Consumer desire for ‘more’ is driving innovation around healthy enjoyment, elevated convenience, collaboration, crossovers and memorable or immersive experiences, according to Circana’s 2025 New Products Pacesetters report.
“Consumers are looking for more from the products that they are purchasing and consuming ... whether that more is added benefits, added surprise,” explained Lisa Maas, VP of innovation at Circana.
Consumers’ desire for “more” is driving several of the report’s core themes that are reframing value: balanced and healthy enjoyment, elevated and convenient, collaboration and crossover, and memorable and immersive.
Balanced health and ’healthy enough’
One of the notable shifts identified in the report is the nuanced difference between ‘healthy enough’ and ‘better for you’ positionings.
Maas notes that the difference “between indulgence and healthy, and this idea of products being healthy enough to drive consumer acceptance” is increasingly shaping food innovations.
“Healthy enough” emphasizes a core, healthier ingredient with an indulgent twist, while ‘better-for-you’ focuses on free-from or reduced formulations, Maas said.
Sweet goods are one example of the “healthy enough” trend, which could feature a macro like protein to support the “healthy” aspect of the indulgent product, Maas said.
“Healthy enough” is further driven by GLP-1 use for weight loss , the rise of snacking and functional ingredients like fiber and protein, she adds.
Ultra-convenience as format innovation
Alongside healthy balance is a growing emphasis on convenience as a value add. Maas said “consumers are looking for more as it relates to value delivery,” which includes convenience that goes beyond traditional formats.
Ultra-convenience products offer multiple benefits that cut down on steps, Mass explains.
A key example is Perdue’s Air Fryer Ready Chicken Wings, which delivers restaurant-quality wings at home.
“How do you create something that can deliver restaurant or QSR [quick service restaurant] quality product with the convenience of my air fryer?” she said.
Discovery, partnerships and launch strategy
Social media and e-commerce are the leading platforms for how consumers discover new products, according to the report.
Winning brands are creating brand visibility through influencer strategies and retail partnerships. One example is children’s protein juice brand Frosh, which sold out DTC after launching in late April, and soon landed in 1,650 Target doors. The brand, leveraged the popularity of its founders R&B singer Ciara, former football player Russell Wilson and influencer family the LeBrants on social media, and Target’s broader plan to pivot towards better-for-you products.
“How do [brands] meet consumers where they’re at, whether it be starting with social platforms … or perhaps partnering with a retailer as a retailer exclusive again to gain traction,” Mass explains.
For many emerging brands, starting with a single retailer is less about mass reach and more about precision.
Maas notes that retailers “are going where that initial distribution channel makes sense … it’s kind of a natural evolution of how personalized that innovation is.”
Retailers, meanwhile, are increasingly selective of products and want established proof of concept, she added.
Collaboration and crossover as core strategy
Collaborations and licensing are becoming foundational to innovation strategy and a departure from traditional one-off marketing tactics, according to Circana.
The appeal of collaboration lies in trust that the established brand and novelty from the new brand can take a product “into a completely new place,” and drive trial faster, she said.
This dynamic benefits large and small brands, where larger companies can lend their credibility to the smaller brands, and the smaller brands can give their larger counterpart cultural relevancy.
Jolly Ranchers’ recent collaboration with indie RTD tea brand Ryl Tea places its iconic candy flavors into a modern and unexpected context. While Ryl Tea gives Jolly Rancher a twist to its 1990s heritage.
Retail implications and innovation ROI
For retailers, innovation plays a critical role in driving loyalty and differentiation. Maas notes that successful products “are tapping into attributes or claims or benefits that a number of shoppers are seeking” and ultimately strengthening loyalty.
Brands, in turn, must clearly articulate their value “to demonstrate how it’s beneficial for a retailer,” she said.
What has staying power?
Looking ahead, Maas sees two trends with clear longevity.
First is balanced health, where consumers will continue to seek products that deliver on their health goals and a memorable flavor and sensory experience.
Second is collaboration between brands and categories, which Mass predicts is “not going to slow down … companies are going to look for those ways to drive future credibility in new spaces.”
