Traditionally, candy brands relied on TV ads and supermarket displays to attract consumers. Today, a trending TikTok challenge or a YouTuber’s endorsement can send sales soaring.

From product discovery to purchase, social media is reshaping the confectionery landscape—especially among Gen Z and Millennials, who often consult their phones before heading to store aisles. Beyond influencers promoting sweets, creators are now becoming brand founders, redefining how candy is marketed, sold, and even produced.

📱 Scroll, Like, Buy: The New Candy Aisle

Social platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have become the new point-of-sale for candy discovery. A single viral video featuring colorful sour belts or satisfying gummy textures can generate millions of views—and cravings.

Take the rise of the viral #candysalad trend. Users began mixing their favorite sweets into massive bowls for “movie night” content, evolving into a full-blown social phenomenon—with one standout ingredient: Nerds Gummy Clusters. Their bright colors, unique texture, and ASMR-worthy crunch made them a must-have for content creators and candy lovers alike.

This organic, user-driven trend significantly boosted sales. In 2019, Nerds products generated around $50 million in sales. By 2024, sales skyrocketed to approximately $500 million, with Gummy Clusters accounting for nearly 90% of Nerds’ overall revenue.

On the other end of the content spectrum, there’s the Warheads’ #warheadschallenge—a classic example of “extreme candy” meeting social entertainment. The challenge is simple: eat a Warhead and capture your reaction—the more dramatic, the better. This kind of shock-value content thrives on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, where expressions, sound effects, and reactions turn a sour moment into a viral hit.

These examples demonstrate the range of what works in confectionery on social media: ➡️ Visual appeal, texture, and fun = shareable. ➡️ Extreme sensory experiences = memorable.

The best part? Neither requires million-dollar campaigns—just a great product and a spark from the right community.

🍫 Feastables, Sour Strips, Prime & the Power of Creator-Driven Brands

A clear sign of this shift is the emergence of creator-founded food brands. YouTuber MrBeast launched Feastables, a line of better-for-you chocolate bars, which reportedly sold $10 million worth of chocolate bars in its first few months. By 2024, the brand’s estimated valuation had surpassed $50 million.

Logan Paul and KSI’s Prime Hydration entered the beverage space in 2022 and generated $250 million in sales in its first fiscal year. As of early 2024, Prime’s estimated market value surpassed $1.2 billion.

Fitness YouTuber Maxx Chewning created Sour Strips, a sour candy brand known for its strong aesthetic, bold flavors, and shelf appeal. As of 2024, Sour Strips reported $50 million in annual revenue, growing steadily since launch in 2019.

What makes these brands work?

✅ They feel personal.
✅ They speak the language of their audience.
✅ They blur the line between entertainment and consumption.

For today’s consumer, trust and attention come from creators, not corporations—and candy brands are learning fast.

🛍️What This Means for Retailers & Legacy Brands

Retailers are already adapting. In-store promotions now often feature QR codes linking to social content, and products that trend online tend to move to eye-level shelf placements almost overnight.

Brands like Oreo and Skittles have leaned into user-generated content (UGC), running challenges and reposting consumer-created videos. Warheads leveraged TikTokers to fuel the #warheadschallenge, while Sour Patch Kids regularly activates creators to showcase seasonal packaging and new drops.

Meanwhile, Gatorade partnered with creators on limited-edition hydration challenges, and Reese’s has experimented with collaborations for limited-run flavor hype.

The message is clear: if your product looks good on camera and makes people want to share it, you’re in.

🤖 And Yes, AI Is Watching Too

Behind the scenes, AI-powered social listening tools help brands stay ahead of the curve—tracking what’s trending, who’s rising in influence, and which product formats are gaining traction.

Instead of waiting for a quarterly sales report, marketers now rely on real-time social signals to inform decisions. Want to know what candy texture is going viral in Germany? Or which flavor just spiked among U.S. teens? AI’s already on it.

🎯 Final Thought: Candy, Culture, and Creator Capital

Social media isn’t just influencing how people buy candy—it’s redefining what candy is and who gets to build the brands of the future.

Whether it’s a YouTuber launching a chocolate line, a TikTok challenge sending sour gummies flying off shelves, or an AI tool predicting next month’s trend, one thing’s for sure: The new candy aisle is digital, dynamic, and deeply personal.

In this fast-moving, creator-driven landscape, success belongs to the brands that listen, adapt, and embrace the cultural conversation. Candy is no longer just a product—it’s a moment, a mood, a piece of content. For marketers, retailers, and manufacturers alike, the challenge is clear: stay agile, stay relevant, and most of all, stay connected to the communities shaping the future of confectionery, one post at a time.