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Rewind to Tip #141: Get Smashing with Smash Pumpkins

Posted By RCI, Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Updated: Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Photo credit: Stever's Candies, Inc.

Looking for a new idea for your fall product lineup? How about a Smash Pumpkin?

Smash Pumpkins are simple hollow pumpkin or jack o’lantern moulds that are filled with goodies of your choice. Hence the name, customers get to “smash” the pumpkin open after purchase to see what’s inside.

Package your pumpkins in cellophane with beautiful bows and, perhaps, a small wooden mallet tied with a coordinating ribbon. Smash pumpkins can be a fun activity for parties or a welcome holiday gift.


At a glance, it may not be obvious that the pumpkins are filled with candy. For this reason, it is important to clearly communicate what’s inside the pumpkins, so the customer understands what they’re purchasing. Consider displaying packaged smash pumpkins around an over-sized, pre-smashed pumpkin with candy flowing out of the cracks and onto the table along. A small to mid-sized chalkboard with a brief product description should get the message across and create a fun display leading up to Halloween.

Tags:  Candy Holidays  Candy Making  Chocolate  Fall  gifts  Halloween  Holidays  Moulds 

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Tip #164: Spark Customer Interest with Fall Merchandising

Posted By RCI, Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Updated: Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Pictured clockwise from the top:MidwestLiving,Faribault Woolen Mill Co.,Free People
DIY Flameless Fire Pit by Free People
Strategic merchandising is an important to component to increasing sales. Thoughtful merchandising can grab attention, stimulate emotions and give buyers a reason to make a purchase and feel good about doing so. Fall is the perfect time to create a warm and cozy environment in your store. A fun, bonfire themed display could be seen as a welcome shelter from the cold.
 
Spark buyers’ interest with a bundle of fire wood, cozy flannel fabrics and an old tin thermos overflowing with goodies. This makes for a great space to sell DIY s’more kits, luscious caramel apples, various barks featuring cozy fall flavors and chocolate-covered pretzel rods. Candy House Gourmet of Joplin, Missouri makes “Walking Sticks” out of large pretzel rods dipped in caramel and pecans, then drizzled with milk, dark and white chocolate for a decadent snack on-the-go.
 
Interested in creating a darling flameless fire pit? Click here to view a step-by-step tutorial by Free People.

Tags:  Displays  Fall  gifts  Merchandising  Tutorial 

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Tip #162: Give Buyers a Reason to Spend on Game Day!

Posted By RCI, Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Updated: Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Take advantage of football season by giving buyers a reason to spend on game day. Build a football-themed display by incorporating your local team’s colors (or black and white stripes will work too), artificial wheat grass and a chalkboard with spatterings of X’s, O’s and arrows…leading them straight to their next purchase!
 
Moulded footballs, non-pareils and flavored popcorn, all in your local team’s colors, are a must! Create an atmosphere of team spirit by encouraging staff to sport their favorite team merchandise.Touch-down!

Don’t forget to tell your patrons you’re ready for football season on Facebook, Twitter and your blog. Click here to see how RCI member Wockenfuss Candies of Baltimore let’s Raven’s fans know they’re a destination for both football gear and game-day goodies.

Tags:  Fall  Football  Merchandising  Owning a Business  Super Bowl 

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Tip #161: Heat Things Up This Fall!

Posted By RCI, Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Updated: Wednesday, April 29, 2020
 
As the temperature outside starts to cool, heat things up by adding sweet and spicy treats to your product lineup. Not only are spicy flavors incredibly trendy right now, a little heat from red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper can produce a more dynamic flavor in any confection. As a general rule, spice balances sweet and vice versa. If you have a product that has been described as “too sweet,” try adding a hint of spice to the recipe to better balance the sweetness.
 
Javier Sanchez, with Savage Bros. Co., took a traditional confection to the next level during his demonstration at last week’s Philadelphia Candy Show. Red Pepper Peanut Brittle is perfect for chilly tailgate parties and bonfires, or as a gift for the heat-seekers among us.

Red Pepper Peanut Brittle
Recipe by Savage Bros. Co.

Ingredients:
4.5 lbs sugar
3 lbs corn syrup
1.5 lbs water
4.5 lbs raw peanuts
1 lb butter
.38 oz vanilla
1.13 oz baking soda
.5 oz salt
2.5 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions:
Prepare cooling table with warm water flow. Set kettle temperature to 400 degrees. Place sugar, corn syrup and water in kettle and bring to a boil. At 250 degrees, slowly add peanuts so not to decrease temperature. At 280 degrees, add butter.

At 290 degrees, turn off heat and start the water flush for 45 seconds. Add red pepper flakes and mix. Add salt, baking soda and vanilla. This will allow brittle temperature to reach 300 degrees by the time it’s finished mixing.

When ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, pour onto warm table or tray and either shake pan or use a spatula to spread brittle to desired thickness. Slowly start to cool table down.

Tags:  Candy Making  Creative Flavors  Fall  gifts  Peanut Brittle  Peanuts  Recipe  Red Pepper  Spicy  Sweet and Spicy  Trends 

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