Confectioner articles from September 2005

Confectioner archives from September 2005

Getting strategic about candy and self-scanning checkouts.(UpFront)
September 1, 2005... Love them or hate them, self-scanning checkout lanes are a retailing reality these days. Such checkouts have obvious potential to negatively affect front-end confectionery sales because they often don't include merchandising racks for candy...

Hurricane Katrina squeezes sugar supplies.(NEWS & Trends)
September 1, 2005... Amidst the death and destruction that Hurricane Katrina leveled on the Gulf Coast, now pegged at nearly 1,000 deaths with a million-plus residents displaced and a rebuilding tab of $150 billion, the natural disaster has also severely...

Blueberry Hill names Grosnick Broker of the Year.(Blueberry Hill Foods)(Grosnick Sales Group)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Private label general line candy supplier Blueberry Hill Foods recently presented its Broker of the Year Award to Charlotte, N.C.-based Grosnick Sales Group. Pictured, from left, are: Brad Ducorsky, president of Blueberry Hill Foods; Judy...

A look at 2004 numbers; commerce data reported.(NEWS & Trends)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... U.S. Department of Commerce Census Bureau numbers released in late July confirm a strong business climate for the U.S. confectionery market, the National Confectioners Association reports. According to the annual 311D Report for 2004,...

Another very upscale addition for Hershey.(acquisition)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... On the heels of its acquisition of premium chocolate maker Scharffen Berger, The Hershey Co. has acquired the assets of Joseph Schmidt Confections Inc., a chocolate maker noted for its artistic and innovative offerings. [ILLUSTRATION...

The show will go on; NACS heads to Vegas.(National Association of Convenience Stores)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Organizers at the National Association of Convenience Stores moved quickly to reschedule the annual NACS Show for Nov. 15-18 in Las Vegas after receiving confirmation from officials in New Orleans that it would be impossible--in the aftermath...

Pez promotes from within.(Pez Candy Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Dan Silliman was recently promoted within Pez Candy Inc. from regional sales manager/southeast to VP of sales. He was chosen after the company did an "extensive market search," according to CEO Joe Vittoria. "We spoke with people we all know...

Jelly Belly names two vice presidents.(PEOPLE WATCH)(Jelly Belly Candy Co.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Fairfield, Calif.-based Jelly Belly Candy Co. has promoted Jeff Brown and Sharon Duncan as vice presidents of human resources and international business, respectively. Brown, who joined the company as a college intern in 1993, previously...

Anderson moves to Lindt.(Kristen Andersen)(Lindt & Sprungli USA)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Kristen Andersen recently joined Lindt & Sprungli USA as vice president of marketing. Reporting directly to Lindt's CEO, Thomas Linemayr, Andersen is responsible for all of the company's marketing at both a retail and wholesale level. No...

Entrepreneur imports sophisticated packaging.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Lynn Findlay is changing the face of candy with her seven-year-old import business specializing in unique and attractive gift packaging for the candy and specialty food industry--Crayon, Inc., based in Watertown, Mass. The company imports a...

Staying focused on fun at Candy Planet.(Dan Johnson joins Candy Planet)(Brief Article)(Interview)
September 1, 2005... Dan Johnson has joined Candy Planet as director of sales, bringing with him "a vision to build on a company that markets innovative fun." Without giving away any product secrets, Johnson alludes to a much bigger future for the company: "I see...

Retailer of the Year: H.E.B, a big Texas success; How this giant of Texas grocery retailing gets it right in candy and throughout the store.(Company Profile)
September 1, 2005... Things tend to loom large in the Lone Star State. Consider the steaks, the Stetsons, the horizon, the hair even. Not to mention the attitudes and loyalties. After all, this is a state that can lay claim to its very own "national" beer. (Named...

Whole Foods--flourishing at 25.(Retailers Worth Watching)(Whole Foods Market)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Whole Foods Market's 25th anniversary year has been nothing short of eventful. In March, Whole Foods unveiled a "landmark" store and world headquarters in Austin, Texas, just blocks from where the company opened its doors as a...

Publix stays the course.(Retailers Worth Watching)(Publix Super Markets)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Sometimes the path to long-term success doesn't require rocket science. At Lakeland, Fla.-based Publix Super Markets, the emphasis is on pleasing the customer--and has been for 75 years. Which no doubt has much to do with the fact that the...

