How Reese’s became Halloween’s favorite candy

Halloween dates back over 2,000 years to Samhain, a Celtic New Year’s Day that was traditionally celebrated on November the 1st. During this period, people thought that demons, fairies and the spirits of the dead walked the earth the night of October, when the veil was thin between the living and the dead. To appease the spirits, people left out gifts of food — marking the origins of modern day Halloween and trick-or-treating.

The tradition was brought to America by European immigrants in the 1800s. During this time, candy became the favored treat, over apples and homemade bakes, for homeowners looking for an easy way to ward off pranksters.

Fast forward to 2026 and confectionery sales hit a record $55 billion in 2025. Halloween accounted for around 18.4% of that total annual figure — making it arguably the most lucrative time of year for many popular candy brands like Reese’s, M&M’s and Skittles.

As The Hershey Company reports in their own market research, candy is a huge driver of connection and community during Halloween, embodying the tradition, anticipation and joy that help shape the holiday.

Hershey reports that Reese’s still takes the number one spot across their brands for America’s favorite Halloween candy, with the salty, chocolatey classic remaining a top choice for young trick-or-treaters and older consumers alike. By strengthening the association between Reese’s and Halloween, the brand has managed to become central to many Americans' Halloween celebrations — driving purchases for Reese’s in the run up to the holiday.

In this post, I take a look at how one of the most iconic Halloween candy brands of the last several decades has built an inextricable link between their brand, product and October 31st.

What is the best Halloween candy in 2026?

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular Halloween candy brands in 2026.

The most popular Halloween candy brands

What’s the most popular Halloween candy brand in the U.S.? The answer depends on which data you look at.

Chocolate has historically been the most popular type of Halloween candy, but CandyStore.com reports that the Halloween classic has recently been upstaged by gummies and sour candies like Sour Patch Kids for many states across the U.S.. Interestingly, chewy candy now boasts a 52% market share.

Though chocolate is still a favorite for many consumers. As we found in our own research on the best Halloween candy, chocolate came out on top overall when it came to consumer preferences for trying new limited-edition Halloween candy — like Reese’s Werewolf Tracks and Pumpkins.

Source: CandyStore

Here are some of America’s favorite Halloween candies:

M&M’s: Easy to share, fun to look at and delicious. CandyStore.com reports that M&M’s still take the number one spot for America’s favorite Halloween candy in several different states.

Sour Patch Kids: According to CandyStore’s rankings, Sour Patch Kids come in at number two for many states across the country. Moreover, DoorDash ranks the sour sweet number eight in their list of the most popular candies for trick-or-treaters.

Skittles: The color and shape of an M&M with the satisfying chew of a hard candy, Skittles is now the second-most-searched candy in America — only outranked by Sour Patch Kids.

Reese’s: The fourth fave in CandyStore’s state rankings. Beyond CandyStore’s list, Hershey reports that Reese’s sits at number one for America’s confectionery of choice in their dream Halloweentown candy bowl — with 39% choosing Reese’s over Snickers, M&M’s, KitKats and Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar.

While 29% of Americans rank the chocolate-and-peanut-butter classic as their absolute favorite candy. And when it comes to Americans making candy orders, DoorDash reports the candy has held the top spot for the nation’s favorite trick-or-treat candy for three years in a row.

Source: Hershey’s State of the Season Report

Candy Corn: Candy Corn is making an unexpected revival this year. Candy Corn orders have jumped by 30%. DoorDash snarks, “Some of you are proudly team Candy Corn. That's between you and your diary. Raisins, though? Nobody's excited to find those in a trick-or-treat bag, but the data doesn’t lie. Candy corn orders are up +30% year over year, and raisins are up +60%.”

KitKat: Addictively snappable, KitKats are easy to eat and come in a selection of fun seasonal flavors like Ghost Toast, Breaking Bones and Pumpkin Pie — making them a delicious Halloween staple according to research from Hershey.

What makes certain candies Halloween favorites?

On Halloween, certain candy characteristics win out over competitors every year. Here are some of the qualities consumers love in their Halloween treats:

1. Sweet and salty combos: Reese’s continues to reign as a Halloween candy of choice for many consumers due to its unbeatable sweet and salty flavor profile. The classic peanut-butter-and-chocolate combination delivers a satisfying full-bodied flavor, making it one of the most fun and enjoyable candies of the night.
2. Retro and nostalgia: Retro candies like Pop Rocks, Caramel Apple Pops and Candy Corn are Halloween throwbacks for any consumer, making them a fun hit of nostalgia for many consumers celebrating the holiday.
3. Easy-to-share, easy-to-eat: Small, colorful, hard-shelled candies like M&M’s and Skittles are easy to hand out, share and eat. This makes them a great choice for trick-or-treaters.
4. Textural mix: Candies that combine textures, like those with a crispy shell and a soft, gooey, chewy or chocolatey centre bring a more interesting tasting experience than other options on the shelf.
5. Portion size: Mini candy bars, chocolates and individually-wrapped sweets and chocolates that come pre-portioned are hygienic and safe for young kids collecting candy from strangers.

