Do you ever feel like you’re stuck in a rut? Are you looking for ways to gain momentum and taking your business to the next level? If so, then you don’t want to miss RCI’s Annual Convention & Industry Expo in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on June 12-16, 2023!

 

Join fellow confectioners, candy retailers and suppliers looking to gain momentum in their businesses through impactful education and collaboration. Get inspired to take the next step and gain momentum for your business through two days of education led by experts in their fields and designed to meet the unique needs of the retail confectioner.

 

 

Learn game-changing retail and merchandising techniques from retail strategists and professional store planners, KIZER & BENDER. In two unique education sessions, this dynamic duo will teach attendees how to engage and connect with customers and offer a better understanding of what you need to do—and how to do it—to take your sales to insane, new levels, as well as create store layouts that sell, sell, sell!

As a new addition to this year’s educational programming, attendees will have the opportunity to select topics that best fit their unique needs and interests during Roundtables: Conversations for Candy Businesses. Participants can join up to three different small groups to discuss specific topics relevant to their confectionery business. Each group will have a moderator to guide the conversation and address questions.

Topics to include:

 

• Business Operations
• Candy Formulations/Troubleshooting
• Human Resources/Hiring
• Marketing/Merchandising
• And more!

 

 

Attendees will also gain clarity on FDA packaging and nutrition labeling regulations, as well as how to capture consumer demand by identifying key flavor trends and executing successful new product launches. Click here for a full description of the education sessions offered at RCI’s 2023 Annual Convention & Industry Expo.

Educational sessions will be presented on Tuesday, June 13 and Wednesday, June 14. A variety of ticket packages are available, giving attendees the option to create an experience that fits any schedule and budget. RCI offers a 1-Day Education Ticket for just $225 for those looking to focus strictly on education.

RCI will conclude the week with off-site tours of local candy maker and supplier business, which takes education to the next level. Discounted early-bird tickets are available through April 28, 2023. Visit retailconfectioners.org/annual now to grab your ticket!

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The sun is shining (hopefully), temperatures are rising, and the smell of spring is in the air—and certainly in your candy kitchen—as you create your delectable springtime confections. RCI member, LorAnn Oils, shares how you can take your chocolates and confections to the next level of perfection with a favorite secret ingredient—soy lecithin!

What Is Soy Lecithin?
Lecithin is an emulsifier used in foods to stabilize other recipe ingredients that do not inherently mix well. This naturally thick extract comes from soybeans and has super-charged emulsification abilities that produce perfectly blended gravies, dressings and sauces. For candy lovers, it’s the qualities lecithin adds to confections that are the cause for excitement!

Benefits of Using Soy Lecithin in Confections
When it comes to the confectionery world, lecithin is used as a natural emulsifier, preservative, antioxidant and flavor protector in chocolates and candies. Two ingredients we know do not live in perfect harmony: oil and water. The ability to keep oils and fats from separating makes lecithin ideal. Think of lecithin as the requisite sidekick for chocolates and buttery candies. Its emulsifying properties improve mixability, which enhances the texture of buttery candies and chocolates, while protecting the flavor. Lecithin’s emulsification magic also keeps candy from developing an oily residue on the outside, giving confections a beautifully smooth finish customers will appreciate.

The addition of lecithin can also extend shelf life thanks to the presence of antioxidants which help to slow the oxidation of fats and control crystallization. This is great news for professional confectioners, because it reduces the risk of mold developing and keeps chocolates, caramels and other buttery candies fresher longer.

Ask your supplier, as some soy lecithin products may be gluten-free and vegan-friendly, making it a perfect option for customers who have special dietary needs. Keep reading for a variety of ways you can use lecithin in the following candy creations.

Chocolates
Incorporating lecithin into melted chocolate can help it flow more smoothly and consistently. Lecithin acts as a binder in chocolate, helping cocoa solids, sugar and milk better adhere to the cocoa butter. Adding just a small amount of lecithin to melted chocolate keeps the chocolate from spreading too quickly so it doesn’t seize or thicken. Lecithin is also a more cost-effective option than cocoa butter and less is needed. Usage recommendation is 0.25 – 0.50% lecithin per total batch. Too much lecithin can have the reverse effect and cause chocolate to thicken.

Caramels, Toffees and Brittles
A common problem for candy makers is the stickiness of their products, particularly in toffee and brittles where the butter and sugar tend to separate during the cooking process. Luckily, lecithin helps to minimize this issue by allowing the butterfat to mix with the moisture in the batch. Lecithin can also help prevent caramels from sticking to their wrappers or wax papers. Usage should be limited to 0.20-0.40% of the total batch to achieve the best results.

Caramel Popcorn
For caramel popcorn, adding a little lecithin and oil at the very end will help your creamy caramel evenly coat the popcorn and reduce clumping.

Cinnamon Candies
When making hard candy, cinnamon oil is a flavor that may not stay completely mixed into the candy syrup and can float to the top. To help the oil stay mixed, stir a small amount of lecithin into the boiled candy syrup. Since lecithin is an emulsifying agent, it helps keep oils evenly mixed and emulsified throughout the batch. We recommend adding 1/4 teaspoon of lecithin per cup of sugar.

When making hard candy, it can be difficult to keep certain flavors, specifically cinnamon oil, evenly mixed throughout the candy syrup. To prevent cinnamon oil from floating to the top of your hard candy mixture, stir in a small amount of lecithin into the boiled candy syrup. As an emulsifying agent, lecithin helps to keep oils evenly distributed throughout the batch. LorAnn Oils recommends adding 1/4 teaspoon of lecithin per cup of sugar.

