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Top Candy Trends
Now what’s new?!
By Traci Carneal
Each year Distribution Channels publishes its list of top candy trends. From upscale chocolate to sours and functional candy and gum, today’s innovations are keeping consumers guessing and excited about their treats.
"The consumer wants their standard treats, but is also looking for new and any excuse to eat candy," says Tom Joyce, The Hershey Company. He adds that providing products that appeal to consumers is not rocket science. "Keeping pace, moving quickly and maintaining quality and inventory are vital to moving in and out of the consumer trends," he observes.
These trends are not based on some savvy survey or in-depth industry analysis. It’s just simply the trends that we see based on the mounds of new product information sent our way everyday, as well as advice from the experts interviewed for this publication. Here are some of the top trends that have surfaced this year, and those that are just over the horizon.
1. Diet Candy.
Americans’ obsession with losing weight will never end. It will just move on to the next diet trend. Right now the desires for candy that will help consumers meet their weight goals is extremely popular. In fact, sales for this category quadrupled between 2000 and 2004, according to Market Trends: Diet Candy, a report from Packaged Facts.
Diet candy had a 34 percent compound annual growth rate in the previous four years, whereas chocolate had a growth rate of 3.9 percent, and non-chocolate a negative 2.5 percent.
One illustration of this new trend is Russell Stover Candies’ new Weight Watchers® line of chocolate candies under its Whitman brand. And The Hershey Company reformulated its sugar free line with a combination of sugar substitutes.
May the quest for weight control live on forever!
2. Different sizes.
While consumers are trying to downsize their bods, manufacturers are downsizing their products to capitalize on the "grab ‘n go" lifestyles of today. Candy products are now palpable, bite-sized and attractively packaged in convenient sized containers.
Just Born, Inc. came out with new Peanut Chews, bite-sized candy with peanuts and rich chocolate coating. Tootsie Roll introduced Tootsie Roll Midgees, and Taste of Nature, Inc. came out with Cookie Dough Bites.
Most recently, The Hershey Company debuted its new Kissables product, miniature Hershey Kisses coated in a colorful candy coating. Furthermore, soon we’ll see softer chewing gum in smaller pieces for aging adults.
At the other end of the size spectrum are the products that are growing in size. For example, Masterfoods USA introduced new Mega M&Ms, M&M products in a larger size for adult consumers. Tougher bubble gum will likely become larger in the future, according to Diana Moore of Spangler Candy.
3. Ethnic.
No one will argue that the growing Hispanic population is having an impact on new product introductions, as well as spurring companies from overseas to gain increased sales in the United States.
One such company is Sonric’s of Mexico City, Mexico. Sonric’s currently exports to the United States, but hopes to launch its products with the same success it has seen in its homeland. Its products include Rockaleta, a lollipop with gum in the middle, Gudu Pop, and Karate Peanuts.
People are experimenting with new flavors and taste sensations, and the spicy, ethnic flavors are a perfect fit.
4. Bugs and worms.
We all know kids like anything gross and disgusting, and there are many products that fit the bill. There are also some new products are quite appealing, even if they are filled with bugs or worms.
One such product is Little Learners, fully functional containers filled with chocolate cookie meal, cute gummy worms and red ants, manufactured by Captain Muddy’s Taste Treats.
A bit creepier is CAP Candy’s Bug Factor Lollipops, realistic-looking candy spiders in an orange lollipop. Taking it a notch further are real bugs placed in lollipops – these were on display at the 2005 AWMA REAL DEAL EXPO.
5. Gum "rocks."
Gum has made a huge comeback. U.S. gum sales rose 6 percent to $1.04 billion during the 52 weeks ended August 7, according to Information Resources, Inc. It has become more socially acceptable to chew in public – even some schools allow kids to chew as long as they are responsible chewers. This revival is due to many factors:
- the variety of exciting – intense, fruity and mild – flavors that are now available;
- the popularity of sugar free products (sugar free gum products have grown 8.2 percent during the above mentioned period, and accounted for more than 70 percent of sales);
- research that shows chewing gum enhances memory; and
- chewing gum serves as a pacifier.
Dave Fleischer of Cadbury Adams says consumers can look forward to biodegradable gum in the future. He also told Distribution Channels that squishy centers are taking gum to a new level in terms of chewing excitement. The company just came out with the "first liquid pellet gum" in October.
6. Dark/premium chocolate.
New research further validating the health benefits of cocoa flavanols is putting dark chocolate in the spotlight of the $1.7 billion premium chocolate market.
New research sponsored by The Hershey Company in conjunction with Cornell University and Brunswick Laboratories confirms that all products containing natural cocoa have flavanol antioxidants. The study found that the level of antioxidants in commonly available chocolate products is directly related to the amount of natural cocoa contained in that product.
Clearly, flavanols was top of mind for The Hershey Company this year, which acquired both Joseph Schmidt Confections and Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker, Inc., one of the fastest growing premium dark chocolate companies in the United States. Scharffen Berger is known for its high-cacao content, signature dark chocolate and baking products.
Hershey wants to spread the good news with consumers – the company recently introduced a new cocoa label communicating that cocoa is a source of flavanol antioxidants. In addition, the company debuted a new seal listing the total percent of cacao solids in a chocolate product.
Mars, Inc. has been researching cocoa for 15 years, and is exploring effective ways to make flavanols available in nutritional foods. Molecules in cocoa may help treat diabetes, strokes, and vascular dementia.
7. Seasonal.
The allure of seasonal themes seems to be on an upward trend. Many companies are either developing completely new products with a holiday theme, or reformulating their current product lines with Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving and Easter in mind. This trend does not appear to be waning anytime soon.
8. Whitening.
Along with the desire for fit physiques, a trend that keeps the diet and sugar-free category going strong, is the fascination with teeth whitening. Gum and mint manufacturers are capitalizing on this with products that handle this task in addition to tasting good and providing fresh breath.
Wrigley’s extended its popular Orbit line to include sugarless Orbit White Gum in peppermint or spearmint. New in the Chupa Chups line by Spangler is sugar-free White by Smint, mints that contain papaya extract and xylicare as a whitening agent.
9. Sour is power.
Puckering is popular. This is not exactly a brand new trend, but it sure has a lot of staying power. Anything sour is still hot, but "fades quickly as new sour items are introduced," according to Tom Joyce, The Hershey Company. "Non-chocolate usually takes the back seat to chocolate innovation," says Joyce, but he thinks Wrigley’s purchase of Life Savers will bring attention back to the non-chocolate segment.
10. Functional.
Following in the footsteps of fortified, vitamin-enhanced beverages and foods is the candy and gum category. With caffeine, vitamins, anti-oxidants and other healthful ingredients, consumers can get more energy, protect their teeth in a manner that some believe to be more efficient than a pill.
Sugar-free Blitz Energy Gum by Schuster Marketing Corporation contains 100 mg of caffeine per tablet plus vitamin B12. The company is one of the first to use compressed gum that utilizes a cold manufacturing process with no heat or moisture (Distribution Channels, October 2005). Compressed gum provides an equal release of the ingredient across the entire piece of gum, according to Steve Schuster.
Ford Gum & Machine Company has also jumped on the bandwagon with the introduction of Pomegranate Power, which contains anti-oxidants in the form of blueberry and pomegranate extract.
Wrigley has come out with Airwaves gum that releases vapors that help chewers breath more easily, and Alpine, which cools a sore throat. Alpine contains Menthex, a combination of Menthol and Eucalyptus released over time as the gum is chewed.
Traci Carneal is editor-in-chief of Distribution Channels magazine.
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