Playful new textures. On-the-go meals. Elevated dining experiences for pets. These are just a few of the emerging Gen Z and millennial-focused consumer insights we tapped into this year across our American portfolio of snacking, food and pet nutrition brands. Expected to be the largest spending generation by 2030(Opens a new window)1, Gen Z and millennials' unique tastes, values and lifestyles served as key drivers behind these consumer-led innovations, inspiring us to launch more than 60 products in the U.S. alone in 2025.
Curious about consumer insights that shaped how people and pets in the U.S. ate in 2025? Keep reading as we recap some of our top U.S. snacking, food and pet innovations.
Serving up “newstalgic,” sensation-packed and mindful snacks
We’ve all felt the tug of nostalgia, but younger generations really take it up a notch. Gen Z and millennials are the most nostalgic generations — just look at TikTok, where 17 million posts feature the #nostalgia hashtag. To satisfy their craving for the past, we tapped into “newstalgia” – the idea of giving familiar classics a modern twist – with American snacks like M&M'S® Honey Roasted Peanut(Opens a new window) and TWIX® Snickerdoodle(Opens a new window).
But nostalgia isn’t the only thing on Gen Z and millennials’ minds – they’re also drawn to bold, adventurous experiences, including snacks bursting with unexpected flavors and textures. That’s why we created SKITTLES® Gummies Fuego(Opens a new window), a fresh take on a classic candy in a chewy, spicy format that caters to the popularity of “swicy” (sweet and spicy) foods in the U.S. With more than 50% of Gen Z and millennials preferring gummies2, this fiery upgrade brought the heat in an ever-growing gummy market(Opens a new window).3
For snackers seeking more texture, new options like M&M’S POP’d Caramel and SKITTLES POP’d(Opens a new window) deliver a fun, airy crunch. In fact, Skittles POP’d exploded on TikTok Shop, selling out in days – a standout in the rapidly growing freeze-dried candy market, which is expected to hit $2.4 billion by 20304.
We also answered the call of snackers looking to balance nutrition with flavor. From Nature’s Bakery Oatmeal Crumble Raspberry Lemon(Opens a new window), to new formats from our TRÜ FRÜ frozen and freeze-dried lines, and five new flavors of KIND® Healthy Grains Energy – including Strawberry Banana – we offered our U.S. consumers plenty of options. And, in collaboration with gaming giant Razer, our 5® gum brand launched RESPAWN by Razer™(Opens a new window): the first ever gum made for gamers, by gamers and designed with ingredients tailored to a gamer's needs.
Closing the speed-to-satisfaction gap with convenient meals for busy lifestyles
Younger American generations feel busier than ever before – leaving little time for meal prep5. Not only are they looking for products that make cooking more convenient6, they want them to be nutritious, flavorful and inspired by global flavors.
We debuted Ben’s Original™ Single-Serve Rice Cups(Opens a new window) in four new flavors like Spanish Style Rice and Fried Rice, and Ben’s Original Street Food Entrees(Opens a new window) line got a sweet-and-spicy kick with new Honey BBQ and Teriyaki bowls.
For the 51% of Gen Z and millennial Americans looking to up their protein intake7, we launched a new SEEDS OF CHANGE™ Protein Bowl in Harvest Herb, which offers a whopping 14 grams of plant protein and can be ready to eat in just 90 seconds. For consumers in search of more complete and convenient meal offerings, Kevin’s Natural Foods Stir-Fry Kits(Opens a new window) make it easy to enjoy delicious meals with clean ingredients any day of the week.
Elevating pet dining experiences with personalized and premium nutrition
More than ever before, pet parents in the U.S. are focused on tailoring their pets’ meals with high-quality ingredients and enhancements. The increasing demand for premium and specialty pet foods – and the rise in pet ownership – is growing the global pet nutrition market to a projected $47.4 billion by 20288.
In 2025, we expanded our lineup of premium food in the U.S. tailored to pets’ specific needs at various life stages. Highlights include the introduction of Royal Canin® Fresh Health Nutrition(Opens a new window), which offers science-backed nutrition for dogs from puppy to senior, and a new 24-pack multi-flavor offering of Sheba® PERFECT PORTIONS™ Kitten Wet Cat Food to support the nutritional needs of growing kittens. We also launched eight new flavors and formats of NUTRO® Natural Choice that support sensitive skin and stomach for dogs of all ages.
We introduced gourmet meal enhancers for U.S. pet owners seeking to elevate their pets’ dining experiences. Cats swooned for Sheba SELECTIONS Filets in Broth(Opens a new window), a whole-food meal complement that can serve as an appetizer, topper, mix-in or treat, while canine companions were treated to PEDIGREE® DRIZZLERS™(Opens a new window), PEDIGREE's first-ever sauce for dogs.
Finally, as supplements become an increasingly important part of pet care routines in the United States, we launched new options that deliver health benefits in convenient formats. We introduced Royal Canin Probiotic Powders(Opens a new window) for both cats and dogs to promote a strong immune system and promote digestive health, while three new Royal Canin Soft Chews(Opens a new window) supplement varieties target the most common sensitivities for puppies and dogs, such as joint, digestion and skin and coat.
Innovating for the future
These innovations are the result of a deliberate and meticulous process that begins with deep consumer insights, followed by extensive recipe development and rigorous testing by our R&D teams around the U.S. before being scaled for production. Ninety four percent of the Mars products sold in the U.S. are produced in the U.S., and with over 70,000 Associates in 38 factories and 16 regional and global offices across the country, our American facilities serve as the foundation of our innovation efforts.
With 2026 fast approaching, we already have many sweet, sour and swicy innovations on the horizon(Opens a new window) – including bringing back fan-favorite M&M’S Flavor Vote with classic bakery-inspired flavors like Peanut Butter Cinnamon Roll, Cherry Chocolate Cupcake and Lemon Meringue Pie. We are excited to continue delivering next-generation products that bring joy to both consumers and their pets.
- Nielsen IQ Spend Z Report
- Youth Snacking Report
- Data Bridge Market Research
- Grand View Research
- https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2024/06/26/Convenience-foods-over-cooking-food-trend
- Mintel 2024 Marketing Report
- https://www.emarketer.com/content/protein-product-trend-2025-consumer-demand-growth
- https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/global-pet-food-and-care-products-market-147.html
