Strike the Right Balance

North Americans love their candy, whether it is chocolate or sugar confectionery, and both types are fairly ubiquitous in North American stores. However, competition for sales in the candy aisle can be quite fierce. To encourage consumers to buy store brand chocolates and sugar confectionery, retailers could focus on interesting packaging, flavors and ingredients to peak the consumer’s attention.

Trends with traction

While tubs are still popular when it comes to packaging candy and chocolate, stand-up pouches have begun to take over the aisles. In fact, 44 percent of chocolate candy buyers now purchase chocolate candy in a stand-up pouch, states Packaged Facts, a division of Rockville, Md.-based MarketResearch.com, in its July “Chocolate Candy in the U.S.” report.

“We’re beginning to see substantive interest in stand-up pouches,” states Barry Rosenbaum, president, Nassau Candy, Hicksville, N.Y. “Many of the national brands have moved in that direction, and retailers are beginning to as well with their private brands.”

When it comes to flavors, sweet and salty continues to be a popular combination among consumers, particularly sea salt caramels, Rosenbaum states.

Inclusions such as coconut, almonds and super seeds such as chia and hemp are also popular, Packaged Facts reports.

For non-chocolate candies, retailers could take advantage of the growing interest in Greek yogurt and in “superfruits,” states global market researcher Mintel in its March “Category Insight: Sugar and Gum Confectionary” report. Retailers could combine the two to create a more healthful product. One retailer already doing this is Walgreen Co., Deerfield, Ill., which offers under its Good & Delish line a Greek yogurt coating over strawberries, apricots, cranberries and blueberries.

Trends on the horizon

As for what’s coming next, Rosenbaum states that consumers are increasingly interested in the story behind what they’re eating. For example, fair trade chocolate, non-GMO verified chocolate and chocolate made with sustainable palm oil are becoming more popular.

“We believe that these trends are the next natural leg in the progression of wellness for edibles,” Rosenbaum says. “As a company, we are aligning ourselves behind these trends and building programs with national retailers based on them.”

When it comes to non-chocolate candy, retailers could find that targeting adults pays off. One way to do this could be with products that offer functional benefits, Mintel states. For example, in the UK, Jelly Belly Sports Beans’ Energizing Jelly Beans are marketed as a portable power snack that contains carbs, electrolytes and vitamins B and C.

And retailers could focus on creating sophisticated adult flavor profiles. For example, the national brand Mallow introduced artisan marshmallows with flavors such as French Toast, Chai, Yucatan and Strawberry.