Chocolate dollar sales totaled $2.93 billion, up 1.2% for the 52 weeks ending Dec. 29, 2019, according to U.S. convenience store all scan data from IRI, a Chicago-based research firm. Unit sales totaled 1.7 billion, down 3.1%. Novelty chocolate candy saw a 3.9% boost in dollar sales and a 15.6% climb in unit sales for…
Mixed Berry Ropes Bites
SweeTARTS is once again innovating its Soft & Chewy Ropes candy line by launching two new, one-of-a-kind confections: SweeTARTS Twisted Rainbow Punch Ropes and SweeTARTS Twisted Mixed Berry Ropes Bites. Both new products offer consumers a multi-faceted candy experience full of vibrant colors and mouth-watering flavors that are rolling out nationwide this spring in four sizes:…
Easter Candy Flavors
PEEPS is a one-stop hop for all Easter essentials, including the iconic colorful Chicks and Bunnies, as well as new flavors, chocolate varieties and jelly beans. While eating PEEPS is the primary reason consumers purchase the brand, a third of fans purchase PEEPS with a different purpose in mind, including to use them in recipes,…
BFY Confections Appeal
Non-chocolate candies — gum, mints, gummy, sour confections and more — represent perennial favorites, and they are increasingly playing in the better-for-you (BFY) arena. “Take-home and king-size packages are doing very well,” said Eric Patterson, merchandising manager for Beacon & Bridge Market, a family-owned, Flint, Mich.-based c-store chain with 25 locations. “Customers are shifting away…
Spicy Jelly Beans
BeanBoozled Fiery Five lets brave fans explore the world of spice with five true-to-life flavors: sriracha, jalapeño, cayenne, habanero and Carolina Reaper. Each bean is appropriately hot for its placement in this progressively spicy lineup, from mild sriracha leaving tasters with a light burn similar to the sauce to Carolina Reaper packing a major punch.…
Dual-Flavor Candy
HI-CHEW expands its innovative portfolio of vibrant flavors twofold with the launch of new HI-CHEW Fruit Combos Mix, featuring Tropical Smoothie and Piña Colada. Each ‘chewlet’ offers two layers of tastes that create one amazing fruit-forward experience. Inspired by your favorite hot weather beverages, the new HI-CHEW Fruit Combos offerings stay true to their equatorial roots. HI-CHEW…
Birthday Cake Candy Bar
KIT KAT Birthday Cake is coming. The launch of this new flavor marks the first time that a KIT KAT Bar will include sprinkles. This new limited-edition bar is a celebration of delicious birthday cake flavored white crème and the beloved crisp wafers we know and love, accented by a colorful assortment of sprinkles. This…
Ferrero USA Opens New Arizona Distribution Center
Ferrero USA Inc., part of the global confectionery company Ferrero Group, announced the opening of a new distribution center in Goodyear, Ariz., a suburb of Phoenix. The newly constructed facility located at 3600 Cotton Lane is 643,798 square feet and projected to begin operating by mid-March. The company plans to add 50 local jobs at…
Non-GMO Gummies
This is no ordinary gummy. This is SMASHGUMMY. Experience the thrill of naturally gluten free and deliciously non-GMO ingredients in this simply sweet and satisfying treat. SMASHGUMMY is made with organic cane sugar and other natural ingredients — no corn syrup, sugar alcohols, IMOs, carrageenan or anything fake or phony. At just three grams of…
Candy Innovation’s Sweet Tooth
It’s a sweet time to be a candy consumer — and a candy retailer. “2019 was a great year for candy,” said Daniel Moran, category manager for Rotten Robbie’s 34 stores in Northern California. “We saw a 5.73% sales increase across our chain.” In 2019, candy sales at convenience stores increased by both dollar sales…