Confectioner articles from March 2006

Confectioner archives from March 2006

Playing to win at candy retailing.(UpFront)
March 1, 2006... Despite the fact that I've lived in Chicago for the past two decades, I remain loyal to my Western Pennsylvania roots. So Super Bowl Sunday last month was a good day for me. So much so that this month's column will (for one time only, I...

FedEx Kinko's introducing candy and snacks.(expanding candy ranges in market)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... FedEx Kinko's is introducing an expanded confectionery range in several hundred locations throughout the country, according to a FedEx spokesperson at the company's Dallas headquarters. "We are excited to launch this national rollout in...

Planters is 100, and it's time to celebrate.(anniversary celebrations)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... 2006 marks the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Planters peanut brand, now the flagship for the Salted Snacks Category of Kraft Foods Inc. The company will mark the occasion with a variety of festivities, many of them built around Mr....

Most popular online Valentine's gifts.(online shopping)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Online sales of candy for Valentine's Day are growing almost as rapidly as the blossoming of the Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes romance--up 140 percent this year compared with 2005. Of the categories tracked, candy and jewelry netted the most...

Tesco to cross the Atlantic in 2007.(foreign operations)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... The British are coming, and the latest invasion has the potential to dramatically impact the U.S. convenience retailing landscape. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] British grocery retail powerhouse Tesco announced last month that it will move...

Life on the links recalled.(PEOPLE WATCH)
March 1, 2006... Long before Jim Corcoran, vice president of trade relations for the National Confectioners Association, was a man of candy, he was a caddie. That was back in the 1960s, but recently, he and 12 of his bonded-for-life caddyshack cronies got...

Sweet thrills at Kennywood: candy is a big part of the fun at this old-fashioned jewel of a theme park.(market research)
March 1, 2006... Southwestern Pennsylvania's Kennywood Park may not be among the nation's best-known amusement parks, but--much like the candy category itself--it's hard to beat when it comes to good, old-fashioned fun. Charm, too. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Sour Patch Cotton Candy.(PRODUCT UPDATE)
March 1, 2006... Taste of Nature (310) 396-4433 A licensing agreement with Cadbury Adams USA LLC allows Taste of Nature to deliver the taste of the classic Sour Patch Soft and Chewy Candy in cotton candy form. Each pack of Sour Patch Cotton Candy...

Warheads Juniors.(PRODUCT UPDATE)
March 1, 2006... Impact Confections (719) 268-6100 Warheads Juniors Extreme Sour hard candy is a miniature version of the flagship product in a sleek dispenser. All five flavors are assorted for a mix and match flavor sensation. The format allows...

New PEZ flavors.(PRODUCT UPDATE)
March 1, 2006... PEZ Candy (203) 795-0531 PEZ is making a couple of new additions to its candy flavor lineup--cherry and raspberry. Cherry, one of the original PEZ candy flavors, returns after a 20-year absence. Raspberry has been introduced for the...

Chick-N-Chat.(PRODUCT UPDATE)
March 1, 2006... Sherwood Brands (301) 309-6161 This squawking chicken novelty item from Sherwood Brands is filled with egg-shaped candy, which is released when the chicken's stomach is squeezed. The suggested retail price is $1.49. Chick-N-Chat...

Andes Mocha Mint.(PRODUCT UPDATE)
March 1, 2006... Charms (773) 838-3400 Andes Mocha Mint, the new limited edition candy from Charms, is a creamy blend of rich coffee flavor with the refreshing taste of mint. The gusseted bag creates an upscale look with the front panel graphics...

Beautiful bones bar.(PRODUCT UPDATE)
March 1, 2006... Ecco Bella (973) 655-9585 This new organic chocolate treat from Ecco Bella is made of dark, Swiss chocolate with the addition of sea-algae calcium with the trace minerals it contains and Vitamins K, D2 and D3. The suggested retail...

Organic Chocolates.(PRODUCT UPDATE)
March 1, 2006... Sconza Candy (510) 568-8137 Sconza Candy has added Organic Chocolate Raisins and Organic Chocolate Peanuts to its line of "Naturally Sconza" products. In order to best showcase the product, the packaging design for the 5-ounce bags...

Bawls Mints.(PRODUCT UPDATE)
March 1, 2006... Hobarama LLC (888) 439-2295 Packed 75 pieces per tin, Bawls Mints are lightly carbonated, high-caffeine mints made with guarana. They are designed to deliver what the company describes as "eye-popping refreshment" and also feature...