Why Reese’s dominates Halloween

Reese’s reportedly brings in over $900 million in revenue throughout trick-or-treat season. Despite nostalgic faves and new contenders threatening to knock out Reese’s for the Halloween top spot, the orange-wrapped candy still continues to be one of Americans favorites throughout the fall holiday season. Here’s why.

Building strong associations with Halloween

Over the decades, Reese’s has built strong connections between their candy and the holiday — approaching Halloween as a season rather than a single event.

Hershey effectively monopolizes Halloween by launching their top-selling Halloween candies four months before Halloween arrives. Known as "demand shaping,", seeing Reese’s on the shelves is often one of the first signs of the fall — with the brand signifying the future arrival of spooky season. This effectively drives consumer anticipation and excitement.

The data shows that the brand’s early arrival to the candy aisle also mirrors consumer shopping habits, with 67% of parents reporting that they buy Halloween candy during the summer.

In addition, Reese’s has built a strong brand identity as trick-or-treater’s “favorite” Halloween candy. Many of their best marketing campaigns cheekily adopt this title with playful, tongue-in-cheek marketing tactics.

A great example is the brand’s 2018 Candy Converter, a vending machine that gives consumers the opportunity to trade in "less popular" candies for Reese’s cups — strengthening consumers' mental association between Reese’s candy and Halloween delight.

Consistent branding and distinctive packaging

Reese’s boasts one of the strongest visual brand identities of any candy on the market. The brand’s signature bright-orange wrapper creates instant brand recognition, standing out on crowded candy aisle shelves.

Orange, black and purple all have cultural and historical significance during Halloween, with orange playing the color of pumpkins and Jack-O’-Lanterns. For many consumers, “Reese’s orange” creates an intuitive connection between the brand and the holiday.

The wrapper is so renowned that it’s often instantly recognizable beyond its American roots, as Hershey’s reports:

"Halloween was once a primarily American tradition, but its influence has steadily expanded across the globe. In recent years, excitement around the season has grown, especially among 18 to 34-year-olds, with pop culture and entertainment playing a major role. As the holiday gains momentum internationally, REESE’S treats are well positioned to become the world’s definitive Halloween candy. In emerging markets, the brand’s iconic orange packaging creates instant seasonal recognition, while the unmistakable combination of peanut butter and milk chocolate offers a uniquely American experience that resonates across cultures."

Seasonal products that keep consumers interested

Reese’s regularly rolls out seasonal products that bring a fresh take on a beloved product. The brand perfects the balance between the comforting nostalgia of the classic Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and fresh reinvention.

"People aren't extending Halloween because retailers put products on shelves earlier. They're extending it because the rituals, flavors, traditions and treats give them something joyful to look forward to."

- Hershey’s

Reese’s first experimented with the classic Peanut Butter Cup in 1993, bringing out a line of pumpkin-shaped candies. Since then, they’ve followed up with a variety of spooky shapes and variations including ghosts, bats and Franken-Cups filled with green crème.

This seasonal product innovation perfectly aligns with what the majority of consumers want on Halloween. In our recent research on trending Halloween candy, we report that 32% of consumers want their favorite candy — only in new shapes or flavors.

Breaking down Reese’s Halloween marketing strategy

Let’s take a look at some of Reese’s best candy marketing strategies in the run up to Halloween.

Memorable Halloween advertising campaigns

Reese’s connects with consumers by celebrating Halloween's most-loved trends in an innovative and fun way. This year, the brand launched “Reese’s Trick-or-Treatiest Street in America,” a multichannel campaign exploring the country’s top 150 streets for trick-or-treating.

The brand further intensified the Halloween hype by appealing to millennial pop culture by partnering with horror and sci-fi-connected creators and celebs like Christina Ricci and Kathy Najimy, who helped the brand find the country’s “scariest,”, most lucrative spot for going door-to-door to collect candy on October 31st. On the 21st of October, the brand released a two-part YouTube series, unveiling East Dudley Avenue in Westfield, New Jersey, historic home of The Addams Family creator Charles Addams, as the best place for consumers to take their kids on Halloween.

Experiential, activation-led campaigns that tap into the Halloween cultural lexicon are also a big part of Reese’s campaigns. As part of Reese’s marketing strategy for 2026, the brand tied their iconic candy to one of America’s most beloved horror film franchises: Scream.

Source: Hershey’s

To celebrate the release of the 7th film in the franchise, and help promote Reese’s at the ultimate Halloween candy, the brand rolled out limited-edition Scream packaging, VIP movie screenings, escape rooms and sweepstakes.

