The Sweets & Snacks Expo ran from May 22nd to May 24th, 2018 in Chicago and debuted a plethora of intriguing vegan snacks!

Susan Whiteside, vice-president of public relations and marketing for the company that sponsors this expo, explains that the goal was to create products that challenged the impression of snacking. She believes they have done this by creating intense flavor profiles within their snacks.

Whiteside also went on to explain that a millennials’ definition of a snack is different from the notion of prior generations. Snacking is evolving and so too should the treats. It is important that the customer has a unique, and flavorful experience.

The classics at the Snacks & Sweet Expo this spring appeared to be caramel and coconut, but with a modern twist. Some examples include vegan ginger rum coconut caramels, Vietnamese coffee caramels, and Thai iced tea infused caramels. An array of fancy chocolates also made an appearance, flavored with ingredients like blood orange, hibiscus, roasted pecans, black salt, and Alderwood smoke.

Marzipan Maca Hibiscus Cups/One Green Planet

New flavor profiles also hatched at the expo, and these combinations are sure to become quite prevalent in the snacking world. These combinations included sun-dried tomato, rosemary and garlic, maple syrup, and fire-roasted hatch chile.

If you missed out on the Sweets & Snacks expo and are looking to try some of the recently debuted vegan snacks, check out Hey Boo and Jake’s Nut Roasters. Hey Boo offers a wide range of vegan caramels, coconut chocolate spread, and coconut caramel sauce!

Craving yummy, vegan snacks?

If making homemade snacks is more your speed, check out this 5-ingredient snack guide, or try some of these recipes from our Food Monster App!

Toasted Coconut Fudge

Lightly toasted coconut seems to be a snacking trend this year, so try it out yourself with this Toasted Coconut Fudge! This recipe only requires 4 ingredients and is absolutely dreamy.

Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Almonds

Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Almonds are not only trendy but a burst of flavor in your mouth. They are the perfect snack to munch on when you’re on the go!

Chocolate Cream Caramel Bars

Chocolate Cream Caramel Bars are completely addicting with a cashew butter caramel sauce, light chocolate cream, and crunchy almond crust. Plus, vegan caramel is all the rage these days!

Rejoice in all the vegan snacks with 15 Vegan Snacks So Good, You Won’t Want to Share with Anyone. We also recommend downloading our Food Monster App, which is available for both Android and iPhone and can also be found on Instagram and Facebook. The app has more than 10,000 plant-based, allergy-friendly recipes, and subscribers gain access to new recipes every day. Check it out!

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