Snoopy Giant PEZ.(PRODUCT UPDATE)
March 1, 2006... Brand New Products (773) 325-2243 New from Brand New Products is a Snoopy Giant PEZ Candy Dispenser. Standing 12 inches tall, Snoopy comes decked out in a baseball cap; versions are offered for all 30 Major League Baseball teams. The...

Crunchy Baby Bottle Pop.(PRODUCT UPDATE)
March 1, 2006... Topps (212) 376-0300 New Crunchy Baby Bottle Pop offers the same Baby Bottle Pop taste with the addition of colorful, tiny crunchy nugget candies that stick to the pop. Four flavors are offered--strawberry, Berry Blast,...

Koko's Flower Pops.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Koko's Confectionery (800) 638-6000 Koko's has unveiled its newest offering, "dip-n-lik" novelty lollipops. The first rollout under the brand umbrella is a line of Flower Pops that feature a fruit-flavored pop "grown" in a pot that...

More dark chocolate options.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(Madelaine Chocolate Novelties)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Madelaine Chocolate Novelties (718) 945-1500 Recognizing consumers' growing fondness for dark chocolate, Madelaine has added dark chocolate stars and balls to its line of gourmet chocolate novelties suitable for everyday occasions....

Pirates of the Caribbean limited editions to set sail from Masterfoods this spring.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... In conjunction with the release this summer of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," Masterfoods USA is rolling out M & M's White Chocolate Pirate Pearls candies as a limited edition offering. Pirate Pearls will be available at retail...

Smoothies arrive in two new forms--from Jelly Belly and NECCO.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... No blender is required for those who seek to savor the taste of the confectionery category's newest smoothies--Smoothie Blend flavors of Jelly Belly jelly beans and NECCO Wafers Smoothies from NECCO. Jelly Belly Smoothie Blend flavor...

Masterfoods expands Dove brand.(PRODUCT UPDATE)
March 1, 2006... Already extended into the cookies and ice cream categories, Masterfoods' Dove chocolate brand had added additional confectionery SKUs. Most of the new entries are slated to appear on retail shelves in July 2006. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Lindor Truffles get ghostly.(Seasonal PRODUCT UPDATE: HALLOWEEN 2006)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Lindt & Sprungli (USA) Inc. (603) 778-8100 Lindor Truffles are all dressed up for Halloween in their traditional 5.1-ounce stand-up bags featuring Lindor Milk Chocolate Truffles in an orange Jack-O-Lantern Wrapper and orange bag and...

Brainiax and Franken-Fingers.(Seasonal PRODUCT UPDATE: HALLOWEEN 2006)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Sherwood Brands Inc. (301) 309-6161 The latest in Halloween novelty fun from Sherwood Brands includes Brainiax "monster" heads with "alien" brain pops. The key candy attraction--brain lollis with scary alien eyes that "pop" out of...

Flix keeps it poppin' at Halloween.(Seasonal PRODUCT UPDATE: HALLOWEEN 2006)
March 1, 2006... Flix has taken the popularity of the Batman Projector Pop into Halloween. New Halloween Projector Pops feature spooky images of a witch on a broomstick, a spider and a ghost. Available in counter and floorstand displays with "white space"...

Halloween Bubbagum Candy Teeth.(Seasonal PRODUCT UPDATE: HALLOWEEN 2006)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Bubbagum (651) 695-0520 For trick-or-treaters that want to have their teeth and eat them too, Halloween Bubbagum Candy Teeth are 100 percent edible. The Halloween lineup features four characters with bad teeth including: Count Vlad,...

Ghoulish Gummies.(Seasonal PRODUCT UPDATE: HALLOWEEN 2006)
March 1, 2006... Candy Tech (847) 229-1011 Halloween Tins filled with Gummi Frankenstein Brains and Vampire Fangs (each complete with the appropriate Frankenstein head tin and Vampire head tin) are the latest Halloween invention from Candy Tech....

Autumn assortment.(Seasonal PRODUCT UPDATE: HALLOWEEN 2006)(R.M. Palmer Company Inc.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... R.M. Palmer (610) 372-8971 These miniature foiled chocolatey bars come in a bag adorned with the signature colors of autumn. The assortment includes four varieties--fudge-filled, peanut-butter-filled, Double Crisp and peanuts. The...

Finger Pops.(Seasonal PRODUCT UPDATE: HALLOWEEN 2006)
March 1, 2006... Malibu Toys (818) 772-7888 Malibu Toys continues to "light up" the candy industry for Halloween. Finger Pops with Spooky Bands are perfect Halloween party favors that come with glow-in-the-dark orange wrist bands and have a...

