Confectioner articles from September 2006

Confectioner archives from September 2006

When the unexpected is not a good thing.(UpFront)
September 1, 2006... Recently I set out for my local Safeway-owned Dominick's supermarket to pick up a few items. The store is beautiful and only few years old, so I was surprised to see that it was slated for a remodel, apparently a conversion to the Safeway...

Tesco Express to raise the bar for U.S. convenience retailers.(NEWS & Trends)
September 1, 2006... British retailing powerhouse Tesco PLC is heading West--to develop small-format stores in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Phoenix. Tesco's debut on the West Coast is slated for mid-2007, the company confirmed. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Stephany's makes a comeback courtesy of Enstrom Candies.(NEWS & Trends)(Enstrom Candies Inc. and Stephany's Chocolates)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Enstrom Candies Inc., Grand Junction, Colo., has resurrected the Stephany's Chocolates business headquartered in Arvada, Colo. Stephany's, which specializes in upscale, handmade chocolates, was forced out of business this spring following...

Sweet exposure for Bubble Chocolate.(NEWS & Trends)
September 1, 2006... The new aerated Bubble Wrap Chocolate from Bubble Chocolate (www.bubblechocolate.com) recently got some exposure in the premiere issue of Hallmark magazine. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The magazine selected Bubble Chocolate for inclusion...

Guylian goes grassroots.(NEWS & Trends)(Guylian Chocolate on marketing spree)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Guylian Chocolate will devote six weeks of the holiday selling season to a grassroots marketing campaign in the metropolitan New York area. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The campaign will feature a sampling van adorned with Guylian...

Huggins' new job combines good works, great chocolate.(PEOPLE WATCH)(Chip Huggins)
September 1, 2006... For Chip Huggins, 48, a new post as president and CEO of San Francisco Chocolate Co. combines two things about which he is passionate--chocolate and helping others. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] San Francisco Chocolate Co. is fully owned by...

Names in the news.(PEOPLE WATCH)(Jenn Ellek and Grace Concepcion appointed at National Confectioners Association )(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The National Confectioners Association has announced the addition of two new staff members. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jenn Ellek has joined NCA as director of trade communications and marketing. Previously, Ellek managed the marketing...

Rethinking convenience retailing.
September 1, 2006... Change is constant. Consumers can be fickle. Competitors are everywhere. And the price of gasoline is ridiculous! Such are the realities facing the nation's 140,000-plus convenience stores. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] But still the...

Open to chance: no old-school c-store retailing for Wisconsin's Open Pantry. The chain's elegant new format addresses the needs of discriminating female consumers without alienating core male shoppers.(Company overview)
September 1, 2006... New Berlin, Wis.--Chances are that your average working mom in this pleasant, upper-middle-class suburb doesn't spend much time hanging out in bistros or martini bars. But thanks to the inviting, casually elegant decor of the Open Pantry...

Village Pantry: true to its people; Regional c-store operator Village Pantry has the advantage of just that: playing specifically to its consumers in the Central Indiana/Western Ohio regions.(Company overview)
September 1, 2006... Full-sugared soda pop, tobacco and the lottery--these are the mainstays of Indianapolis-based Village Pantry LLC. What's more, "We still do well with fried chicken and doughnuts," maintains Kent Raphael, vice president of merchandising. ...

Wawa's private practice continues.
September 1, 2006... Wawa, Pa.-based Wawa Inc. has some "private" news that isn't all that private. For decades, the convenience chain has made no secret of its company-wide branded dairy program; its subsequent private-label beverages and its hoagies/sandwiches...

Self-serving convenience.(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Jeff Parsons has seen the future, and it is automated. Or so he believes, at least. Parsons is a Springfield, Ill.-based entrepreneur who has created a convenience store format comprised exclusively of vending machines. The...

A brave new world of chocolate from Hershey.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The Hershey Co. (717) 534-4200 Cacao Reserve by Hershey's is a new premium line of all-natural chocolates and drinking cocoa. The products are made with carefully chosen, slowly roasted cacao beans blended with all-natural...

Vertigo.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(product introduction by Topps Company Inc)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The Topps Co. Inc. (212) 376-0300 New from Topps are chocolate-and candy-flavored pops called Vertigo. Featuring a hard candy layer with a rich chocolate base, Vertigo combines flavors such as chocolate and caramel, chocolate and...

