This holiday season, Kinder Chocolate® is aiming to make festive traditions more interactive and memorable with a new partnership with The Lumistella Company, creators of The Elf on the Shelf® Santaverse™. The collaboration marries the beloved chocolate bar with an interactive digital experience, encouraging families to co-create holiday stories while enjoying a seasonal treat.

As part of the initiative, Kinder is launching limited-edition packaging across single, share, and mini sizes, each featuring the iconic Scout Elf®. Each pack also includes one of eight collectible cards with a QR code that unlocks “Let’s Story!,” a storytelling feature within Ferrero’s free Applaydu app. The feature allows parents and children to immerse themselves in eight exclusive The Elf on the Shelf stories with 360° digital content, enabling a shared storytelling experience that extends the familiar Santaverse™ tradition into a digital format.

This move comes amid a crowded landscape of chocolate collaborations, as global brands explore inventive ways to stand out. In the U.S., where Hershey’s maintains a leading position with over a tenth of the market, followed by Reese’s, M&M’s, and Lindt, recent partnerships illustrate a wide range of strategies: Hershey’s has teamed with Pokémon for collectible Kisses foils and with Beekman 1802 for chocolate-scented skincare; M&M’s collaborated with Crocs on limited-edition footwear. Meanwhile outside the U.S., KitKat launched blind box collectibles with POP MART and Tony’s Chocolonely, Godiva, and Beryl’s have focused on indulgent experiences and activations tailored to local markets.

The Kinder initiative fits within several clear industry currents. Brands increasingly leverage partnerships with entertainment IPs to amplify engagement. Seasonal tie-ins and collectible components remain popular, whether through limited-edition packaging or sweepstakes-style promotions. Luxury and artisanal collaborations, such as Domori x Trollbeads or Amedei x Pineider, emphasize craftsmanship and exclusivity, while charitable campaigns—such as Purdys Chocolatier’s Dear Santa Bar—focus on social impact. Sustainability, storytelling, and gamification are emerging themes, reflecting broader consumer interests in meaningful and shareable experiences.

Brand Positioning

Kinder is positioned as a family-oriented, experiential brand targeting children and parents, emphasizing fun and holiday traditions.
Hershey’s remains the dominant U.S. player with broad appeal, leveraging licensed IPs and multi-category collaborations (Pokémon, Beekman 1802).
M&M’s and KitKat pursue playful and collectible-driven engagements, including cross-category partnerships (M&M’s x Crocs, KitKat blind boxes).

Key Trends And Themes In Brand Collaboration Initiatives

Entertainment IP partnerships: Chocolate brands tie up with media properties for engagement; e.g., Kinder x Elf on the Shelf, Hershey’s x Pokémon.
Collectibles and reward mechanics: Cards, charms, or blind boxes encourage repeat purchase; KITKAT x POP MART blind boxes, Kinder collectible cards.
Luxury and artisanal collaborations: High-end pairings highlight craftsmanship; Domori x Trollbeads, Amedei x Pineider.
Charitable or cause-driven campaigns: Social responsibility enhances brand narrative; Purdys Dear Santa Bar, See’s Dogust initiative.
Cross-category experiential tie-ins: Chocolate integrated into lifestyle or fashion products; M&M’s x Crocs, Hershey’s x Beekman 1802 skincare.

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