ALL CANDY EXPO(R) Touts Hottest New Products that will Stock Shelves and
Drive Consumer Sales for 2008/09
CHICAGO, May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The largest candy and snack show in
North America, ALL CANDY EXPO(R) 2008 unveils more than 2,000 new
confectionery creations and snack sensations, May 20-22 at McCormick Place
West Building. The annual show presented by the National Confectioners
Association (NCA) brings together industry experts and more than 430
manufacturers to preview new products and determine the hottest trends for
the coming year.
New Product Releases Drive Trends
For 2008/09, NCA predicts the leading product trends including
Authentic and Artisan, Helpful Helpings, Chocolate Evolution, Traditional
Twists, Sensory Experiences, Play Time and Packaging Innovations.
-- Authentic and Artisan -- Many new premium sweets and snacks are
inspired by handcrafted classics and the timeless corner candy store.
Candy makers are producing gourmet confections like elegantly boxed
Craves! (R), a superior signature blend chocolate handmade in small
batches with dried cranberries and just a touch of all natural orange
for a luxurious, sweet and tangy gourmet experience. Capturing
authentic American flavors, Russell Stover(R) introduces the new
American Classics(TM) line including New York Cheesecake Ganache, a
silky cream cheese truffle that has a hint of raspberry, and
Mississippi Mud Truffle, a rich, dark chocolate truffle center,
drenched with an even denser, dark chocolate shell. Offering the
signature flavors of the Cold Stone Creamery in a bite size jelly bean
delight, Jelly Belly(R) introduces Ice Cream Parlor Mix with
true-to-life Cold Stone Creamery flavor favorites like Chocolate
Devotion(TM), Our Strawberry Blonde(TM), Birthday Cake Remix(TM), Mint
Mint Chocolate Chocolate Chip(R) and Apple Pie a la Cold Stone(R).
-- Helpful Helpings -- From organic to sugar-free and nutrient-packed to
cause-related confections, new treats offer savvy consumers a range of
better-for-you options. Enjoy a naturally sweet snack that is packed
with soy protein and a good source of calcium and fiber with
Landgarten(R) Organic Soy-Snack, which is exclusive Austrian-grown soy
beans covered in smooth Belgian milk chocolate; or get a vitamin boost
with Sunkist(R) Better for You! Fruit Gummies with natural fruit
juices providing 100 percent of the daily recommended dose of Vitamin
C with 35 percent less sugar than some other gummi candies. On the
savory side, Naturally Baked Potato Crisps (Barrel O' Fun Chip and
Snack Food Co.) offer a tasty, crispy crunch with zero trans fat, no
MSG, no cholesterol and only 3.5 grams of total fat per serving.
For confections with a cause, clip on Aura(TM) Clip'n'Go(TM) Mints with
the pink ribbon to support the fight against breast cancer; a portion of
proceeds from these specially marked mints are donated to the National
Breast Cancer Foundation. Bloomsberry & Co.(R) Climate Change Chocolate(TM)
bar provides a verified TerraPass offset of 133 pounds of carbon dioxide
reductions (the average American's daily carbon impact) and the packaging
includes 15 helpful hints for saving energy.
-- Chocolate Evolution -- Chocolate is being paired in innovative ways
and popping up in classic candies likes PEEPS(R), now available in
Chocolate Mousse Flavored Bunnies and Bears, and PEZ(R)
Chocolate-flavored pieces. For a decadent chocolate and creamy
combination, try the new Milk & Peanut Butter from Ghirardelli, a bar
of gourmet milk chocolate squares filled with smooth, creamy and
crunchy peanut butter. Chocolate-covered sweets continue to thrive
like Melzy Enterprises Inc.'s Figamajigs(R), bite-size figs draped
with dark chocolate. KOHLER also has dipped into chocolate with the
new KOHLER Original Recipe Chocolates Cherry Almond, a gourmet dark
chocolate bar crafted with dried fruit, almonds and pure vanilla.
-- Traditional Twists -- Manufacturers are expanding the portfolio of
some of consumers' favorites. Lemonhead(R) Chewy and Chewy Atomic
FireBall(R) (Ferrara Pan Candy Co.) are new easy to chomp, chewy
candies, packed with the classic flavors consumers know and love. And
WONKA(R) Giant Chewy NERDS(R) from Nestle offer a chewy, gooey
jelly-bean-like center, covered in a layer of classic, crunchy
NERDS(R). The classic snack chip is getting a flavor kick with new
Beer Chips(R), thick-cut kettle style chips made with a serious
coating of salt and sugar, then covered with a dose of beer for a
one-of-a-kind, savory and sweet snack. And adding dimension to the
chewing gum category, Cadbury Adams introduces Stride(R) Always
Mandarin(TM), The Ridiculously Long Lasting Gum(R) with a
mouth-watering orange-flavor.
-- Sensory Experiences -- New products offer a full sensory experience
for your taste buds, whether it's a pop, crackle or tickle. Pop
Rocks(R) 2 Piece Mega Bar not only melts on your tongue, but pops in
your mouth and WOWzerz(TM) Sour Powder Bubble Gum releases tongue
tickling sour powder from an extra-long log of bubblegum! And
delivering a juicy explosion in every bite, Starburst(R)
GummiBursts(TM) marries the original fruity flavors of Starburst(R)
with a liquid filled twist. For a mature palate, try Hershey's
Bliss(TM) Milk Chocolate with a Meltaway Center or Chuao Chocolatier's
ChocoPods Firecracker -- a 60 percent dark chocolate shell filled with
chipotle chile, salt and a "tongue-bursting" center.
