A Season of Sweetness

If you've read my blog, you know I have a major sweet tooth! I love to read about new candies and write about the new treats hitting store shelves. Every Christmas, I'm excited to see which new sweets will be available for the holidays, and this year was no exception. Now that Christmas is just weeks away, I've been paying close attention to the new flavors I've seen in stores. Here are just a few:

This year, JELL-O introduced pudding in Gingerbread and Peppermint flavors. End any holiday meal on a high note with these tasty seasonal pudding varieties.

Have you seen this year's Jones Soda Holiday Pack? The 2011 four-pack mix includes Gingerbread, Sugar Plum, Candy Cane, and Pear Tree flavors. The company is known for creating and offering offbeat drinks on a limited basis annually for the holidays.

Candy canes are a Christmas staple, and every year, there are more kinds. New this year are candy canes from WarHeads and Sour Patch, as well as an assortment of branded candy canes from Spangler, in Jelly Belly, Sour Punch, Smarties, and Dum Dum flavors.

Finally, Nabisco has introduced Sweet Cinnamon Wheat Thins this holiday season. A perfect snack this time of year, the cracker has just the right amount of sweet cinnamon goodness to bring Christmas cheer.

Tell me, what holiday flavors do you like? Also, drop me a line and share the new products you've seen this season!

Get Your Scare On

Halloween is so close! It's time to rent your scary movies, finalize your costume, and decide which candy you’ll be handing out to trick-or-treaters.

This year, 70 percent of Americans are expected to partake in Halloween activities, spending $53 on average for candy, decorations, and costumes. Halloween is the biggest non-gift giving holiday in the United States, with analysts forecasting overall product spending at $6.86 billion this season.

With 5 percent of all candy consumed for the year on Halloween and the week after, it's safe to say that a majority of that money will be spent on sweet treats. Again this year, retailers have stocked shelves with M&M's Candy Corn White Chocolate Candy, while new products are also creeping up. Just Born's Peeps line welcomed new seasonal items, including chocolate dipped orange marshmallow chicks and chocolate mousse-flavored marshmallow cats, in addition to offering standard marshmallow pumpkins and ghosts.

But which candy brands are the most popular and provide the most buzz? Recently, NetBase, a provider of social media insight and analysis, released a Halloween-themed Brand Passion Index to determine the emotions, opinions, and behaviors of six candy brands when it comes to chatter on social sites like Twitter and Facebook.

Among candy makers M&M's, Skittles, candy corn, Reese's, Tootsie Rolls, and SweeTarts, M&M's emerged as a leader with 42 percent of overall buzz. Skittles garnered 24 percent of social media buzz, but earned a "passion intensity" level of 89. Rounding out the list: Reese's – 21 percent of total buzz; Tootsie Rolls – 11 percent; and both SweeTarts and candy corn – less than 1 percent. When it came to passion intensity scores, though, SweeTarts scored high with 73; 65 for Tootsie Rolls; 48 for candy corn; and 45 for Reese's.

This Halloween, enjoy your favorite candies, spend what you'd like on treats, costumes, and decorations, and share your thoughts about the sweets you love on your preferred social media sites. Happy Halloween!

Eat, Drink, and be Scary

Only 12 days left to hit the supermarket, department stores, and warehouse retailers to fill up on the Halloween candy your neighborhood trick-or-treaters can't wait to get their hands on!

This year, I'm looking forward to a large number of youths visiting my door in their cute costumes, scary makeup, and creative get-ups to take advantage of this annual sweet tradition.

I'm torn, though, as to what to purchase for the kids on my block, and I'm curious to know what my readers think are the best Halloween candies. Take a moment and make your voice heard!


*Note: Survey works best in Chrome.

Sugar Rush

It's the sweetest month of the year! June is National Candy Month, a time to celebrate the sweet treats we know and love. With every American eating an average of 20.7 pounds of candy each year, it's only fitting we devote an entire month to delicious sugary sweets.

Last month, a record 556 exhibitors debuted their products to more than 14,000 industry professionals during the National Confectioners Association's Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago. Some new products introduced at this event you can expect to see in the coming year include TicTac flavors like Strawberry Fields, Cherry Cola, and Lemon Lime Fizz; Hershey's Air Delight Kisses; and Extra Dessert Delights gum from Wrigley in taste sensations including Apple Pie, Orange Crème Pop, and Smooth Mint.

In honor of National Candy Month, chew on these fun facts:

• Saltwater taffy was invented in Atlantic City in 1883.
  
