Cleaner candy drives sweet sales growth

No matter how well Americans try to follow a healthy diet, they still crave sweet treats, be that a frozen dessert, a cookie or candies. Fortunately, recent innovations offer exciting goodies for every eating plan, according to the market research firm SPINS, which specializes in natural, organic and specialty products industry.

Those innovations—paleo, plant-based and keto products, for example—are paying off, too. SPINS found that although conventional candies account for nearly 90% of sales, growth in the category is driven by specialty, wellness and natural products.

Check out this infographic for a quick look at some of the research firm's findings, including growth of alternative sweeteners and growth by candy categories.