Currently browsing posts about: Candy

I am a big fan and daily reader of ConscienHealth, mainly because its producer, Ted Kyle, invariably and consistently has something interesting to say about whatever he is writing about (obesity and health, usually).

I liked this one so much—it sounds just like something I would say—that I asked his permission to reproduce it.  He agreed.  Enjoy!

Controlled Study Shows How to Sell Less Easter Candy (if you click on the link, you can find the place to subscribe or comment)

Not every study in PLOS Medicine is thoroughly impressive, but this one is pure genius. Researchers at the University of Oxford have discovered that if grocers don’t promote Easter candy, they will sell less of it. But wait, there’s more. Those same researchers showed that promoting “healthy items” – like low fat potato chips – yields higher sales for those health-promoting snacks.

PLOS Academic Editor Jean Adams obviously recognized the genius of this research by Carmen Piernas, Georgina Harmer, and Susan Jebb. So she published an opinion paper alongside them, praising it. She says:

“Piernas and colleagues’ studies add to the accumulating evidence that restricting marketing on less healthy foods and encouraging marketing on healthier foods may be an effective way to support public health.”

But she also lamented the fact that implementation of tighter regulation of food marketing is slow to come. She calls it “a sad indictment of our collective inability to create a world that supports everyone to eat in the way they want to, rather than the way the marketers want for us.”

Easter Egg Hunts and a Trip to the Zoo

There’s a lot of great material in this trifecta of medical research and commentary. Adams tells us that supermarkets are out of control:

“The concentration of food marketing in grocery stores can feel particularly overwhelming with parents describing the ‘temptation’ as ‘like a trip to the zoo every week’ for their children.”

Seeing the brilliance of this research and commentary, headline writers got into the spirit. Our favorite:

Hiding Easter eggs better in supermarkets could rescue UK’s waistlines, Oxford study claims

Clearly, journalists understand how to capture the essence of serious public health science.

Actual Health Outcomes?

Crispy Fruit, photo by Ted Kyle

There’s just one tiny gap in this beautiful story. None of this research offers any evidence of healthier waistlines. It presumes that selling less Easter candy and more low-fat chips will cause waistlines to shrink.

Good luck with that. For decades now, food marketers in the U.S. have been selling us all kinds of food with claims that it’s healthy stuff to eat. Sales boomed and obesity kept rising. Onward and upward.

So count us skeptical that selling more low-fat chips and a little less Easter candy will put a dent in the UK problem with obesity.

Click here for the Easter candy study and here for the study of merchandising for low-fat chips. For the commentary by Adams, click here. And if this screed hasn’t been enough, click here for our further thoughts on the quest for a sustainable, nourishing, food supply.

The best way to add unnecessary calories to your diet is to snack.

Snacks are often ultra-processed junk foods; they add calories in ways you don’t notice (“you can’t eat just one”).

Their sellers’ intention is to get you to eat them and not notice.  These are hugely profitable products.

Here are a few recent items about selling snack products.

Will eating “healthier” snacks help you avoid “Covibesity” [referring to pandemic weight gain, I guess]?  Not if they encourage you to take in more calories than you need.

Will eating sustainable snacks make you healthier?  I got an e-mail from a marketer at Mondelez telling me that the company is focusing on sustainable snacks and that a “Mondelez exec also just made presentation at Alliance Bernstein conf. where he discussed there will be more invest in digital marketing personalization to drive sales” [Sustainable snacks have calories, and increased sales mean increased calories].

How about starting your snacks in the morning?  Hershey, America’s largest confection company, is trying to gain market share by rolling out products designed for morning consumption. “We see this as a potential growth lever and way for us to potentially capture more total snacking occasions across all dayparts,” In a press release, the company declared, “Let’s face it, we’re already having morning dessert anyway, so the Reese’s brand decided to make it official. With new Reese’s Snack Cakes, Reese’s fans can enjoy a delicious combination of chocolate and peanut butter creme without having to wait until lunch.”

Or, you can just eat candied cereal:

Halloween is about one thing only: candy.

Candy has a place in diets, just not a big one—added sugars are best consumed at no more than 5% to 10% of calories (for many people, that’s 100 to 200 calories).  It doesn’t take much candy to get to those numbers.

