Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
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CANDY COUNTER sweets boutique based in San Francisco. "Customers are moving away from mass- produced confections from factories far away, to hand-made candy made in their own communities. People want to feel con- nected to the foods they eat, and candy is no exception." Another case in point is Liddabit Sweets, a Brooklyn, N.Y., candy maker. Its small-batch caramels cooked with a reduc- tion of Brooklyn-brewed beer and combined with locally made, crushed pretzel bits are best sellers. Partners Liz Gutman and Jen King started the company in 2009 as a side project, "but we struck a chord with people," says Gutman. "From 2009 to 2010 our sales increased 400 to 500 percent and we're on track this year to do two and a half times as much as last year." Retro candy reinterpreted. Another trend Nielsen cites as bigger than ever in 2012 is nostalgic candy. "Artisan candy produc- ers are re-creating recipes for classic can- dies with great care and lovely packaging," she says. Liddabit Sweets smartly combines the organic, artisan trend with nostalgia, rein- venting old-school candy bars. The Snacker, for instance, is reminiscent of a Snickers bar, with chewy golden caramel, roasted peanuts and creamy chocolate nougat enrobed in dark chocolate. "It's something associated with nostalgia but made in a more grown-up way," Gutman explains. "We're also hand- making saltwater taffy but adding bergamot and coconut. We like to model things on memories from childhood and then use advanced techniques and the best ingredi- ents we can find to make them the same but totally different." For Liddabit Sweets' Honeycomb 4 new natural grain products stacked with health benefi ts and fl avor. These delicious selections feature heart-healthy nutrients, high fiber, and Omega-3 fatty acids. Learn more about our exotic new Royal Blend® with Quinoa, Royal Blend® Calrose Rice, or Jasmati® with Flax Seed, Brown rice at Booth #3523 or RiceSelect.com. Candy, Gutman took inspiration from a recipe in an old cookbook, which reminded her of Violet Crumble, an airy, chocolate- coated Australian candy bar her father used to love. "Apparently, it's also huge in Buffalo [N.Y.]," Gutman says. "Customers are so excited when they taste ours and tell me how they used to get it in Buffalo, but they call it sponge candy." Also noticing an uptick in nostalgia is Jenn Ellek, director of trade market- ing and communications at the National Confectioners Association in Washington, RiceSelect.com Winter Fancy Food Show Booth 3523 50 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE ❘ specialtyfood.com "Artisan candy producers are re-creating recipes for classic candies with great care and lovely packaging."