Every October, candy takes the spotlight. It’s the one Halloween purchase almost everyone makes, and this year the numbers are bigger than ever. For candy brands, that’s the headline. The real story sits one layer deeper: inside this season lives one of the fastest-growing consumer opportunities in the country.
Candy leads the celebration
The National Retail Federation’s 2026 survey, released this week, projects Halloween spending will reach $13.5 billion this year. And candy leads the way: 96% of consumers plan to buy sweets, accounting for $4.1 billion in spending. Chain Drug ReviewChain Drug Review
For the confectionery industry, this is the biggest moment of the year. According to the National Confectioners Association, Halloween generated roughly 18.4% of 2025 confectionery sales. Food Navigator
The season also starts earlier every year. About half of consumers (49%) plan to begin shopping for Halloween in September or earlier, a share that has grown from 34% in 2016, showing how Halloween has stretched from a single-day event into a full season. Chain Drug Review
A consumer driving the growth
Now layer in who’s shopping. The U.S. Hispanic population reached an all-time high of 70.1 million as of mid-2025, and its economic power keeps rising. The 2026 LDC U.S. Latino Economic Impact Report found that U.S. Latinos generated 28.2% of all U.S. economic growth in 2024 while representing about 20% of the population. At $4.4 trillion in GDP, the U.S. Latino economy would rank as the world’s fourth largest if measured on its own. ‘Hispanic or Latino? Please, Just Call Me Mexican’ : New Data Reveals How 70 Million Americans See Themselves +2
Within that community, people of Mexican heritage are the largest group, about 40 million, or 57% of all U.S. Hispanics in 2024. And for Mexican-heritage families, October 31 is the opening night of something bigger. Latino News Network
One season, three nights
For millions of Hispanic households, Halloween flows directly into Día de Muertos on November 1 and 2. Kids trick-or-treat on the 31st, and families build ofrendas for the days that follow, filled with sugar skulls, pan de muerto and the favorite treats of the loved ones they’re remembering.
Candy lives in both moments. In the trick-or-treat bag, it’s fun. On the ofrenda, it’s memory. That gives candy brands two things at once: a longer selling window and a more meaningful role in people’s lives.
What winning brands do this season
Plan for October 31 through November 2. Build the calendar, the shelf presence and the content around the full three-day stretch. The brands that treat it as one season stay relevant for longer and connect with families at their most emotional moment.
Speak with specificity. Hispanic consumers carry their roots with pride. New Pew Research data shows a majority default to a country name, such as Mexican, Cuban, Salvadoran or Dominican, over any collective label. Culturally specific messaging, crafted through transcreation, earns more trust than a single translated campaign. Latin Times
Win at shelf and on the feed. Circana data shared at NCA’s industry webinar shows brick-and-mortar still drives discovery, while omnichannel buyers boost sales. Meanwhile, TikTok is a top destination for candy discovery. Strong in-store displays plus creator content that feels native to the culture is a winning combination. Food NavigatorProgressive Grocer
Lead with flavor and nostalgia. One-third of consumers, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, are very interested in re-releases of nostalgic candy, and younger generations are more likely to seek unexpected flavors and textures. That’s a natural opening for Mexican candy brands, whose tamarind, chile and lime profiles feel nostalgic to some consumers and brand new to others. Progressive Grocer
Deliver value with heart. NRF notes shoppers are celebrating with affordability in mind: 31% say they will comparison shop if prices run high, and 34% plan to look for items they can reuse. Family-size packs and multipacks designed for both the candy bowl and the ofrenda speak directly to how these households celebrate. Chain Drug Review
The $4 billion candy moment is real, and it’s growing. The brands that capture the most of it will be the ones that see the full season, understand the families celebrating it, and show up with cultural fluency from the first trick-or-treat to the last candle on the ofrenda.
At Vaquero, this is the work we love: helping brands connect with Hispanic consumers in ways that feel true, specific and alive. If your brand is planning its next seasonal moment, let’s talk!
