The Collection
Ethel M Chocolates, the small-batch premium chocolate brand manufactured by Mars Snacking, is entering the 2026 holiday gifting season with nine new and limited-edition products spanning a price range of $5 to $80, available online now and in stores from November 2. The launch represents one of the brand's most expansive seasonal lineups in its 45-year history, targeting both everyday stocking-stuffer spend and the premium gifting tier that has outpaced the broader confectionery category in recent years.
The collection's highest-price anchor is the limited-edition 24-piece Advent Calendar at $80, featuring 24 full-sized chocolate gems including returning fan-favorites such as the Milk Chocolate Bananas Foster Truffle and Dark Chocolate Kona Bean Espresso Truffle. At the accessible end, new Peanut Brittle Bars — available in dark, milk, and blonde chocolate — are priced at $5 per unit, a deliberate entry point for impulse and gifting add-on purchases. Mid-range items include the 12-piece Baker's Collection Satin Crèmes at $36, featuring four holiday-inspired flavors new to the portfolio: Dark Chocolate Vanilla Peppermint, Milk Chocolate Cookie Butter, Milk Chocolate Gingerbread, and Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter. Collectible embossed tins in Cactus and Holly designs start at $45 in 16- and 32-piece configurations, while the Holiday Luxe Library gift set of four gourmet tablet bars starts at $9.50.
Pricing & Product Mix
The breadth of the price ladder reflects a deliberate strategy in the premium chocolate gifting segment, where operators and retailers have observed consumers trading up on gift occasions even as they pull back on everyday discretionary spending. Gourmet Hot Chocolate in a sapphire-blue tin, priced at $30, and Custom Chocolate Boxes and Tins starting at $40 round out a lineup built to capture multiple gift-giving occasions — from host gifts to table centerpieces — within a single branded purchase. All products in the collection are made with no flavors or colors from artificial sources, a formulation position that has become a baseline expectation in the luxury confectionery segment. "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 at Ethel M Chocolates.
Henderson Flagship & Retail Calendar
Beyond e-commerce and retail, Ethel M is activating its Henderson, Nevada flagship as a direct revenue and brand-equity channel. The brand's 33rd Annual Holiday Cactus Garden Lights — illuminating a three-acre botanical cactus garden with more than one million lights — runs November 5, 2026, through January 3, 2027. A limited-edition tasting experience in the Flagship Store Tasting Room, available November 5 through January 1, pairs five seasonal chocolates with fine wines for guests 21 and older, with reservations tied to guaranteed garden admission. The paid Santa Express Pass for priority Santa access is new this season, adding another ticketed revenue layer to the experiential component. For trade buyers and foodservice procurement teams evaluating seasonal confectionery partnerships, the tiered pricing architecture and December retail window position Ethel M's 2026 range as a competitive option in the premium gifting aisle as the holiday selling period accelerates.
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.
