Options for good chocolate pairings are seemingly limitless, from the ever-popular wine and beer pairings to bourbon, cider, tequila and even cheese. If you are considering hosting an in-person or virtual chocolate tasting and pairing event or even just looking for fun ways to spice up your holiday offerings, RCI member Carmen Romeo of Fascia’s Chocolates shares guidelines for easy, worry-free pairings.

 

Wine

 

White and milk chocolate pairs best with sweet red or white varietals, while dark chocolate goes better with more complex red wines.

 

 

Beer
Chocolate pairs well with many craft beers, however, when attempting to pair with India pale ale (IPA), chocolates with citrus flavors are best.

 

 

Bourbon
It is recommended to match flavors when working with bourbon. Some of Fascia’s favorites include pairing a coffee bourbon with a mocha meltaway or a cinnamon bourbon with a cinnamon cream.

 

 

Cheese
Cheese can be an unexpected, yet, surprisingly well-received addition to a wine and chocolate or beer and chocolate pairing. Try Carmen’s “no-fail” pairing by finding the best, sharpest Pecorino Romano cheese, pair it with a semi-sweet chocolate wafer or cup, topped with coarse-ground black pepper and a glass of Zinfandel wine—the spicier the better.

Help shoppers get in the holiday spirit by hosting pairing events (in-person or virtual) or by simply recommending new, exciting ways to enjoy your chocolates. Cheers to a spirited holiday season!

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.

 

 

 

You do it every day. When you see your co-workers on Monday morning, at dinner on Friday night, even when you're trying to convince your kids that green beans are good for them.

You tell stories to make your case and to make connections. That's what we do as human beings. In fact, we're hardwired for it.

If storytelling comes naturally to us, then it seems natural that we would use this skill in business—to attract customers, persuade partners and rally employees.

Here are a few key points to keep in mind as you build your storytelling skills from Jill Pollack of StoryStudio Chicago, keynote speaker at RCI’s Annual Convention & Industry Expo in Chicago. To be persuasive and productive, the stories we tell at work need to be built with attention paid to: emotion, craft and action.

Emotion

No one needs to tell you that most of our decisions—whether in business or in life—are pushed along by our emotions. They also help us feel engaged in a story or a transaction. But how do you find and engage the right emotions?

Entrepreneurs can learn from fiction writers who have long known that the success of a story rests in finding "the significant details,” as Eudora Welty once wrote. In good stories, it's the details that captivate us, that allow us to "see" the story, and that invite the reader to get involved in the conversation.

If you write about your first bicycle as yellow with training wheels, that's not much to go on. But if you explain that your first bike was built by the boy down the street who added training wheels and streamers, and then jogged down the sidewalk with you, holding the banana seat with one hand while you learned how to pedal...now the reader has enough details to "see" the image. The reader is involved in your story, probably even starting to think about when they learned to ride a bike.

In business, the same is true. Just as you focus on the details of your ingredients and processes, attending to the details in your marketing—even if you're just greeting someone who has walked into your store—can mean the difference between a customer who feels unwanted and one who feels like they are now a participant in the “conversation.”

Even if you're not in full story mode, using clear details in your conversations will guarantee you a better relationship.

Craft

Even though we are all able to toss out a great story in the middle of a cocktail party, the stories you use at work should be crafted. Just like a house is built with bricks or wooden beams, stories are built on details and images and rhythm and voice, and so much more. Key among these craft elements is the idea of tension and conflict.

While most of us don't like conflict in our lives, we must have it in our stories. Think about it this way: in a story, tension and conflict can be either a threat or an opportunity.

In business we usually refer to this as creating a sense of urgency. "If you pay now you can save ten percent." That's the opportunity. The threat: "If you don't pay now, you'll be charged an additional ten percent."

In stories, this concept works in a slightly different way. We create tension by sharing obstacles that may have been in our path. For instance, your signature chocolate relies on cocoa nibs from Ghana. But your sources have dried up and now you have to find the right quality beans somewhere else. And, you had to beat your competitors to them. We like our stories to have heroes. Overcoming obstacles, big or small, makes you a hero.

Action

Every story is persuasive in some way. Opinion pieces in the newspaper try to convince you to see the news the way the writer does. Novels and movies persuade us that this fictional world is real. Advertisers know they are not selling soap; they are selling us the idea that if we use this soap, we will be beautiful.

To be persuasive, stories need to have a solid structure and a clear call to action. We must want our audience to do something. Imagine this: you spend 15 minutes explaining the process of developing a new, unique flavor profile and tell the story of how you stumbled on to it after you thought you were creating something else. Then you say, "let me know if I can help you find something,” and you walk back behind the counter.

