Five new sweet treats we loved at the National Convenience Show 2025

This year’s National Convenience Show at the NEC in Birmingham (7-9 April) was packed with products, services and tech for the sector, but amongst all the madness we really needed to sample some of the sweetest treats on offer from suppliers – if only to keep our energy levels topped up.

Here are five we loved, spanning everything from freeze-dried sweets to ice cream. And a bit of the sweet stuff never hurt anyone…

Montezuma’s Blondie Chocolate Buttons

Montezuma’s is known for its exquisite creations and line-up of chocolate bars, but this Autumn, it’s going blonde with the launch of Blondie Chocolate Buttons – grown-up white chocolate treats for cosy nights in.

Montezuma’s Blondie Buttons are reassuringly natural with no added flavourings or colourings. The caramel flavour comes naturally from the ‘conching’ process - one of the final stages of chocolate making, where the mixture is heated and mixed over a long period to help develop the flavour and texture.

The new buttons will be available from September with the RRP £4.99 for a 150g bag.

Just Desserts Yorkshire cheesecakes

Just Desserts Yorkshire has expanded its Luxury Cheesecake portfolio with four new additions to help broaden the flavours.

Offering “innovative twists” on classic combinations and recipes, the new cheesecakes feature fruit-based Raspberry Ripple Cheesecake and Blueberry Crumble Cheesecake, Italian inspired Tiramisu Cheesecake and Pistachio Cheesecake.

The new range is also available in retail ready packaging allowing customers to stock the trio within a retail setting. Each case includes 16 cheesecakes with an RRP of £3.50 per portion.

Noomz

British confectionery company Langtins launched Noomz, a new range of freeze-dried sweets, at the event this year.

This new range takes classic candies and transforms household favourites into lightweight sweets. Made famous by space exploration, Noomz is now “bringing freeze-dried to the mainstream market with its extreme flavour and crunchy texture captivating the tastebuds of snack enthusiasts across the UK.”

The range is priced from £2.49 and packaged in resealable pouches to ensure the sweets retain their crisp texture and all Noomz products are also Halal certified.

Hackney Gelato’s Banana, Caramel & Pecan gelato

Award-winning artisan gelato brand Hackney Gelato announced the launch of its latest flavour - Banana, Caramel & Pecan. This new addition promises to “delight taste buds and elevate dessert experiences just in time for National Banana Day on 16 April.”

Crafted with the finest ingredients, Hackney Gelato’s Banana, Caramel & Pecan flavour combines the rich, creamy sweetness of ripe bananas with luscious caramel swirls and the satisfying crunch of roasted pecans. Made with fresh British milk and cream, and real bananas, this creamy gelato is rippled with caramel sauce and chunks of caramelised pecans like a nutty banoffee pie. Each scoop offers a harmonious blend of textures and tastes, making it the perfect indulgence for gelato lovers.

Sloth & Spoon Salted Caramel Spread

UK producer Sloth & Spoon makes its spreads in Kent in small batches with Belgian blonde chocolate and sel de guerande salted caramel.

“Lathered on a thick toasted sourdough or sneaked into your secret brownie recipe, slow indulgence is on the menu,” it says. This spread launched for the first time at the show with many visitors sampling the new line.