• About 65 percent of American candy brands have been around for more than 50 years.
  
• The Snickers candy bar was named after the Mars family's favorite horse.
  
• Cotton candy was originally called fairy floss.
  
• It takes 7 to 21 days to make a single Jelly Belly jellybean.
  
• Ice cubes help remove gum from clothing.

What are some of your favorite candies? Whether your preferred confection is old or new, leave a message and let's commemorate National Candy Month!

Easter's On Its Way

We're just days away from Easter, and for weeks now, holiday candy has been lining store shelves. Favorites including Peeps, jellybeans, and chocolates shaped like bunnies and eggs are ready for baskets for children of all ages.

The National Confectioners Association says Easter is the second top-selling confectionery holiday behind only Halloween, with 90 million chocolate bunnies and 16 billion jellybeans made each year, just for Easter. With so much candy produced for the holiday, it's no wonder that Easter sweets and treats are used for more than filling baskets.

Every year, two newspapers, The Washington Post and the St. Paul Pioneer Press, host Peeps diorama contests. Entrants depict scenes from pop culture, movies, and significant events in the past year, all starring Peeps. Year after year, the winners from both papers are clever, cute, and creative.

Washington Post Winners:

Pioneer Press Winners:

If you were to line all the Easter jellybeans end to end, they would circle the globe nearly three times. If you think that's too much sugary goodness to eat, you're not alone, which is why perhaps the most famous jellybean maker, Jelly Belly found another use for its flavorful candies – murals. Try creating a mural of your family in their Easter bonnets this Sunday.

Finally, The Hershey Company is synonymous with Easter, distributing pastel-wrapped Kisses and Cadbury Crème Eggs on behalf of the Easter Bunny. If you've eaten enough candy, however, the company has craft ideas to help you celebrate the holiday and decorate your home in style.

What creative uses for Easter candy have you seen? Leave a message to tell me more, and "hoppy" Easter!

Love is in the Air

February is here, which means Valentine's Day is just around the corner! On February 14, what gifts will you give to the ones that you love? The National Confectioners Association says that more than 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate will be sold for Valentine's Day. Manufacturers are ramping up production and introducing new candies for this year's holiday. Take a look at the new sweets you can give to your sweet this Valentine's Day.

The Hershey Company hopes your family and friends enjoy chocolate, dressing up its classic favorites in festive red and pink foils and decorated Valentine's Day-themed heart boxes. In addition to original, almond, and caramel Kisses you'll also find special dark mildly sweet and cherry cordial crème Kisses this season.

If your significant other prefers pure sugary goodness over chocolate, Just Born rolled out two new products in time for February 14. Look for Mike and Ike Passion Mix and new Hot Tamales Untamed Love Mix in the candy aisle.

For students and teachers looking for an alternative to the tried and true Valentine's cards, retailers are stocking Kellogg's Pop-Tarts Mini Crisps bags, perfect for classroom exchanges.

New research holds good news for stores selling Valentine's Day goods: Industry research firm IBISWorld forecasts spending for the holiday will top $18.6 billion, a 5.8 percent jump over last year's sales.

Time will tell if these projections will hold true. In the meantime, take a moment to vote and tell me what you plan to buy for your Valentine this year!

Holiday Flavors Abound

With Christmas only days away, food and beverage consumer packaged goods companies are getting into the holiday spirit. With special seasonal flavors, Santa-clad packaging, and brightly colored red and green foods, one only has to look at the products lining store shelves to know that the Christmas season is upon us. Here are some of the new items you can expect to see (if you haven't already) at a supermarket near you.

Several weeks ago, Dunkin' Donuts unveiled a line of seasonal coffee flavors. If you're excited about waking up to a bold cup of Pumpkin Spice, Vanilla Nut, or Mocha Mint coffee every morning leading up Christmas, you're in luck! The at-home coffee brand is available in grocery stores for a limited time.

To make your morning even more merry and bright, try Kellogg's Rice Krispies with festive red and green crisped pieces of rice mixed in among the usual cream-colored cereal bits.

PopTarts is also celebrating the holiday season with a familiar flavor. Find limited edition Kellogg's Printed Fun Pop-Tarts Gingerbread toaster pastries at a store near you.

If all you want for Christmas is a sweet treat, look to red and green M&M's in all varieties – plain, peanut, peanut butter, dark chocolate, and almond, in addition to seasonal mint and cherry cordial flavors. Taking full advantage of this winter wonderland, Hershey's offers a range of seasonal taste sensations in flavors like Dark Chocolate Mint Truffle, Milk Chocolate with Cherry Cordial Crème, and Candy Cane. New this year, Peeps has also added Chocolate Covered Mint Flavored Marshmallow Trees to its line-up.

