CHICAGO — As nearly 700 exhibitors prepared to show off their newest products at the 2022 Sweets & Snacks Expo, an increasing number of innovators debuted sweets with better-for-you ingredients.

Side Step Sweets made its debut at the show with Small Wins, all-natural and plant-based gummies.

“As a dad, I want to give my four-year-old son the world, but I also want to be mindful of the potentially harmful options out there,” said Jayson Tatum, NBA basketball player and co-founder of Side Step Sweets. “I helped develop Small Wins because I wanted parents, such as myself, to feel good about satisfying their child's sweet tooth. Small Wins is the first step in our goal of bringing better-for-you products to the market.”

Other companies offering a healthier choice to consumers includes Sugarox Candy Studio, who launched a low-sugar version of its Tamalitoz candy. The new formulation of its candy includes using red cabbage extract and turmeric as a natural coloring element.

Winner of the Best in Show award at the Sweets & Snacks Expo was Trü Frü, a company that uses hyper-chilling in the process of making its chocolate-covered fruit bites. The 100% real fruit bites are hyper-chilled at -300° F after being coated in chocolate.

From vegan caramel to plant-based gummies, to protein-infused chocolates, companies are not slowing down their creativity when it comes to making their products appeal to wellness-minded consumers.

Click to view new products from the 2022 Sweets & Snacks Expo.