Pistachios are not new to the confectionery world, but as you may have noticed this little green nut has been popping up in everything from coffees to cocktails, candy bars and even scented candles. Trend reporters, like Olam Food Ingredients (OFI), have identified the pistachio as the “up-and-coming nut of the moment.”

 

 

 

Photo credit: Snickers, Lindt, Starbucks

According to OFI, “The pistachio is experiencing growth and taking center stage as an inclusion in many new confectionery products. Whether it’s whole kernels, pieces, powders or pastes, the pistachio is piquing people’s interest.”

In a 2022 flavor insight report, FONA reports almond, cranberry and chocolate as the top flavors paired with pistachio. Other popular flavors to pair with pistachio include caramel, white chocolate and matcha. There are many confectionery applications for pistachios including truffles, nougat, fudge, toffee, brittle, bark and more.

If you already make confections featuring the pistachio, now would be a good time to make a splash with a retail display or social media posts.

Not only do pistachios add a familiar and well-loved flavor, they can offer a nice burst of green color.

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“Limited edition” products exist across all industries including technology, fashion, cosmetics and, of course, food. RCI member, Kate Wadman with Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate shares how companies big and small often use this strategy to break through the noise of evergreen activities (known for being relevant, though repetitive) in the market and pull consumers in.

Why does this work?

At its core, “limited edition” speaks to basic economics of supply and demand. Offering unique items for only a set time can increase demand and create an elevated value for those items, as well as the overall brand. This sense of immediacy and exclusivity kickstarts the desire to buy and experience.

“Limited edition” or “special edition” also gives the product a new or never-before-seen feel that generates excitement and plays on consumer FOMO or “fear of missing out.” Consumers are attracted to a new experience for simply that, something new. They also have an innate urgency to engage, because they don’t want to lose out and are fearful they may not have the same opportunity again.

Finding Inspiration

It’s one thing to create a limited-edition item. It’s another thing to keep the inspiration flowing for an entire line or consistent calendar of goodies.

To supplement ideation and creation of special-edition items, look to limited-time offerings in other spaces for inspiration or even to use as an ingredient itself. That’s exactly what Joe Sofia, Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate Technical Advisor, did when tasked with exploring the limited/special edition concept.

Additionally, inspired by overarching industry trends of nostalgia and sensory, Joe looked to create a recipe rooted in the limited-time offer mindset, but would also come alive in its experience and pack an emotional punch. Enter Sour Patch Kids® cereal. A much-loved candy since the 1970s, Sour Patch Kids has seen its fair share of expansion into other items, but the recent jump to a cereal inspired by the flavor might be its most unique. And it certainly fit the bill for a unique and special offering.

Four simple ingredients later, Sour Patch Kids Bark was born. White confectionery coating served as the canvas for the cereal while preserving texture and a small amount of citric acid crystals amplify the sour. Topping it off with actual Sour Patch Kids candy, added additional color to hit sensory at another eye-popping angle. Click here to download the recipe from Joe Sofia and Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate. 

Opportunity To Play

It’s worth noting that not every limited-edition product works for everyone. It’s important to experiment and play around to create something that speaks to your specific customers. A great part of limited edition is that you’re not committed to it forever. If it doesn’t work, try something else. Once you land on the right flavors and the right mix, your limited-edition product can pack a powerful punch.

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.

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Happy New Year! As we bid farewell to another year, we welcome you to join us in remembering the sweet moments of 2022. As an association, we are so grateful for the many opportunities we’ve had to gather together this year. Yes, we’re still celebrating the return of a full roster of events including education courses, regional conferences and the Annual Convention & Industry Expo! It was so nice to connect with old friends and welcome many new members! We’re already looking forward to another great year of events in 2023. Stay up-to-date on RCI’s event schedule by visiting retailconfectioners.org/events.

Here’s RCI’s most-read blog posts from 2022, in case you missed them the first time or could use a refresher.

 

2. Halloween Candy Shortage Could Mean Opportunity for Candy Makers
We highlighted three Halloween shoppers who may be left in the lurch with the impending candy shortage and how your business could capture sales by seizing the opportunity to meeting their unique needs.

3. EGGS-tra Easter Egg Inspiration
No matter if you like your chocolate Easter eggs more traditional or if you prefer a more unconventional approach, this post offered 5 sweet EGGS-tra themes to try for the holiday.

 

 

 

We look forward to bringing you more great tips to help you build your business in 2023!

 

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.

 

The holiday season may be “the most wonderful time of the year,” but it is also a time when scammers are especially active. Make sure you and your team can spot an email scam to save your money, personal information and holiday cheer.

When an employee of a candy-maker member company received an email from who he thought was the owner of the company requesting he purchase five $200 Best Buy gift cards to reward members of their team, this type of request didn’t seem unreasonable. However, after further communication, the staffer realized the email was not coming from the owner at all and was actually a sophisticated email scam.

As it turns out this is a real-life example of a growing financial fraud known as Business Email Compromise (BEC) or “CEO Fraud.” BEC is an email phishing scam using fake email addresses that look like they’re coming from the CEO or leadership of the organization. As stated by the FBI, BEC scams are “more sophisticated than any similar scam the FBI has seen before and one—in its various forms—that has resulted in actual and attempted losses of more than a billion dollars to businesses worldwide.”