Oreo is celebrating this holly jolly season with Candy Cane Oreos. As a twist to this classic favorite, the chocolate sandwich cookie has added a peppermint crème with crunchy sprinkles to its icing middle. A perfect snack to leave for Santa!

'Tis the season for companies to dress up the packaging on year-round staples. Take the Nestlé Crunch bar, for example. This year, the candy company collaborated with Paul Frank to create holiday-themed designs featuring the characters Julius the Money and Worry Bear. The oversized bars, available exclusively at Target, come in gift envelopes that double as holiday cards.

Those in the mood for a healthy bite to eat this season can get a boost of calcium from Target's line of holiday yogurt. With flavors like sugar cookie, bread pudding, and eggnog, consumers can savor the most recognizable tastes of the season in yogurt form.

For me, I know the season has begun when Starbucks breaks out its red cups. Is there anything better than the Christmas Coffee Blend or a Peppermint Mocha in a red cup to say happy holidays?!

What about you? What new products have you seen this year? If you have a favorite holiday product that you can only find this time of year, please share! Leave a comment and tell me all about the seasonal flavors you love.

Trick-Or-Treat

Halloween – what a wonderful time of year! Adults and kids alike have every reason to love this holiday. From dressing up like your favorite superhero (without getting weird looks) to an abundance of candy on store shelves and door-to-door, everyone can get into the Halloween spirit. This year, you might notice some new candy options at your local supermarket or in your treat bag with an update from your favorite sweet companies.

If you're a fan of marshmallow Peeps at Easter, you have another reason to love them at Halloween. This year, the Just Born candy company added new, individually wrapped, milk chocolate covered pumpkins to its line-up.

This time of year, Willy Wonka brings out his "Spooky Nerds." The orange and fruit punch flavored sugar bits are packaged in boxes adorned with devil and ghost dressed Nerds. Cute and delicious!

The Hershey Company also gets into the Halloween mood with limited-time Hershey's Kisses in flavors like Candy Corn and Pumpkin Spice.

If you're more of a salty snack eater, you're in luck! This year, Frito-Lay rolled out Cheetos Mighty Zingers in crazy cheddar and wicked picante flavor.

Last year, Frito-Lay's parent company offered special Pepsi Halloween cans to recognize this scary time of year.

As the highest-grossing holiday of the year for the candy industry, you can bet that new sweets will be added to grocery shelves year after year. What new Halloween treats have you noticed this season?

Sugar Rush

Halloween is just around the corner, and candy is on the minds of children and adults alike. According to the Census Bureau, Americans eat an average of 25 pounds of candy each year. While major and minor manufacturers introduce hundreds of new candies every year, only a handful become successful to fill a void and stay on the market. With so many options available to candy lovers, what are the best selling sweet treats across the country? Take a look at the results, based on sales data from the Symphony IRI Group.

1. M&M's
   
2. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
   
3. Hershey's Chocolate Bar
   
4. Snickers
   
5. Orbit
   
6. Trident (The world's first sugar-free gum!)
   
7. 5 React
   
8. Stride
   
9. Kit-Kat
   
10. Extra
    
11. Eclipse
    
12. Twix
    
13. Twizzlers
    
14. Skittles
    
15. Dove Bar
    
16. 3 Musketeers
    
17. Starburst
    
18. Milky Way
    
19. Butterfinger
    
20. Trident White
    
21. Hershey's Kisses
    
22. Tic Tacs
    
23. Dentyne
    
24. Orbit White
    
25. Ice Breakers

The rest of the world likes candy as well. Industry experts break up confectionery goods into three segments: chocolate, non-chocolate, and chewing gum. Chocolate is the largest category, making up 55 percent of all candy sold. Gum has a 14 percent stake in the industry, and is the fastest growing candy segment.

Is your favorite candy on this list? Leave a message and tell me more about the sugary goodness you crave at Halloween and all year long!

I ♥ NY

New York. It was crooner Frank Sinatra who melodically told the world that if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. Recently, it seems as though food manufacturers have taken this advice to heart, opening stores in New York City, and proving that they can be successful in the Big Apple and elsewhere.