Even if the consumer found the story intriguing and would like to taste this new flavor, if you don't ask them to try a sample or buy some for dessert this evening. They will likely reply, “that's interesting,” and move on.

Now, imagine this: you stand in front of a consumer with two trays and ask them to choose which one they think is the enhanced flavor. Right away you have gotten the consumer involved in this story. After pointing to the tray in your left hand, you say, “Right! Take a taste and let me tell you how we stumbled upon this extraordinary new flavor. We were in the back room on a cold and snowy Saturday morning…”

Now you have made them a part of your story and because you asked a question, they are immediately involved in the conversation. When they serve the candy at their next dinner party, they will tell their guests your story, and then these new people will become a part of that story. And on and on and on.

You can see how powerful this can be.

What stories should you tell?

There's a good chance you are not at a loss for personal stories, but in business we want to make sure the stories we craft will support a sales or relationship building goal. Here are just a few ideas for where to find good stories:

1.Why you got started in this business.

2.Why you stay in this business.

3. How you source your ingredients and materials.

4.What makes you different.

5.What suppliers you work with and why.

The next time you start telling a story, stop for a moment and realize you are building a chain of connections that have the potential to reach far and wide.

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.

 

The call for safety is at an all-time high. Many things need to be taken into consideration when it comes to the safety of our products. One of the most dangerous, yet furthest in the back of people’s mind, is metal detection. We all work with surfaces of either stainless steel or copper. These surfaces have the ability to be chipped, scraped and gouged, producing minute particles of metal that can be dangerous to human consumption. In this excerpt from an article in RCI’s Kettle Talk magazine, Caleb Ramm with Candy House Gourmet identifies four considerations when adding a metal detector to your facility.

Purchasing

When purchasing a metal detector, make sure to buy from a company that supplies ample training and support to ensure you get the most out of your investment. For a metal detector to be truly effective, constant observation and calibration are key.

Placement

Another consideration when purchasing a metal detector for your facility, is to determine the best placement based on your needs. Companies that only enrobe candies or produce on a line may want to place a metal detector at the end of the line, so that the product will pass through before packaging.

Others run their packaged products through the metal detector, which will detect metal that may be in or on the box itself. Placing the metal detector away from the enrober, in its own designated area may make it easier to access it at all times.

Calibration

When you set up a new product, you are given test cards that have ferrous, non-ferrous and stainless-steel samples to use to calibrate your machine. The smaller the particle you calibrate to, the smaller the particle the machine has the ability to detect.

Elimination

When a product is identified as contaminated, it is recommended to pull the entire batch and re-test it until all particle have been located and removed from the finished product.

We all want the best for our customers, and look for any way to improve upon this. Safety in confectionery doesn’t just stop in production. Pass on the safety to your customers as well.

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.

 

How Instagram-worthy are your holiday treats?

Sure, they taste delicious, but how would a potential new customer know if they’ve never tasted your confections? No surprise, social media, like Instagram and Facebook, can be an effective tool for reaching consumers, however if A.) you’re not sharing photos of your products on your social media sites daily or B.) they don’t stand out from other holiday gifts, you could be missing out on a massive opportunity to gain new customers this season.

A study by Forbes has shown that 78% of consumers’ purchases are impacted by companies’ social media posts. So, if you’re looking for a boost in sales, consider transforming these classic confectionery treats into holiday showstoppers to help your business standout this season.

 

 

Rice Cereal Treats

Cookie cutters aren't just for cookies. They also make a great tool for creating fun seasonal chocolate-covered rice cereal treats. Make the most out of your collection of cookie cutters, by repurposing common shapes to create new and unique designs. After realizing that their gingerbread man treats weren’t selling as well as other designs, Bomboy’s Home Made Candy gave the tired cookie cutter new life by turning it upside down and transforming it into Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. This little reindeer proved to be a hit!

Make fall and summer designs last into the holidays! If you have cookie cutters shaped like a ghost or even an ice cream cone, just flip them upside down to transform the shapes into cute elves. Did you know a pumpkin cookie cutter can be repurposed to make a jolly Mrs. Claus?