Marshmallow Pop.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(product introduction by KoKo's Confectionery Novelty)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Koko's Confectionery (800) 638-6000 Koko's Marshmallow Pop is unique because it looks and tastes like a real marshmallow, but it's a lollipop. Each pop is perched atop a plastic stick molded and colored to resemble a real twig. The...

New Caramel Mix.(PRODUCT UPDATE)
September 1, 2006... Goetze's Candy Co. (888) 638-1456 Goetze's has unveiled a new player in the field of mixed bags--the 10-ounce Caramel Mix, a combination of Caramel Creams, Mini Cow Tales and Goetze's Gourmet Caramels. The laydown bags come packed...

Warheads spray candy with Lollipop.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(product introduction by Impact Confections Inc.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Impact Confections (719) 268-6100 Warheads Super Sour Spray with Lollipop delivers double benefits to kid consumers--a candy spray coupled with a sweet, fruity lollipop. The new item, which allows kids to consume it in multiple ways,...

Xtreme Fruit Bubble Gum.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(product introduction by Masterfoods USA)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Masterfoods USA (908) 852-1000 Masterfoods USA's newest advance is a colorful one with the introduction of Skittles Xtreme Fruit Bubble Gum. Building off the success of Skittles Original Bubble Gum, this fruit-flavored candy and...

Pod power arrives.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Innovative Candy Concepts (404) 505-7332 Colorful Too Tarts Smart Choice Screaming Sour Powder Pods house sour powdered candy and boast a flip-top lid with a clip. Thus kids are free to flip, clip and go, the company states. The...

New Peeled Snacks packaging.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(Peeled Snacks)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Peeled Snacks (212) 706-2001 Peeled Snacks will unveil a new packaging design this fall that gets the word out about a previously overlooked aspect of its snacks: fiber. Unlike other fruit and nut snacks, Peeled Snacks packages the...

AirHeads Cars bars.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(PerfettiVan Melle USA Inc.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... PerfettiVan Melle USA Inc. (800) 283-5988 For a limited time, specially marked bags of AirHeads "Cars" bars will include a $2 mail-in rebate for the "Cars" DVD to be released Nov. 7, 2006 along with a free trial subscription to...

Sour Punch Sip-N-Chew straws.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(American Licorice Co.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... American Licorice Co. (800) 220-2399 Sour Punch Sip-N-Chew brand Straws feature all of the goodness of classic Sour Punch candy packed into a 1-ounce, 11-inch super-sized drinking straw. Each stand-up display box holds 30...

Mini Cow Tales bag.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Goetze's Candy Company (888) 638-1456 The new 10-ounce Mini Cow Tales Laydown Bag features bite-size versions of the popular 25-cent Cow Tales. A new cow icon named "Getz" is featured on the bright orange swirly bag, which carries a...

Dream Chews.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(Innovative Candy Concepts)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Innovative Candy Concepts (404) 505-7332 Too Tarts Smart Choice Real Fruit & Honey Dream Chews are fat-free, sugar-free chewy candies that start out sour and turn sweet as they are chewed. Available in a 4-ounce package with a...

Lolly Lites.(PRODUCT UPDATE)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Simon Candy Co. (800) 367-2441 Developed as a snack for diabetic and calorie-aware sweets lovers, Lolly Lites are made with only 18 calories and contain no sugar, fat, sodium or cholesterol. The pops are available in a bulk...

New licensed Peeps items from Flix.(PRODUCT UPDATE: Easter)(Flix Candy)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Flix Candy (847) 647-1370 Flix Candy is hatching some new novelty licensed Peeps products for Easter 2007. Peeps Easter Eggs are translucent pastel eggs that open to reveal miniature Peeps chick- and bunny-shaped marshmallow-flavored...

Easter egg surprise lollipops.(PRODUCT UPDATE: Easter)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Ford Gum (847) 573-0800 A colorful, shrink-wrapped basket with a suggested retail price of 99 cents holds three 15-gram lollipops each covered with a psychedelically-decorated Easter egg. The plastic egg opens easily to expose a...

