Mars-owned Ethel M Chocolates is entering the 2026 holiday gifting season with nine new and limited-edition items priced from $5 to $80, targeting the premium confectionery segment that convenience and specialty retailers have leaned into as consumers trade up on self-gifting and occasion purchases.
The collection goes live online now and hits store shelves November 2, spanning collectible tins, gourmet tablet bars, and a limited-edition 24-piece Advent Calendar — one of the more on-trend gifting formats in premium chocolate right now — retailing at $80. The new Baker's Collection Satin Crèmes, a 12-piece assortment at $36, leads the novelty roster with four seasonal flavors: Dark Chocolate Vanilla Peppermint, Milk Chocolate Cookie Butter, Milk Chocolate Gingerbread, and Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter.
The SKU Lineup
The Holiday Favorites Sampler offers a lower entry price at $18 for five pieces — Pumpkin Spice, Pecan Pie, Fudge, Peppermint, and Eggnog — positioned as a stocking stuffer. Collectible Cactus and Holly tins in 16- and 32-piece assortments start at $45, while the Holiday Luxe Library tablet bar set starts at $9.50 and individual bars are available separately. A Gourmet Hot Chocolate tin in premium milk and dark chocolate shavings retails at $30 and carries Kosher certification. The newest standalone item, Peanut Brittle Bars dipped in dark, milk, or blonde chocolate, checks in at $5 — the collection's most accessible impulse price point for forecourt and counter displays.
All items are made without flavors or colors from artificial sources, a clean-label attribute that has become table stakes in the premium confectionery tier and increasingly matters to convenience foodservice buyers looking to elevate gifting sets near the register.
Flagship and Experiential Push
Beyond the product line, Ethel M is activating its Henderson, Nevada, flagship with the 33rd Annual Holiday Cactus Garden Lights, illuminating a three-acre botanical garden with more than one million lights from November 5, 2026, through January 3, 2027. A new Santa Express Pass offers front-of-line access, and a ticketed tasting experience in the Flagship Store Tasting Room pairs five seasonal chocolates with fine wines for guests 21 and older through January 1. Both the experiential and retail layers reflect a broader industry pattern: premium candy and snack brands are layering destination experiences onto product launches to drive trial and loyalty outside of traditional retail channels.
"For this year's collection, we've brought together the artistry of small-batch chocolate-making and the flavors of the season to create thoughtful gifts that make holiday moments feel truly special," said Mark Mackey, Chief Chocolatier, Ethel M Chocolates. The brand has operated its small-batch Henderson production facility for over 45 years and distributes through Southern Nevada and California retail locations as well as direct-to-consumer online.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