Consumer Reports has a helpful report on what 100 calories looks like: 13.6 candy corn kernels (see note at end) and 2.3 Hershey’s miniatures.

The candy industry doesn’t think you eat enough.  Candy, it says, fuels the U.S. economy.

Making chocolate, candy, gum and mints, our industry plays an important role in the U.S. economy. We create good-paying jobs in the manufacturing sector in the U.S., and support thousands of additional American jobs as we sell our products in the marketplace, and source our ingredients, packaging and transportation. Additional jobs, known as induced jobs, are supported through the re-spending of wages throughout the supply chain.

Not only that, but candy is an essential part of health and wellness lifestyles (the candy industry’s at least):

The National Retail Federation predicts that this fall “consumer spending on Halloween-related items is expected to reach an all-time high of $10.14 billion, up from $8.05 billion in 2020.” Of this total, spending on candy is estimated to reach $3 billion, up from $2.14 billion.

Trick or Treat?  Enjoy the Halloween weekend.

A note on candy corn

It would never occur to me that anyone would care, but how’s this for candy-industry research:

While there is some debate about the best way to enjoy this classic Halloween candy, most Americans say they enjoy the whole piece of candy corn at once (52%), while 31% of people start at the narrow white end and 17% of people start with the wider yellow end.

As I discussed in my book, What to Eat, the entire purpose of a grocery store or supermarket is to encourage sales, particularly impulse buys of profitable items.  Food and beverage companies pay stores to place their most profitable products where customers can most easily see them.

This makes checkout counters prime grocery real estate.

Mars Wrigley tells you how this works.

Mars Wrigley showcases new impulse shopping solutions and products

Mars Wrigley said its multifaceted merchandising solutions will shape impulse throughout the shopper journey and provide an effective retail experience, be it at curbside pick-up, online or in-store.

The company is set to work alongside retail partners to implement solutions that reimagine impulse at checkout and identify new spaces in aisle and digitally to optimise category presence and drive conversion [i.e., sales].

Spearheading this growth is its new Accelerating Impulse Moments (AIM) insights platform. This four-pillar platform consists of conversion strategies for retailers across all channels in stores and online, with Snacks Aisle Optimization, Secondary Display Growth, Transaction Zone Reinvention and Digital Solutions Execution.

These strategies will help retailers shape impulse throughout the shopper journey to create an effective and engaging omni-channel experience.

Comment: You are the subject of this “effective and engaging omni-channel experience.”  This may look as if it is about helping grocers market products, but it is really about getting you to buy candy and chewing gum.

In talking about cocoa and chocolate, it’s a quick move from candy to politics.

New ways to treat yourself on World Chocolate Day July 7: “While we usually think of chocolate as a sweet treat, many cultures and cuisines use chocolate to boost the flavour profiles of their main dishes.”  Suggestions: (1) Mix it into your chilli con carne, (2) Use it as a marinade for meat, (3) Dip your bacon in it, (4) Add it to your Bolognese, (5) Turn it into pasta.  [Comment: I don’t think so].

‘You, the whites, are eating cocoa. You bring the price … you have to give us a chance to sell it at the price that we want’:  ‘I am a cocoa farmer’ is the first in an occasional series by Dr Kristy Leissle, scholar of the cocoa and chocolate industries…Over time, the series will illustrate both the diversity of people who farm cocoa, and the similarities of their circumstances. Read more

Rise in US confectionery sales boosts Fairtrade payments to cocoa farmers: People are paying more attention than ever to the conditions behind the products they buy as a way to make a difference in the world, according to new research findings released by GlobeScan and Fairtrade International…. Read more

Mondelēz and Fairtrade Foundation offer financial support to female cocoa farmers: The new ‘Cadbury Farmer Resilience Fund’ designed to protect cocoa farmer livelihoods during the COVID-19 pandemic is providing grants that will empower thousands of women farmers to start small businesses and earn a decent living…. Read more

Mars Wrigley to meet industry cocoa officials to discuss LID payments:  Barry Parkin, the company’s Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer, is set to meet with members of the cocoa industry and the governments of Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire this week to discuss the Living Income Differential (LID) and to underscore the company’s commitment to…full payment to farmers and control of supply to prevent cocoa from moving into protected areas. Read more

Can U.S. chocolate companies be liable for child-labor abuses in the global cocoa supply chain?  Chocolate brought Americans sweet respite in 2020—more than usual, according to recent research into pandemic purchasing. But the great irony in our chocolate indulgence is that it’s also a product borne out of great suffering…Within the next few weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on a pair of consolidated cases known as Nestlé USA, Inc. v. John Doe and Cargill, Inc. v. John Doe. Nestlé is one of the world’s biggest chocolate manufacturers and Cargill, the world’s largest cocoa bean processor.