Last month, Kellogg's opened what could be referred to as a shrine to Pop-Tarts in none other than New York's Times Square. Pop-Tarts World allows visitors to taste desserts like "sushi," a pastry with three varieties of Pop-Tarts minced and wrapped in a fruit roll-up, enjoy a laser light show that simulates the look of frosting, and create a personalized mixed pack of the breakfast treat. Kellogg's anticipates that the store, open seven days a week, will boost the Pop-Tarts brand with its advertising and visibility in the popular location.

With its launch, Pop-Tarts World joined food CPG companies already established in Times Square. In 2006, Mars expanded their M&M's World franchise with a New York store, adding to existing locations on the Las Vegas Strip and in Orlando. At M&M's World, visitors can gawk at the world's largest display of plain and peanut M&M's in 22 different colors and purchase one (or more!) of the more than 4,000 one-of-a-kind gifts and souvenirs designed solely for the outlet.

Those visiting New York's Times Square will have no shortage of sugar. Hershey's Times Square is a 16-story candy spectacular located at 48th and Broadway that celebrates all things Hershey's. For its opening in October 2002, the store constructed a 215-foot tall, 60-foot wide outdoor façade, complete with 34 dimensional props, four steam machines, more than 4,000 chasing lights, 30 programmable lights, 56 neon letters, 14 front-lit signs, and every modern major signage technique used – making it the largest permanent fixture ever built in Times Square.

Have you visited these stores? Please, share your thoughts, pictures, and stories in the comment section! You can also tell me what other food companies you think need to have a devoted shop in the Big Apple.

DIY Chocolate

Put on your hairnet and prepare your sweet tooth! Earlier this month, The Hershey Company opened a new, interactive experience at Hershey's Chocolate World that gives guests the opportunity to concoct their own chocolaty confection.

The Create Your Own Candy Bar attraction opened June 12 and puts visitors in the role of chocolate maker, designer, and overall innovator.

When patrons enter the attraction, they immediately get ready to play the part of chocolate maker by donning factory aprons and hairnets. From there, they move to an interactive kiosk where they choose up to three personalized ingredients from the list of graham cracker crumbs, crisped rice, blueberry fruit gels, chocolate cookie bits, vanilla chips, and rainbow sprinkles for their custom-made milk chocolate bar. They also design packaging tailored to their individualized taste. At the end of the 30-minute experience, visitors leave with their delicious souvenir.

For only $14.95 per person, each guest not only receives the candy bar he or she invented, but also experiences the confection creation process from start to finish by witnessing authentic equipment in operation at a genuine chocolate factory first-hand.

If you can't make it to Hershey, Pennsylvania, anytime soon, you can always visit the attraction virtually on the Chocolate World website.

Have you created your own Hershey's candy bar? Share your stories and photos in the comment section below. If not, tell me what you would add to your dream creation!

Fun Friday: What's Your Favorite Candy?

June is a busy month! You can now add one more title to the next few weeks: National Candy Month. Who doesn't love a sweet treat? Tell me, what describes your candy personality?

The Candy Man Can

Last month, more than 14,000 confectionery and snack professionals descended on Chicago for the 2010 Sweets and Snacks Expo. Buyers, international visitors, exhibitors, and industry experts spent three days discovering new products and uncovering merchandising solutions.

The Expo also featured a gourmet marketplace highlighting gourmet, organic, and natural products. Attendees gained valuable insight through sessions boasting keynote speakers from SymphonyIRI Group and The Coca-Cola Company, as well as host and producer of Food Network's Unwrapped, Marc Summers.

Consumer packaged goods companies introduce thousands of sweets and snack items each year in the United States, more than any other food category. So, what yummy deliciousness came out of this year's event? Here is just a sampling of the creative treats shoppers can expect to see in the coming year:

• Butterfinger Snackerz
  
• Jelly Belly Cocktail Classics
  
• Pretzel M&M's
  
• MIKE AND IKE RedRageous
  
• Nestle Cherry Raisinets
  
• Sunkist Citrus Burst mints
  
• Wonka Exceptionals

Get a sneak peak of upcoming Halloween, Christmas, Valentine, and Easter candy on the Sweet and Snacks Expo New Product Showcase and find out when snacks like Campfire Marshmallow Zebras, Snyder's of Hanover Dark Chocolate Covered York Peppermint Pattie Pretzel Sandwich Dips, Hershey's Drops, and Reese's Minis are coming to a supermarket near you.

Read a complete wrap-up of the event from the Chicago Sun-Times and learn more about this year's trends and new ideas to the marketplace from the event's sponsor, the National Confectioners Association.

What sugary goodness are most excited to taste? Leave a message and let me know what item you look forward to trying.