 

 

Caramel Apples

Traditionally a fall treat, a little creativity can help transform caramel apples into a festive holiday gift. For inspiration, mimic Santa’s jolly belly by adding his signature black belt and big gold buckle around a red caramel apple coated in red sprinkles or luster dust. Bring Frosty the Snowman to life by adding a jumbo marshmallow to the top of a caramel apple before dipping them both in white chocolate. A few chocolate chip “buttons" and a red licorice scarf will help tie it all together. Lastly, add candy eyes, a red nose and antlers, of course, to create everyone’s favorite reindeer out of a classic chocolate-covered caramel apple. There’s lots of ideas online for creating Rudolph’s antlers—from the easiest to the most realistic, you may want to try pipe cleaners, pretzel twists or sugar cookies for your antlers.

Need help perfecting your caramel apples? Check out these past blog posts for tips on making caramel stick to apples or learn why you should flip your caramel apples upside down.

 

 

Marshmallows

Jumbo marshmallows make a quick and easy canvas for creating holiday magic. Put three jumbo marshmallows on a stick, coat them in white chocolate and decorate to make marshmallow snowmen pops that are too sweet to pass up. Click here to watch a tutorial by Two Sisters Crafting. All you need to make adorable gingerbread marshmallow pops are, your choice of caramel-coated marshmallows or marshmallows covered in peanut butter confectioner’s coating, some piped white chocolate and tiny sugar decorations.

 

 

Sandwich Cookies

If you don’t think of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer when looking at your favorite sandwich cookies, changing your perspective may increase your holiday sales. When RCI member Vande Walle’s Candies coated Nutter Butter sandwich cookies in chocolate and embellished them with a pair of candy eyes, pretzel twist antlers and a bright red nose, these cute reindeer treats reportedly “flew out the door,” they were so popular with their customers! For another spin on this idea, try substituting the Nutter Butter cookies with Oreo cookies on a stick.

More than ever, consumers are looking to social media for unique and memorable gift ideas this holiday season. Posting photos of your festive holiday treats on social media regularly will help your company capture the attention of consumers while they’re making their shopping list this season.

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices.  Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.

 

The wedding industry represents a sweet opportunity for confectioners. Offering ready-to-gift wedding favors will help eliminate one more item from the bride’s long list of to-do’s before she says “I do!” By focusing on personalization and packaging, your wedding favors are sure to stand out and WOW the wedding party and their guests.

 

 

Sources: The Perfect Blend Coffee Favors; The Paper Shoppe CA/Etsy; Champagne Gummy Bear Favors, Beau Coup; Caramel Apple Favors, Evermine; Mint To Be Favors, The Kraft Moon/Etsy; Sweet Chocolate Heart Favors, Little Indie Studio/Etsy

Personalized

Personalization can help achieve a greater impact without having to spend a fortune on materials. Print directly onto craft paper treats bags or purchase printable labels. Your local craft store will have a variety of paper punches in various shapes and sizes from a 2-inch circle punch to an ornate gift tag punch.

RCI member, Dietsch Brothers, uses a Cricut^® cutting machine to create personalized tags to accompany their wedding favors. Dietsch Brothers offers a simple order form for event tags. The order form includes options for tag shapes and six choices of messages. Clients can further customize their tags by adding their names and/or wedding date, in addition to choosing between cream or white card stock, as well as the color of text to match their wedding colors.

 

If you’re not interested in purchasing equipment, Canva is a great alternative for creating professional-looking custom designs even if you have zero graphic design experience. This user-friendly platform offers thousands of custom templates and stock images, as well as easy-to-follow tutorials claiming to make you a “design pro in minutes.” Canva offers free and paid subscriptions. 

 

 

Sources: Merci Beaucoup gift box, Mon Joli Paquet/Etsy; Hot Chocolate Tube, Custom Favours/Etsy, Mini Popcorn Boxes, Erickson Design/Etsy; Macaron Boxes, Cookiebox Store/Etsy; Chocolate-Covered Coffee Beans Favor, Evermine

Packaging

Even if you offer individually wrapped confections, a winning wedding favor is all about the presentation. The right packaging can help create a memorable way to commemorate the newlyweds and thank their guests for partaking in their nuptial ceremony. From sleek and modern to playful and crafty, there is packaging to fit every couple and every budget.

Sleek folded boxes in matte white or clear acetate tied with a satin bow, offer a luxurious touch. For a more creative and playful approach, hot chocolate mix can be packaged in food-safe tubes. Adding personal touches to ordinary packaging (like the mini popcorn boxes and coffee cups with customized sleeves pictured above) makes it feel elevated and fun.

 

Together with personalization, classic or creative packaging could help soon-to-be-wed couples fall in love with your wedding favors. Share your creative wedding favor ideas in the comments below.

 

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices.  Follow us on Facebook.