-- Play Time -- Creative, interactive and out-of-this-world, kids'
candies continue to drive new product innovation with treats like the
Nintendo Wii(TM) KLIK(R)-on Candy Dispenser and Candies, a mock
Wii(TM) controller candy dispenser with SMARTIES(R) Bubble Gum and
Au'some(TM) tart candies included. Kids can even enjoy playing with
their food with a variety of hands-on candy creations like Marshmallow
Farms(TM) (New Era Brands) gooey, chewy marshmallow animals that they
can eat and enjoy. The box comes complete with fun facts and word
games on the outside and the whole marshmallow gang (cow, pig, sheep,
hen and chick) inside! And kids can get in tune with Hannah Montana
Glamour Guitar Lollipops, a two-pack punch with one sweet and one sour
guitar shaped pop; or rock out with the ultra-hip Hannah Montana
Picture Ring Lollipop in electric, lick-a-licious flavors like green
apple and blue raspberry.
-- Packaging Innovations -- Thinking outside the box, new packaging is
providing a fresh look and feel for confections. New tic tac(R) Chill,
available in Exotic Cherry or Paradise Mint, comes in a trendy, handy
on-the-go flip top case. Wrigley's Slim Pack(TM) offers a sleek,
15-stick envelope that helps keep gum fresher longer for favorites
like Juicy Fruit(R), Doublemint(R) and Big Red(R). And taking a page
from the past, many candies are packaged with the ole' time feel of
local candy shops. Indulge Gourmet(TM) not only brings a fanciful
twist to the chocolate pretzel with playful toppings like sprinkles or
toffee chips, but the premium ribbon-tied packaging portrays a
homemade touch straight from the corner candy store.
Industry Reports on 2007 Product Announcements and Sales
In 2007, thousands of new confectionery and snack products debuted to
meet consumer demand:
-- 3,261 new confectionery products debuted:*
-- Chocolate: 1,800
-- Non-chocolate: 1,276
-- Gum: 185
-- 4,168 new snack, cookie and cracker products debuted:*
-- Cookies: 1,036
-- Crackers: 285
-- Chips: 530
-- Popcorn: 183
-- Nuts and seeds: 501
-- Snack bars: 468
-- Other snacks (pretzels, puffed snacks, fruit snacks, meat snacks,
etc.): 1,165
* Datamonitor's Productscan online database of new products SKUs 2007
Sugar-free Gum, Dark Chocolate Led 2007 Industry Sales
The confectionery industry grew 3.5 percent in 2007. Candy, chocolate
and gum continued to lead the snack category in sales and ranked third in
food sales overall. Specifically, key categories experienced growth in
2007:
-- Dark chocolate sales increased more than 50 percent compared to 2006.
(NCA and IRI data)
-- Sugar-free gum led industry growth with a 13.5 percent sales increase
from 2006. Overall, gum sales grew 8.1 percent. (IRI data)
-- Chocolate continues to be a big seller, with premium chocolate sales
seeing significant increases. Sales of premium chocolate grew more
than 30 percent this year alone, following three years of double digit
growth. (NCA and IRI data)
-- Licorice sales grew 3.1 percent compared to 2006. (IRI data)
-- Chewy (non-chocolate) candy sales increased 4.2 percent from 2006.
(IRI data)
Hot for Holidays: Sales Growth in 2007 and New 2008/09 Products Spark
Celebrations
Seasonal product sales give reason to celebrate. Halloween led overall
holiday sales in 2007 and posted a 2.6 percent gain from 2006. Easter
ranked second, but posted an impressive 5.4 percent sales increase over
2006. Third overall, winter holiday sales jumped 2.2 percent. And
Valentine's Day, the forth largest confectionery holiday overall,
experienced the biggest growth within a seasonal category, up 6.7 percent
from 2006.
New innovative holiday confections will help drive holiday sales in
2008. Specifically, new products debuting at the EXPO(R) include KoKo's
Confectionery GloPopcifier(R), a Christmas lollipop pacifier that really
lights up, and the Carousel(R) Halloween Safety Light, a fantastically fun,
candy-filled pumpkin holder complete with a button-controlled light stick
that's perfect for when the sun goes down. And celebrate every season with
Madelaine Milk Chocolate Lolly Pops -- premium chocolate sticks dressed in
playful wrapping special for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentines Day,
Easter or Halloween.
About the National Confectioners Association (NCA) -- Founded in 1884
in Chicago by representatives of 69 confectionery manufacturing firms, the
National Confectioners Association is one of the oldest, most respected
trade associations in the world. Today NCA has 700 members and is the major
association representing the entire confectionery industry, offering
education and leadership in manufacturing, technical research, public
relations, retailing practices, government relations and statistical
analyses. NCA fosters industry growth by advancing and promoting the
interests of the confectionery industry and its consumers.
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SOURCE National Confectioners Association
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CONTACT:
Susan Fussell of National Confectioners
Association, +1-703-459-4296 (bb), susan.fussell@CandyUSA.com; or
Charlotte Fouch of Fleishman Hillard, +1-202-828-5064,
charlotte.fouch@fleishman.com, for National Confectioners
Association, or ALL CANDY EXPO(R) Press Room 471B, McCormick
Place West Building, May 20-22, +1-312-808-2105
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