Haunted Heads and Halloween Pop-Itz.(Seasonal PRODUCT UPDATE: HALLOWEEN 2006)(Ford Gum and Machine Company Inc.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Ford Gum & Machine Co. (847) 573-0800 Designed to meet the "rapidly growing trend towards school and at-home parties during the Halloween season, Ford Gum's Halloween lineup includes Haunted Heads Bubble Gum Balls in a 12-ounce bag....

Holiday Collection assorted candies.(Seasonal PRODUCT UPDATE: Winter 2006)
March 1, 2006... Arcor USA (305) 592-1080 From the largest hard candy producer in the world, Arcor, comes an artistic array of packaging designs for the Holiday Collection laydown bags of assorted candies. Top hard candy selections are featured,...

Retro mix floorstands.(Seasonal PRODUCT UPDATE: Winter 2006)(Sweet City, Inc.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Sweet City, Inc. (757) 456-0800 Display innovation is unveiled from Sweet City with its new floorstands that are uniform from season to season, allowing for a 108-count customizable product mix for all seasonal shippers. The...

Dove Jewels Premium Chocolate Assortment.(Seasonal PRODUCT UPDATE: Winter 2006)(Masterfoods USA)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Masterfoods USA, a division of Mars, Incorporated (908) 852-1000 More proof that premium is a hit, especially for the holidays--Masterfoods unveils its Dove Jewels Premium Chocolate Assortment for the fourth-quarter holiday season....

Chocolate Advent calendars.(Seasonal PRODUCT UPDATE: Winter 2006)(Madelaine Chocolate Novelties)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Madelaine Chocolate Novelties (718) 945-1500 Counting down to Christmas is delicious with Madelaine's colorful Advent calendars. Children will find fun rhymes next to each of the 24 individually wrapped milk chocolates hidden behind...

Holiday Ornament Balls.(Seasonal PRODUCT UPDATE: Winter 2006)(Ghirardelli Chocolate Co.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Ghirardelli Chocolate Co. (510) 483-6970 As part of Ghirardelli's Holiday Gift Collection comes new Holiday Ornament Balls, featuring Ghirardelli Squares Chocolates in two flavors: Milk Chocolate with Caramel Filling and Dark...

Halloween & December Holiday candy review: a look back at fourth-quarter seasonal sales and recommendations for building bigger and better sales in coming seasons.
March 1, 2006... The year 2005 was a good one for Halloween and December Holiday candy sales, according to Information Resources Inc. (IRI) data obtained from The Hershey Company and information provided by the U.S. National Confectioners Association. The...

Tapping into kids' touchpoints: when marketing candy to kids today, the industry needs to be mindful of two strong influences which don't have to be mutually exclusive--moms and technology.(ConsumerTrends)
March 1, 2006... As she crunches away on her morning cereal, 11-year-old Eva instant messages her best friend, Julia, to meet her down the block in five minutes on their habitual half-mile walk to school. Julia responds "k" just as Eva's new tunes finish...

Topps is tops with kids' power brands and innovation.(KIDS CORNER)
March 1, 2006... KIDS NEED 'NEW NEWS' Where would candy sales be without product news and innovation? As an essential driver of incremental sales and profits, product innovation increases usage among current users AND generates new users. Nowhere is...

ISM--a little bigger, a lot better: the 36th annual confectionery extravaganza in Cologne, Germany, was especially impressive this year.(International Sweets and Biscuits Fair)
March 1, 2006... The 36th Annual ISM--International Sweets and Biscuits Fair--held in Cologne, Germany, was successful in many ways. A record number of finished goods exhibitors... 1,634 in all, 80 percent from outside Germany... settled into exhibit space,...

All eyes on theater boxes: the "billboard effect" of these increasingly popular candy boxes is just one of the ways the packaging has made it a perfect mass retail fit.(packaging )
March 1, 2006... A bucket of popcorn, a giant soda, and a box of candy--in a specific rectangular flat shape that displays quite nicely under glass at concessions stands--those are the standard trio of treats enjoyed by America's moviegoers. A few years ago,...

Candy plays catch-up in self-checkout aisles: this rapidly growing retailing paradigm requires effective front-end merchandising to avoid big losses in confectionery sales.(RetailStrategies)
March 1, 2006... Queued up in a bank teller's line to get some cash lately? Had a gas station attendant pump your gasoline? Probably not. These days most of us handle such tasks by ourselves, and feel quite comfortable doing so. The process of checking...

Factoids and good information.(LastWord)
March 1, 2006... One of the many cool features of Stagnito's Daily Brief (a great source of information--check it out at www.stagnito.com, subscription is free) is the weekly poll. The questions in the poll cover everything from energy prices to organic...