And here’s the ruling: US Supreme Court rules in favour of cocoa companies Nestle and Cargill in child slavery case:  The US Supreme Court rules that Nestlé USA and Cargill can’t be sued for child slavery on African farms from where they buy their cocoa…. Read more

Comment: The issues in chocolate just won’t go away: unfairly low prices to producers of the raw materials, harsh and unfair working conditions, child labor, and overall power imbalances as displayed in the Supreme Court decision.

I like posting collections of items on Thursdays.  Here are some fun ones.

• Desserts for dogs:  Ice cream company Ben & Jerry’s is unveiling two new flavors designed exclusively for canines.  Doggie Desserts by Ben & Jerry’s are frozen treats specifically formulated for dogs with a sunflower butter base. The two variants are peanut butter & pretzel swirls in Pontch’s Mix and pumpkin and mini cookies in Rosie’s Batch.  [As if overweight in dogs was not their number one health problem]
• Announcing a new dog food made from crickets-–“Jiminy’s.” [Thanks to Turn Texas Blue (@FerociousBeast) for this one]
• EFSA says mealworms safe for human consumption: ‘An important milestone towards commercialisation’: The European Food Safety Authority has published its first scientific opinion on an insect-derived food. The conclusion? Mealworms are safe for human consumption…. Read more.  The EFSA ruling is here.   [I am so relieved].
• Fried chicken alternative developed from peanut protein: ‘Five years from now, we want to market every part of the chicken’:  Haofood says it is the ‘world’s first’ plant-based chicken company to tap peanut protein as its primary ingredient…. Read more
• Delicacy and energy: Okinawa sea cucumber bar producer unveils domestic and international expansion plans:  Okinawa brand MGH is seeking to retail its sea cucumber energy bar into supermarkets and convenience stores in Japan, as well as exploring export opportunities… Read
• Blind tasting 3D printed alternative meat: ‘It tastes and feels like meat’:  Israeli start-up Redefine Meat has pulled off the ‘world’s largest’ blind taste test for its 3D printed meat alternative. The taste test targeted meat-eaters and the results are in. The company secured over a 90% acceptance rate…. Read more   
• Hershey reveals winning name for new candy bar: Hershey’s first extension of the Whatchamacallit candy bar line in 10 years will hit stores in February now that a winning name has emerged from a consumer contest: Whozeewhatzit. The new bar features rice crisps, a peanut butter creme layer and chocolate candy coating.

Food anyone?  Enjoy!

You might think that Halloween is—or was pre-Covid—a fun activity for your kids, but it’s underlying purpose is to sell candy, as much as possible to as many people as possible.  It’s a big part of total annual candy sales (Valentine’s Day is another).

Let’s start with The Counter’s account of how the candy industry convinced everyone to buy record-breaking amounts of candy, while public health authories were discouraging trick-or-treating.

Is it possible to trick-or-treat safely?  Suggestions:

• Halloween2020 (whatever that may be) has a county-by-county guide to safe trick-or-treating.  The site has a curious collection of sponsors, one of them Hershey’s:  “For more sweet and simple Halloween ideas, visit the Hershey Halloween Happiness Hub.”
• Harvard Global Health Institute offers more Halloween advice on how to celebrate safely:  As cities and counties across the US begin to announce guidance on Halloween, new safety guidelines in alignment with the CDC’s social distancing guidelines, and the Harvard Global Health Institute map has been issued to help families celebrate the season safely…. Read more

What’s happening with Halloween in New York City?