Trident Splash.(pellet gum)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Cadbury Adams USA LLC (973) 909-2752 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This new, center-filled pellet gum comes in two surprising flavor combinations--Peppermint with Vanilla and Strawberry with Lime. The company reports that sugar-free...

Poker game Gumball Machine.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(Ford Gum & Machine Co.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Ford Gum & Machine Co. (847) 955-0003 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ford Gum & Machine Co. has added the popular poker game, Texas Hold 'Em, to its line of Carousel Interactive Gumball Machines. This new black machine features a spiral...

Premium collection.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Sconza Candy Co. (510) 568-8137 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sconza celebrates its long candy-making heritage with the introduction of a premium chocolate packaged line that is a collection of the Sconza signature items packed in...

New lolllipop tins.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(Chupa Chups Group)(Crown Specialty Packaging)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Chupa Chups Group +34-93-495-27-27 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Chupa Chups Group has teamed with Crown Specialty Packaging for the introduction of a brand new series of promotional metal tins to house the popular lollipops. To build...

Paint Shop Spray.(PRODUCT UPDATE)
September 1, 2005... Impact Confections (719) 268-6100 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Impact Confections extends its popular Paint Shop franchise with the rollout of Paint Shop Spray, a fruit-flavored candy spray. The intensely flavored spray comes in four...

Inspirational cards.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... R.M. Palmer Candy Co. (610) 372-8971 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For Easter 2006, R.M. Palmer offers 1-ounce inspirational cards for a suggested retail price of $1 each. These tastefully designed cards include a milk chocolate egg...

New Luna flavors.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(Clif Bar Inc.)(Peanut Butter Cookie, Cookies 'n Cream Delight and Iced Oatmeal Raisin)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Clif Bar & Co. (510) 558-7855 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Clif Bar's Luna Bar line has added three new cookie-style flavors. They include Peanut Butter Cookie, Cookies 'n Cream Delight and Iced Oatmeal Raisin. In addition to the new...

Irony Mints.(PRODUCT UPDATE)
September 1, 2005... Hint Mint (800) 991-MINT [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Designer" mint maker Hint Mint has unveiled Irony Mints targeted to mass-market retailers. Sugar-free Irony Mints are packaged in a sleek, black, slide-to-open tin and come in...

Kissables.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(The Hershey Co.)(milk chocolate mini kisses)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The Hershey Co. (717) 534-5465 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hershey brings a dash of new excitement to the panned candy segment with the launch of Kissables candy-coated, milk chocolate mini kisses. To drive initial trial, launch of a...

Dipped nuts and cherries.(PRODUCT UPDATE)
September 1, 2005... Chukar Cherry Co. (800) 624-9544 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Chukar Cherry Co. has added double-milk-chocolate-dipped Macadamia nuts and dark-chocolate-dipped cherries to its line of chocolate-covered nuts and cherries. Chukar...

The sugar-free surge: as the desire to control sugar intake spreads from the diabetic market to the general population, candy manufacturers respond energetically.(CategoryInsights)
September 1, 2005... The "low" side of candy is hitting new heights. Even beyond low-carb confections, those that are sugar-free or "dietetic" have substantially surged. Between 2000 and 2004, U.S. sales of low-sugar and low-fat candies quadrupled, according to a...

Mystery shoppers de-mystified: mystery shoppers unwrap some not-so-sweet secrets.(TradeTalk)
September 1, 2005... A customer who finds the products she wants, in an environment she expects, and at a price she likes, is not about to shop around for another alternative. For manufacturers, a happy customer is a repeat customer, one who restocks frequently...

Watching the grass grow: how grassroots marketing is benefiting a varied mix of candy category players.(new marketing techniques by candy industries)
September 1, 2005... Grassroots marketing, a tactic usually reserved for those with limited budgets, is attracting more converts from companies big and small. As Americans become increasingly inundated with advertising, creative marketers and thinkers are...

One hundred years old and still going strong.(LastWord)(H-E-B Grocery Co celebrates 100 years of service)(Editorial)
September 1, 2005... I hope you've taken the time to read Confectioner's profile on H-E-B--our Retailer of the Year. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Unless you live in Texas or have made a point of visiting this retailer--you likely won't be familiar with this...