CEO fraud specifically resulted in $3 billion in losses to U.S. businesses and an attempted $23 billion since 2016, according to a report from the FBI. This type of fraud has tripled in the last three years and continues to grow.

Common tactics may involve a scammer impersonating the CEO or someone in another leadership role requesting a wire transfer, gift cards or employee tax information. These types of email scams are effective because they rely on “fear the boss” thinking; all employees want to do their job and what is asked of them. Therefore, a request from their CEO or highest leader in the company is something they likely won’t decline. “[Scammers] know how to perpetuate the scam without raising suspicions,” FBI Special Agent Maxwell Marker said. “They have excellent tradecraft, and they do their homework. They use language specific to the company they are targeting, along with dollar amounts that lend legitimacy to the fraud. The days of these emails having horrible grammar and being easily identified are largely behind us.” 

How to Spot a CEO Email Scam

Thankfully, for this member company, the target of this scam recognized a red flag that ultimately saved the family-owned business $2,000. Protect your business by educating your staff on how to identify this type of email fraud. Below are common trademarks of a CEO fraud email scam, identified by Fraud Watch International:

 

• Spoofing legitimate email addresses, using a domain similar to that of the targeted business.
• Using an urgent tone, commanding request is done “ASAP”.
• Stating the CEO or CFO cannot be disturbed during a meeting or may be busy and unable to respond during the email exchange.
• Implying the sender is using a mobile device to write the email, by including the phrase “Sent from my iPad”, in lieu of the corporate email signature.
  • Note: This trick is particularly effective, because implying that the email is sent from a mobile device excuses poor English, misspelling, or lack of a legitimate email signature, which are usually triggers to recognize phishing emails. It also helps strengthen the sense of urgency: if it wasn’t pressing, the sender would have waited until they were back at their desk. Hackers might also do their homework to find out when the executives are travelling for business, making their scam even more credible to their victim.
• Cyber criminals do the research to know what type of request is most legitimate-looking to avoid raising suspicion.

 

Train Your Team

Create awareness of potential scams that may pose a threat to your business. Share the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Studies with your team.

 

• Create a clear policy for your team regarding how money and sensitive information is shared. Always require a check-in with leadership before steps are taken.
• Train staff to double-check email addresses, not just the sender’s name. Look for email addresses that are close, but not exact — For instance, a phishing address may come from an email with @gmail.com at the end or ".co" rather than the expected ".com" or ".ca"
• Encourage staff to always question emails requesting fast actions, whether they seem unusual or not. The Better Business Bureau suggests most fraud cases could have been avoided with a phone call to the individual believed to be sending the email.
• Keep computers updated with antivirus software and consider investing in anti-phishing software to help protect your network and email systems. 

 

With businesses of all sizes being targeted, and this type of fraud activity continuing to grow, your business can never be too prepared, especially during the busy holiday season.

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.

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In the popular leadership book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People^®, author Stephen Covey identifies the win-win mentality as one of those habits. Covey describes win-win as “a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions.” I can think of few greater examples of practicing “win-win” in business than by collaborating with a fellow local business to create a new product that highlights the best of both brands.

 

Cross branding is a marketing and product development tactic that continues to grow traction in the confectionery industry. The possibilities can stretch as far as your imagination allows, but here’s some inspiration.

 

 

Craft Beer
RCI member, Hilliard’s Chocolates teamed up with a local brewery to create a craft beer collection featuring beer caramels and beer brittles. The popularity of micro-breweries has exploded in recent years, making it pretty likely there’s a nearby micro-brewery (or two, or three…) that would be happy to team up with your business to develop a unique, new product.

 

 

Wine
Even if you don’t live near California wine country, you may be surprised to find a local winery near you. According to  vineyards.com, wine is produced in all 50 US states. Many wines make a great complement to a chocolate ganache center, like in the red wine chocolate truffles by RCI member Stafford’s Chocolates.

 

 

Coffee
Partner with a local coffee roaster to develop a signature coffee flavor or a confection featuring their coffee. Known for their Mint Smoothie ^®, RCI member Rhéo Thompson partnered with a local coffee roaster to develop a one-of-a-kind coffee blend featuring their signature flavor.

 

 

Dairy
Local dairy farms are a great opportunity for sourcing fresh cream and butter for your recipes. Don’t overlook goat milk as an alternative ingredient for customers with dairy allergies.

 

 

Fruits & Nuts
Is your region known for producing a specific fruit or nut? If so, you may not have to look too far to connect with local farmers to feature their products in your confections. You may even find this route to be more economical than sourcing those ingredients elsewhere.

Of course, developing a marketing and merchandising strategy is essential to make any cross-branding reach its full potential—you could also benefit by teaming up with the partnering company’s marketing team. Once your new product has been developed send out a press release to the local media announcing your partnership. Make sure to include the partnering company’s logo on your packaging and marketing materials, this will help to sweeten the deal for your partner and make it more likely they will help promote your product. Also, invite them to sell the product in their retail store and e-commerce site to promote the product to their network of followers.

Cross branding is a win-win for all those involved, but especially your customers when they get to enjoy the end result of your sweet collaboration!

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