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 Seattle Chocolates' 1950s-inspired bars and truffles Holiday Candies Go Upscale Some classics of the season, such as candy canes and fudge, have been upgraded with new flavors and varieties while other mainstay confections tout a holiday makeover. BY DENISE SHOUKAS W hen it comes to gift-giving, chocolate and confections rank during the holiday season. And with countless manufac- turers creating a new generation of premium confections every year, retailers have even more reasons to anticipate healthy holiday sales. "There is a distinct climb in sales during the fourth quarter, as it can easily be considered candy season with all the holidays," says Lydia Fletcher, sales and marketing coordinator for Hammond's Candies, a 90-year-old confectioner in Denver. And while candy translates to fun gifts for consumers, it's serious business for retail- ers and manufacturers. According to NASFT's 2012 "State of the Specialty Food Industry Report," sales of candy and individual snacks grew 15.5 percent from 2009 to 2011, hitting $1.087 billion. Starting each fall, confectionery sets benefit from increased holiday-specific items, such as maple sugar candies or pumpkin fudge for Thanksgiving, followed by a vibrant array of artisanal chocolates and confections for Christmas and Hanukkah. Kim Warlow, owner of The Cork & More, a specialty food shop in Lake Tahoe, Calif., says her confectionery sales grow at least 35 percent during the fourth quarter. And by complementing her chocolate 30 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE ❘ specialtyfood.com selections with toffees, mints, fruit jellies, taffies and hard candies, she sees her sales continue to increase each year. "Dark chocolate is always the most popular," Warlow notes. "There are so many flavor combinations now—with sea salt being number one—that custom- ers' interest is definitely sparked." Read on for some of today's specialty chocolates and confec- tions that turn the classics into trend-forward gifts. Fancy Fourth-Quarter Fudge While fudge is available year-round, during the holidays it takes off. "Our biggest time is fourth quarter," says Nancy Galli, owner of Nancy's Candy Co., Salem, Va., maker of an assortment of fudge and other confections. "People indulge in wonderful delicacies during the holidays. Who doesn't want food or candy for a gift?" Nancy's Candy's fudge flavors, such as Pumpkin, Cranberry PHOTO: SEATTLE CHOCOLATES