• Halloween latest: New York to allow trick or treating, rise in candy sales in September:  There will be regional differences across the country in the way that people choose to celebrate the Halloween season throughout the month of October, but with chocolate and candy sales already up up by 13% this year – ‘it is on’, says the NCA…. Read more

ConfectionaryNews.com has produced a Special Edition: Fright night: How American candy companies are gearing up for Halloween

No doubt, Halloween is going to feel different this year, but as John Downs, president and CEO of the NCA [National Confectioners Association] says: “it is​ definitely happening!​”

In this special edition newsletter we focus on how the confectionery industry in the USA is preparing for one of its main holiday seasons.  Halloween is estimated to generate over $4bn in revenue for candy companies and while the festivities are going ahead, the emphasis is on staying safe and following guidelines.

To help consumers and its members prepare for this year’s event the NCA has launched its Halloween Central portal with up-to-date advice from top health experts on how to celebrate safely.  With online sales of candy soaring, we look at an innovative solution from Mars Wrigley with the launch of its virtual Treat Town app for those who are unable to join the outdoor fun this year.  We also report on how other big companies, including Hershey and Ferrero, intend to lift spirits this Halloween – and new kid on the block Stuffed Puffs completes our round-up with a spooky twist on a camp-fire classic.

Check-out the articles below to find out more – and have fun but stay safe this Halloween.

• • As Americans prepare for Halloween, NCA issues expert guidance on staying safe and having fun: With the country looking forward to Halloween, even though it may look different this year due to coronavirus safety protocols, the National Confectioners Association (NCA) is offering best and up-to-date guidance and advice on its Halloween Central website to keep people safe while enjoying the fun… Read 
  • Mars launches online trick-or-treat experience to keep Halloween special: Halloween candy powerhouse Mars Wrigley has launched its digital Treat Town to provide a virtual trick-or-treat experience for candy for those unable to go door-to-door this year… Read
  • Hershey’s ‘fang-tastic’ Halloween treats hit the shelves early:  Hershey was one of the first out of the blocks of the big candy companies to reveal its Halloween treats this year when way back at the beginning of July it introduced Reese’s Franken-Cups, KIT KAT Witch’s Brew, Hershey’s Kisses Vampire chocolates and Hershey’s Cookies ‘N’ Crème Fangs as its seasonal treats… Read
  • Ferrero to launch ‘31 Days of Halloween’ campaign:  Although trick-or-treating might look different this year, Ferrero says it has a bunch of new treats to share for those celebrating virtually, socially distancing with friends or from the comfort of their own homes… Read
  • Stuffed Puffs launches Halloween game-changer with its new singles treat:  Stuffed Puffs, the company that reinvented the S’mores by figuring out a way to add the milk chocolate inside the marshmallow, has launched its first ever Stuffed Puffs Halloween singles… Read
  • It’s official: ‘Halloween is Happening’, says NCA president and CEO John Downs:  As the conversation in the media and in our communities around Halloween and whether or not it is canceled continues, I want to share a simple but important thought with the industry and our retail partners as we move into the next several weeks of our annual ‘Super Bowl’ moment: Halloween is happening!.. Read

Happy Valentine’s Day!

How to celebrate?  You can do this:

Or this:

But Valentine’s Day, in case you haven’t noticed, is about candy:  A whopping $27 billion worth this year.

Valentine’s Day is big business.  Here are some items:

• • • NCA reveals America’s favorite Valentine’s Day chocolate filling: Chocolate and candy are an iconic part of modern-day gifting, but while many people enjoy a piece of chocolate from a heart-shaped box during the Valentine’s Day season, not every consumer approaches selection in the same way, the National Confectioners Association reveals… Read
    • How chocolates for Valentine’s Day have changed over the years:  Chocolatier, Paul A Young, has fused together romantic movies through the decades with chocolate to create a 12-piece collection for Valentine’s Day, claiming he has seen a reduction in consumers buying chocolate hearts for the occasion on February 14… Read  
    • Product showcase 2020: Love is in the air with Cupid-approved Strawberries & Cream popcorn, RedLove apple crisps and iconic British puds: February is snack food month. It’s also the month of love with Valentine’s Day (February 14) and a day that only comes around every four years, traditionally reserved for marriage proposals (February 29). So why not stock up with snacks to boost that euphoric mood?… Read more  
    • Pink power: Japanese firms loving ruby chocolate ahead of Valentine’s Day:  The popularity of ruby chocolate is skyrocketing amongst local and international confectionery and bakery companies alike in Japan, with a further boom expected ahead of Valentine’s Day …. Read more

  Enjoy the occasion, however you choose to eat your way through it.