Super Bowl is a week from this Sunday and according to this infographic on 2012 Super Bowl parties, more than $50 million will be spent on food for Super Bowl parties across the country. That’s why this week’s tip is to join the madness and incorporate a few Super Bowl themed items in your candy store.

 

While you can’t legally use the logos and likeness of the competing Super Bowl football teams, you can use their team colors to create beautifully themed hostess gifts and party platters. How about football shaped cookies using icing with team colors? Or, try football shaped chocolate moulds with a stick in them to make football pop bouquets. Since eight million pounds of popcorn were consumed at Super Bowl parties last year, consider making salty snacks such as popcorn and pretzels mixes. The product possibilities are endless!

 

Be sure to spread the word among your customers using your website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and whatever social media networks your customers are accustomed to, and encourage them to come to your store for their Super Bowl party treats. Remember, great pictures speak a thousand words so be sure to post beautiful pictures.

 

Do you have other ideas for joining Super Bowl madness and your candy store? Please share them in the comments below!

At Retail Confectioners International, we’re excited to announce the launch of our new website, retailconfectioners.org!

 

Last week we officially launched the new RCI website. We’ve been hard at work over the last few months completely revamping our website to better meet the needs of our members and provide information to the confectionery industry. With the new drop-down navigation menu and search functions, it’s easier than ever to find the information you need. Plus, we’ve provided easy access to free industry resources, including:

 

 

We hope you’ll take a minute to visit the RCI website and add it to your list of bookmarked sites to visit often. If you’re not an RCI member, we invite you to click on the Membership tab to learn more about how a membership in RCI can help your business by connecting you to relevant information and fellow confectioners across the globe!

 

RCI Members:  Sign in as a member to the new RCI website and access member-only resources, including an RCI Member Community to engage directly with fellow RCI members. Need your username and password? Just call RCI at 800-545-5381.  

 

P.S. Are you headed to the Philly Candy Show? Be sure to stop by the RCI booth (#512) to meet RCI staff and learn more about RCI membership, events and more.

A couple weeks ago we reminded you of the importance of setting goals for the coming year. Today, we’re reminding you to take time to celebrate and remember 2012.

 

Was 2012 a standout year for you and your business? Take time to celebrate with your employees and your family!  Take a step back from running the business to thank your staff by taking them out to lunch or have a family fun night out. Get others involved and have staff name their favorite part of 2012 or a personal celebration from the year.   

 

It’s also important to take time to acknowledge and remember any difficulties or challenges from 2012. Acknowledging what you've learned from those difficulties along the way and giving your staff the opportunity to acknowledge those challenges ensures they weren't in vain.

 

Now go make your celebration plans!

 

Most candy makers would probably agree it’s easier to keep a super-clean facility when the bows and boxes aren’t flying during the holiday season. But how is your staff doing with keeping the cleaning schedule when there seems to be no extra time in the day?

 

One way to stay on top of this is to test the cleanliness of your facility on a regular basis. We don’t mean a visual test where you look to see if the area appears clean but an actual scientific test for allergens, sanitation, etc.

 

You can buy sample test kits and do an on-site test of a variety of areas in your production zone. During one of our recent Kettle Talk panel forums, a member recommended buying sample test kits from Neogen. Using their food allergen tests you can do on-site tests to detect the target allergen (see list of allergens here) in ingredients, liquids, clean-in-place rinses, finished foods, and on environmental surfaces. They also have sanitation tests to detect the amount of food residue and other organic matter, such as bacteria, yeast and mold, that may remain after cleaning.

 

Please note this is just one company that was recommended from one member to another at our event and others are likely available to you by searching online. If you also want to send swabs off to a lab to be thoroughly tested, Silliker Labs, who presented at the 2012 RCI Spring Regional event, also provides food testing and sanitation information for confectioners and food facilities.

 

Do you have other tips for maintaining a clean food facility in the midst of your busiest production schedules? Please share with our blog community in the comments below!