Snacks Turned Toys: How Big Can This Emerging Trend Get?
6.16.2026, 12:00:00 AM
379
6.16.2026, 12:00:00 AM
379
New Product Wave
According to Toy Book, in the North American market, well-known food brands are stepping beyond supermarket shelves. Inspired by their iconic product shapes, they are independently developing or collaborating with toy companies to launch new products such as plush toys and collectible figures.
These highly recognizable food IPs are being seamlessly integrated into toy design, quickly shaping a new consumer trend.
Food, snack, and confectionery brands have long established strong emotional bonds with consumers. This makes their expansion into toys a natural fit, especially among adult consumers.
Their influence often spans generations and creates strong memory anchors. As a result, North American research institutions widely believe these IPs are well-suited for toys that combine play value, collectability, and decorative appeal.
Just Born: Peeps
Peeps, the iconic marshmallow confection brand under Just Born, has successfully expanded into the toy category.
According to Circana, Peeps plush toys alone accounted for approximately 12% of category growth in April.
Today, Peeps occupies over 64 feet of shelf space across retailers including Walmart, Target, Five Below, and Michaels. In 2025 alone, more than 1 million units of the "Polly Pocket × Peeps" collaboration sets were sold.
MGA Entertainment: Hyojo
The Hyojo blind box series from MGA Entertainment is widely regarded as a benchmark in licensed food-themed toys.
The series draws inspiration from major snack brands including Hershey's, Reese's, Jolly Rancher, Hostess, ICEE, and Blow Pop. Each brand features three collectible plush designs, totaling 18 characters in the first series, along with rare and ultra-rare variants. Snack-inspired toys resonate strongly because they instantly trigger recognition and emotional connection.
As toys increasingly evolve into lifestyle expressions, food IPs are opening up new creative opportunities for the industry.
The second Hyojo series has already launched, featuring designs inspired by Hershey's Kisses, Breyers ice cream, Krispy Kreme donuts, ice cream sandwiches, and Peeps bunnies—delivering even more playful and visually engaging characters.
Incredible Group: Squishi Toys
Incredible Group is known for transforming snacks into tactile 3D toys.
Its Squishi Toys line reimagines iconic brands such as Bazooka Candy, Sour Patch Kids, and Jell-O as slow-rising squishy collectibles. Some products even incorporate scent technology to closely replicate real snack experiences, enhancing both visual and sensory appeal.
Relatable: Emotional Support Toys
Relatable focuses on emotional value-driven product lines.
The company previously partnered with Pop-Tarts to launch the Emotional Support Pals plush series, along with Cozy Concepts Co. and Happy Helpers collections spanning plush toys, blankets, and wellness-themed lifestyle products.
This year, Relatable expanded its portfolio with Cheez-It-themed products, as well as plush toys, keychains, and blind boxes inspired by everyday food items such as bread, fries, pickles, and sushi.
Cozy Concepts Co. has also evolved from blankets into snack-inspired lifestyle products featuring brands such as Dr Pepper, Cheetos, and Doritos.
Sunny Days Entertainment: Licensed Pool Floats
Sunny Days Entertainment has launched a series of snack-brand-themed pool floats, allowing consumers to relax on inflatable designs inspired by Doritos, Cheetos, and Lucky Charms.
The floats feature double-sided printed graphics and built-in handles for improved usability and comfort.
Across major retail channels such as Target, Hershey's collaborations with Peanuts have also expanded into Snoopy-themed products across home goods, apparel, and broader lifestyle categories.
Conclusion
From Peeps marshmallow plush toys to Hershey's blind boxes and Doritos pool floats, food brands are steadily entering the toy aisle in North America.
Beyond children, adult collectors are becoming a major driving force behind this trend.
What started as novelty crossovers is rapidly evolving into a fast-growing, multi-category lifestyle IP ecosystem, suggesting that the "snack-to-toy" wave is only just beginning.
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