“Consumers look for value, exciting flavors and nutrition when seeking new sweets and snacks,” says NCA president. More than 2,000 new candy and snack products debuted this week at the National Confectioners Association’s (NCA) SWEETS & SNACKS EXPO, May 24-26, at Chicago’s McCormick Place. As the largest confectionery, cookie and snack trade show in the [...]
Once considered a “guilty pleasure,” chocolate’s potential health benefits are attracting customers. By Howard Riell, Associated Editor. If there is one category that has historically been immune from an economic recession it is chocolate. Despite the difficult times many households have had to endure over the past two years, chocolate is one of those treats [...]
Functional and sugar-free gums are predicted to see strong growth through 2014, tapping into the increasing demand for health-oriented products. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor. Gum manufacturers are giving Americans more healthy options, additional flavors and better packaging, creating an opportunity for category managers to remerchandise the candy aisle to capitalize on this exciting product [...]
As the economy sputtered through 2010, confections emerged as the indulgence of choice for price-sensitive customers. The confections segment enjoyed a banner year with total chocolate sales increasing 6.89% to $2.1 billion. Units sold increased 6.3% to 1.78 billion. The average price held steady at $1.18, according to SymphonyIRI Group, for the 52 weeks ended [...]
The holiday season has come early with a sleigh full of new KoKo’s candies. Let these festive treats deck your retail aisles during this year’s winter season. KoKo’s Confections introduces: The new and improved Gingerbread House Kit from KoKo’s featuring Mike and Ike. What better way to celebrate the season than to decorate a 14.7-ounce [...]
Organizations interested in hosting the PEEPSTER can view the tour schedule to request a potential visit when the Volkswagen chick rolls into your city. Just Born Inc., maker of PEEPS Brand candies, is sending its PEEPSTER Volkswagen “chick” on a tour of the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest to celebrate its NEW peepsandcompany.com online store and [...]
Exclusive Web site for c-store operators now offers retailers a chance to win a trip for two to Daytona. C-store operators are speeding to the new 2011 Fantasy Racing program on Mars24seven.com, a site launched in spring 2010 and designed exclusively for c-store operators as a resource center with everything needed to create, enhance and [...]
“From connecting with NASCAR fans to engaging our retail partners, our partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing has proved to be tremendously successful,” says Mars spokesperson. Mars Inc. announced its continuing its partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) through a new multi-year deal. The deal extends the winning partnership that has brought the No. 18 Toyota [...]
Despite the economic slowdown, chocolate remains a relatively inexpensive indulgence for cautious consumers. By Howard Riell, Contributing Editor. Americans aren’t eating out as much as they used to, but they are eating more chocolate, which means the time has come for retailers who haven’t already done so to rethink, revamp and restock their chocolate sets. [...]
Escape to the tropics with the island flair of new Twix Coconut Cookie Bars. Just in time for Easter and summer, this new limited-edition item combines the sweet, exotic taste of coconut blended into Twix Brand caramel, atop a crisp cookie bar, coated with milk chocolate. The product features bright, beach-themed packaging and eye-catching displays [...]
Lucky fan to have a shot at winning $1 million. College basketball fans love picking the perfect play, and doing so could win them $1 million, now that the Reese’s brand, a corporate partner of the NCAA for the third consecutive year, has begun its “Perfect Play” promotion. The promotion gives fans the opportunity to [...]
Yale’s “spectrum of experience will be invaluable to Just Born’s long-standing history of continued growth,” says Co-CEO. Just Born Inc., maker of PEEPS, HOT TAMALES, MIKE AND IKE and PEANUT CHEWS Brand Candies, welcomes David Yale, who has joined the company as president and chief operating officer. In this role, Yale is expected to work [...]
Mars Inc. received the U.S. Secretary of State’s 2010 Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE) for its work in cocoa sustainability and efforts to improve economic development in the cocoa-growing region of the Republic of Ghana. Mars was chosen from a record number of 78 nominations submitted by American ambassadors around the world. The ACE awards, [...]
Starting Jan. 3, Pop Rocks lovers are encouraged to vote for their top pop songs as well as the greatest hits of the 70´s, as part of a new sweepstakes opportunity. The new “U-ROCK” sweepstakes is available on the company´s Web site www.pop-rocks.com, offering consumers the chance to win $100 iTunes Gift Certificates. This is [...]
Staying Alive: Planning to Thrive! Staying Alive is both the title of an old disco tune, as well as a description of the challenge that today’s c-store operators face. C-store growth in numbers as well as quality continues unabated. I certainly don’t have all the answers about staying relevant, but I have some very interesting [...]