Functional Sweets

Iconoculture: Sometimes, more is more. We want our indulgences, but we want to look and feel better, too. Delivering it all in one tasty package makes consumers smile – and keep on chomping.
Sweet news for the sweet tooth. From tooth-whitening chewing gum to skin-enhancing chocolate to vitamin-packed fruit chews, “functional confectionery” is taking some of the guilt out of guilty pleasures. In an effort to bring health-conscious consumers back to the candy aisle, bonbon brands are sugarcoating the good-for-you stuff – literally. The sweetest confectionery crossovers mix things up across health, beauty, and fitness segments. The one thing they won’t mess with? Taste. “Americans are explorers, they like new things,” says Harry Balzer of consumer marketing firm NPD Group. “As long as you don’t upset my expectations of taste, that’s the most important thing”
Sweet Science [Iconoculture]