product lines, the business reflects the scale of demand for globally inspired sweets and the role distributors play in getting these products onto UK shelves.
International innovation is also evident in brands such as STRIKING, known for its popping candy range. With more than 15 flavours and distribution across almost 30 countries, the brand showcases how classic confectionery formats can be reinvented through advances in technology and packaging. Its focus on sensory experience and novelty reinforces the wider direction of the category, where entertainment and engagement are becoming just as important as flavour.
Together, these exhibitors point to a confectionery sector that is evolving beyond traditional formats. Texture, interactivity and visual appeal are becoming central to product development, while global flavours and formats continue to influence what appears on UK shelves.
For buyers visiting IFE 2026, the confectionery offering provides a clear snapshot of where the category is heading: towards products that not only taste good, but deliver a memorable and shareable experience.