Limited-edition products and seasonal packaging

Throughout the years, Reese’s has continued to innovate with experimental seasonal flavors. Reese’s boasts over 135 different flavors across their entire line. And over 26 million pounds of Reese’s shapes are created during the Halloween season alone.

This innovation extends beyond the product. Reese’s puts equal attention on their packaging. For the Scream partnership, Reese’s launched limited-edition packaging with the legendary Scream mask on the front — creating an instant collectible item for both horror and Reese’s fans.

Source: Parade

This year, Reese's also brought nostalgic collectibility with the 'Charlie Brown' collab, in which the brand celebrated the 1966 animated classic, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Reese's traded its standard orange wrappers across the Miniatures line for limited-edition packaging featuring seven distinct illustrated scenes from the cult film. The brand invited fans to find all seven packages, gamifying purchasing and Reese’s collecting during trick-or-treating and other Halloween festivities.

Like the majority of seasonal products, Reese’s autumnal holiday refreshes typically command consumer interest and drive sales thanks to the scarcity principle and a fear of missing out, with seasonal limited-edition products typically driving a higher number of sales than non-seasonal items.

As we report in our latest research into what shoppers want from their Halloween candy this year, six in ten consumers say they like trying limited-edition candy. Moreover, one in three millennials say they’re more likely to buy a limited-edition product for fear of missing out.

Using humor and brand personality

Reese’s popularity is also driven by their use of humor and their cheekily-playful brand voice. 91% of consumers prefer brands to be funny. Playfulness in a brand directly influences positive emotions in consumers. 60% of people say playfulness makes them feel better about an organization and like the brand ‘gets them.’.

Colleen Ryan, partner at research and insights agency TRA, says, “The last few years have seen a focus on purpose marketing, on improving people’s lives through social good. Improving people’s lives, however, doesn’t have to always be through social good, it can also come from creating joy when the going is tough. They’re not incompatible aims. Purpose is, of course, important, but people are looking for a lightening of the mood, a laugh, and fun. The two can go hand in hand.”

The brand’s ‘Not Sorry - Trick’ ad is a great example of the tongue-in-cheek brand voice that endears the brand to consumers. The ad perfectly captures the lure of keeping candy for yourself, inviting consumers to indulge in a, “Good Halloween trick.” The brand cheekily urges them to, “Buy a bunch of Reese’s. Turn off all the lights in your house. And then just don’t answer the door.”

What other CPG brands can learn from Reese’s

What can other CPG brands take away from Reese’s success during Halloween?

Build distinctive brand assets

Reese’s continues to be a reigning Halloween favorite thanks to their consistent seasonal use of distinctive brand assets (DBAs). DBAs like Reese’s stand-out brand colors, classic font and seasonal pumpkin help make the brand instantly recognizable to consumers every Halloween. Help replicate Reese’s success, and build strong connections between your brand and Halloween as long as it makes sense, by making sure your DBAs feature across your seasonal branding.

Stay consistent while keeping campaigns fresh

Reese’s shows the importance of balancing consistency with innovation. The brand surprises and intrigues consumers each fall with fresh creative campaigns, themed products and collectible packaging. From the Charlie Brown packaging to the Scream-themed escape rooms, their novel annual approach builds anticipation, excitement and pop-culture buzz.

They expertly combine innovation with comfort, dependability and nostalgia, maintaining the same core product, signature witty brand voice and classic brand colors. This deepens memory structures, making Reese’s feel like a core part of Halloween — helping the brand to immediately come to mind as an essential Halloween candy each fall.

Create strong associations with seasonal occasions

Reese’s never treats Halloween as an afterthought. The brand has continually delivered thoughtful creative campaigns that draw from horror-based pop culture and classic Halloween traditions, creative seasonal products and collectible packaging — taking root in consumers' minds as the ultimate Halloween candy brand. Reese’s success reminds CPG brands of the importance of creating strong associations with seasonal events with intentional ad campaigns, seasonal product design and curated seasonal packaging.

How brand tracking helps explain seasonal brand dominance

Real-time brand tracking gives you essential insights into your brand health metrics and consumer perceptions and sentiment in the run up to October 31st.

To understand brand perceptions, you can monitor essential elements of brand health like brand awareness, consideration, preference, loyalty, competitive performance and sentiment and get a holistic view of how consumers view your brand in relation to your competitors throughout later summer and early fall.

While quarterly studies can miss the all-important pre-season ramp up or the instant impact of a new campaign or spooky product launch, continuous brand tracking allows you to measure and understand the influence of your seasonal initiatives on mental market share and brand equity.

Zappi's Brand Health Tracker helps you measure each of these core metrics and shows you how your brand connects to seasonal category entry points, the specific buying situations that elicit immediate brand recall — such as buying candy for trick-or-treaters. This in-depth, real-time tracking allows you to assess whether your seasonal branding, advertising and product innovation are actually succeeding in building mental availability and placing your brand and product top of mind throughout the Halloween season.