Now you can see why soy lecithin is a favorite secret ingredient for many candy makers and chocolatiers. Not only does it provide a range of functional benefits, but it also helps to create a smoother, more consistent product with a longer shelf life. With its natural and clean label ingredients, soy lecithin is an easy and cost-effective solution to improve the texture and flavor of chocolates and other confections.

Crave more?Click here to subscribe and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's 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.

 

Want to refresh your line of confections for Easter with little to no effort? You don't have to create entirely new recipes or invest in costly advertising campaigns to get customers excited about your products; all you really need is a bit of imagination. By giving your existing confections a new name themed for Easter, you can create more interest and drive sales  with simple additions or, better yet, without actually changing anything but the name. In this blog post, we'll explore some creative ways to give your confections a fresh twist for the Easter season.

 

 

Rabbit Tails

Simply rename your chocolate-covered marshmallows as “Rabbit Tails” for a quick and easy refresh. Cute labels, like the one pictured from RCI member Abdallah Candies, can be created on Canva to draw attention and add excitement to an existing product.

 

 

Bunny Feed + Bunny Poop

Just for the Easter holiday, RCI member Bruce’s Candy Kitchen renamed candy-coated, chocolate-covered sunflower seeds as “Bunny Feed.” They also sell packs of colorful Sixlets^® as “Bunny Poop.”

 

 

Cottontail Crunch + Chick Feed

Add pastel-colored Easter candies, jelly beans, yogurt-covered raisins or (whatever spring treats you have on hand) to your existing trail mix or caramel popcorn and give it a clever name like, “Cottontail Crunch” or “Chick Feed." Target sells a limited edition Easter-themed trail mix called “ Bunny Bait” and RCI member Marie’s Candies adds Easter candy corn to roasted peanuts for a sweet and salty “Bunny Tracks Mix.”

 

Bunny Bark

Make subtle changes to your existing bark recipe by adding pastel sprinkles or candies and rebrand it as “Bunny Bark.”

The goal is to bring excitement and fun to your normal offerings, making something new with very little change or without changing anything but the name. Look through your inventory to identify items that can be reimagined for Easter. With a little creativity, you could see a bump in lemon buttercream sales by rebranding them as “Ducktails.” Or why not rename your coconut creams as “Cottontails" for the holiday?

Capture the spirit of the season with a little imagination and every bunny will want a taste of your Easter-themed treats!

Crave more?Click here  to subscribe and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's 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.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business .

As Easter approaches, candy shops can soon expect shoppers looking to build custom Easter baskets for loved ones. For some, creating and selling custom Easter baskets can be a time-consuming process that requires detailed staff training and complicated pricing structures.

This week we’re sharing a simple solution from RCI member, Juliet Chocolate Factory, that can save candy shops time and effort while still offering customers the opportunity to create custom Easter baskets.

 

 

Near the register at Juliet Chocolate Factory in Romeo, Michigan customers can take their pick from a selection of pre-assembled Easter baskets—three different sizes of themed baskets serve as the base. Each basket is filled with paper shreds and a coordinating bow (with tie) which is packaged inside a clear cello bag that is closed with a twist tie.

The baskets are empty, representing a blank canvas of sorts for customers to shop your store for the perfect mix to fit the intended recipient. Once shoppers are done selecting the contents of their custom Easter baskets, staff at the register can simply stuff the basket while ringing up each individual item, along with the gift basket, itself, which has its own product code/price.

This approach to offering custom Easter baskets can help you save time and effort this Easter. It’s a win-win solution that allows candy shops to focus on delivering quality products and excellent customer service while still providing customers with the opportunity to create their own unique Easter baskets.

Crave more?Click here to subscribe and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's 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.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

P

Pate de fruit is a traditional French confection made from fruit puree, sugar and pectin. Pectin is a natural thickening agent used in jams and jellies, and gives pate de fruit its firm, jelly-like texture. In this week’s blog post, we’re sharing tips from Chef Josh Johnson with Guittard Chocolate Company on how to achieve two distinct applications for pate de fruit by using a different type of pectin.

 

 

G Pectin

If you’re looking for a classic pate de fruit, G pectin is the way to go. Pate de fruit normally has a firm set, like a fruit jelly. Once set, it remains stable and can’t be manipulated. For an enrobed (or slab) piece, G pectin will achieve a firm consistency that cuts nicely on a guitar cutter. G pectin also offers a slower set time and a very nice fluidity when poured into a frame. This is key in being able to pour multiple frames without the product setting too quickly.

G pectin is a mixture of yellow pectin, dextrose and citric acid which work together to achieve the aforementioned qualities. Be sure to not switch yellow pectin for G pectin, or the other way around, because the results will be drastically different.

NH Pectin

NH pectin can be used to create a softer texture, which can be stirred or blended to a smooth consistency. Once completely cooled, it can be piped perfectly into moulded chocolate shells. NH pectin is primarily used in glazes for different pastry applications, because it can be remelted and remain homogenous as a liquid glaze. NH pectin is also called “thermo-reversible pectin.”

It’s important to understand the effects of different types of pectin to achieve your desired confectionery application. Click here to download Chef Josh's recipes for chocolate raspberry bon bons (pictured above) featuring pate de fruit that utilizes G pectin or NH pectin to achieve two distinctly different results.

Crave more?Click here to subscribe and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's 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.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.