Sugar-Free Peeps.(PRODUCT UPDATE: Easter)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Just Born (800) 445-5787 Responding to the continuing demand for sugar-free products, the Peeps brand will celebrate Easter 2007 with the rollout of Sugar-Free Peeps Chicks. Sweetened with Splenda, Sugar-Free Peeps Chicks come in...

Easter Bunny Egg Head family.(PRODUCT UPDATE: Easter)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Ford Gum (847) 573-0800 A family of egg heads is a good thing when it's Ford Gum's latest Easter treat and boasts a suggested retail price of just 99 cents. The "family" is comprised of three large plastic eggs packed in a clear...

Gorgeous jelly eggs.(PRODUCT UPDATE: Easter)
September 1, 2006... Brand Castle LLC (216) 292-7700 Gorgeous is the brand name for these new hand-decorated jelly eggs, but it's an apt descriptor for the colorful, attractive candies as well. A 12-piece, 4.2-ounce package has a suggested retail price...

Peeps go green.(PRODUCT UPDATE: Easter)
September 1, 2006... Just Born (800) 445-5787 Just in time for Easter and St. Patrick's Day, marshmallow Peeps will be available in a new color--green. Five-, 10-, and 15-count trays with suggested retail prices of 59 cents, 99 cents and $1.19...

Easter pop-its.(PRODUCT UPDATE: Easter)
September 1, 2006... Galerie (859) 538-8000 This air-filled PVC egg shows off a fun Easter plush item and a generous supply of jelly beans inside. The suggested retail price is $4.99 to $5.99. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Spring-themed Crafty Cooking Kits.(PRODUCT UPDATE: Easter)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Brand Castle LLC (216) 292-7700 A new player in the confections category, Brand Castle LLC, is targeting candy buyers with its new Crafty Cooking Kits, including two geared to the Easter/spring season. The Kellogg's Rice Krispies...

Peeps Cocoa Bunnies.(PRODUCT UPDATE: Easter)
September 1, 2006... Just Born (800) 445-5787 New from Just Born are Marshmallow Peeps Cocoa Bunnies. The new cocoa-flavored bunnies will be packaged in eight-count packages that carry a suggested retail price of 99 cents and are available in a 24-count...

Pre-filled eggs deliver an Easter solution.(PRODUCT UPDATE: Easter)(Galerie)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Galerie (859) 538-8000 Marketers at Galerie give new meaning to the term "filled eggs." Last year the company introduced several themed varieties of colorful plastic eggs filled with an assortment of wrapped, branded candies. The concept...

What is the primary challenge that you as a distributor expect to face in the next year?(MiddleGround)
September 1, 2006... "Our challenge, as always, is to fight slim margins and to try to keep accounts receivable in line. In this climate, a lot of people try to take advangtage of accounts receivable." Daniel Coffman, General Manager Gem State Distributors,...

Just breathe: things are looking up for the breath fresheners category.(CategoryInsights)(Statistical data)
September 1, 2006... Candy buyers are all smiles over the breath freshener category. After three years of declines, the breath sweetener sector of the candy business showed a 4 percent sales increase for the 52-week period ended May 20, 2006, according to...

Single smarts: single and carefree? Not when it comes to candy singles. A front-end expert offers advice on how to best manage this significant subset.(CategoryInsights)(Statistical data)
September 1, 2006... The single life of a candy bar is far from freewheeling. Some would even argue there is a serious science behind the front-end placement of these single impulse packs of joy. "My work is all about immediate consumption and helping...

Candy bans considered: custom candy premiums and novelty packaging company Strottman International asked its panel of "Kid Engineers" to share their views on laws restricting the sale of candy, snacks and soda in schools.(KidEngineers)
September 1, 2006... Do you think there should be laws banning the sale of candy and soda in schools? What about laws against selling French fries and other foods that are not healthful? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Well that would make sense--if they're not...

2006 AWMA summit and business exchange puts key issues in the spotlight.(LastWord)
September 1, 2006... I was honored to moderate a session on "Candy Trends and Merchandising in Convenience" at the event held recently in Lake Las Vegas. Representatives from Atkinson Candy, Cadbury Adams, The Hershey Company and Masterfoods shared insights and...