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Home Sweet Home: Increase Sales with Housewarming Gifts

Posted By RCI, Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Updated: Thursday, November 9, 2023
 

 

A thoughtful housewarming gift can help commemorate the special occasion and make new homeowners feel more at home. Offering great housewarming gifts could also open up sales opportunities with local real estate agents looking to thank clients. What better way to welcome someone to the neighborhood than with a delicious and thoughtful gift? This week we’re sharing inspiration for crafting your own special housewarming gifts that make a lasting impression to both the recipient and the gift giver.

 


Photo credit: The Chocolate Girl

 

Candy House Box
This cute wooden box is the perfect container to house a sampling of your signature treats. Similar house-shaped wooden boxes, like this, can be found at your local craft store or online. As another option, RCI supplier member, Nashville Wraps, has a few styles of housewarming basket boxes, like the one pictured below.

 

 

Photo credit: Nashville Wraps

 

 

 

Big Hug Care Package
This gift is sure to make anyone smile! We especially love the custom tote bag that reads “big Colorado hug,” which could be reimagined for your state or hometown. With the addition of your company name or logo, the reusable bag will remind the recipient of your brand every time it's used. This could also be repurposed as a back-to-school send off for college students—“send them to school with their favorite treats!”

 

Photo credit: Buffett’s Candies

Best in State
Welcome new homeowners to the “neighborhood” with a state-shaped basket filled with your signature treats and perhaps some unique-to-your-state flavors. RCI member Buffett’s Candies 
sources baskets shaped like their home state of New Mexico from  WeaveCrafters. This Texas-based company makes handmade baskets in the shape of all 50 states and are highly recommended by many members.  They also make a house-shaped basket. Click here for a past RCI blog post with more ideas for creating custom gift baskets for your state.

 

People are always buying and selling homes. This could be your opportunity to introduce your business to out-of-towners and be part of a special milestone for locals who may have just moved across town. Once you find out which presentation works best for your business, it’s important to get the word out! Post photos of your housewarming gifts on social media, ask around if you have a friend who works in the real estate industry or make a memorable introduction at some nearby real estate offices with a sample housewarming gift in hand.

We hope this inspires you to go put the sweet in "home sweet home" with your housewarming gifts!

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 .

Tags:  Gift Baskets  Gift Ideas  gifts  Housewarming  Increase Sales  Marketing  State 

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Freeze Chocolate Without Risking Bloom

Posted By RCI, Tuesday, February 2, 2021
Updated: Friday, August 20, 2021

 

Trays of cured meats, cheeses and other savory snackables, collectively known as charcuterie boards, have experienced a significant rise in popularity over the past few years. It’s only natural that those of us with more of a sweet tooth longed for a different kind of spread.

 

Photo credit: Vande Walle's Candies

 

RCI member, Vande Walle’s Candies of Appleton, Wisconsin has experienced success with their chocolate charcuterie boards (check out their Packers-themed football board above) and we think you could too for Valentine’s Day and a number of other holidays throughout the year, such as Easter, Mother’s Day and more!

Keep reading for a little inspiration and tips to create your own chocolate charcuterie boards for Valentine's Day, using products you already have in your store.

 

 

Photo credit (clockwise, starting from top left): Rebecca White/Dallas NewsA Pumpkin & A PrincessDomestikated LifeLemon Tree Dwelling

Tips to Build Your Own Chocolate Charcuterie Board

Begin with the Board

Vande Walle’s Candies shared that they start by purchasing a variety of wood planks and cutting boards (made of both wood and glass) of different sizes and arrange their products on the boards. Each one of the Vande Walle’s chocuterie boards is unique and sold at a different price point.

The type of board or tray will play a big role in the price of your chocolate charcuterie board, so if you are wanting to keep your price point low check out your local dollar store for inexpensive glass or bamboo cutting boards. Nice wooden cutting boards are going to bring your price up, but the recipient of the board will likely incorporate it into their kitchen and use it over and over. Before arranging anything on your board, consider adding a label or sticker with your company info or logo on the bottom of the board to direct the recipient back to your business.

Pile on the Chocolate

When choosing which products to feature, don’t overlook the fact that charcuterie boards are meant to be shared either as a gift or at a gathering. We recommend putting your best foot forward by making sure to include a few of your signature items, so the recipient of your beautiful chocolate charcuterie board will want to come by for more. Take time to carefully arrange them on the board and leave space to add pops of color between the brown chocolate items.

Aside from your signature items, other ideas might include chocolate-covered sandwich cookies, graham crackers and pretzels with festive sprinkles, chocolate-covered popcorn, nuts or dried fruit. If possible, try to include a variety of shapes and sizes.

Add Pops of Color

Create interest by adding pops of color throughout the board with gummy candy, jelly beans, foil-wrapped chocolate hearts and lips, colorful non-pareils, conversation hearts, licorice, hard candies, panned cranberries and cherries, macarons, marshmallows and more. The sky is truly the limit.

It’s a Wrap

Once your board is complete, shrink wrap it to keep it all neatly in place. You might top it with a bow or a fun label as the finishing touch.

Even if you opt not to create chocolate charcuterie boards for this Valentine’s Day, this concept can be applied to any holiday—we dare you not to start daydreaming of an Easter board right now!

Although the charcuterie board has been around since the 15th century, it has exploded with popularity on social media thanks to its visual appeal. With that said, don’t forget to share photos of your chocolate charcuterie boards on social media.

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.

Tags:  Chocolate  Chocolate Charcuterie  Gift Baskets  Gift Ideas  Holidays  Hostess Gifts  Marketing  Trends  Valentine's Day 

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Best in State: Sweet Gift Basket Ideas Shaped Like Your State

Posted By RCI, Tuesday, September 29, 2020
Updated: Thursday, January 21, 2021
9/29/20

 

If you ever travel to New Mexico, you must try a piñon roll (or three) from Buffett’s Candies in Albuquerque. Followed, of course, by their green chile cheese popcorn, piñon brittle, a Pecañero—and, really, anything else you can get your hands on. These specific items are unique to Buffett’s Candies and showcase the flavors of New Mexico.

During a Candy Clinic presentation, Patty Buffett of Buffett’s Candies shared that they bundle products that incorporate the flavors and ingredients of their state in a basket shaped like New Mexico. Buffett’s Candies sources their basket from WeaveCrafters of Texas—which makes handmade baskets in the shape of all 50 states and are highly recommended.

In addition to Buffett’s Candies, other RCI members show their state pride with these unique gift baskets.

 

 

Buffett’s Candies: New Mexico Basket

Described as “the best of New Mexico all in one basket,” Buffett’s fills their basket with some of their most popular items. If there’s any question where this basket came from (and we highly doubt there is), the large moulded chocolate in the shape of New Mexico clears that up quickly…and couldn’t taste sweeter.

RCI members: Login at retailconfectioners.org/candyclinic to view Patty’s full Candy Clinic presentation from RCI’s Fall Regional Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

 

 

Hilliard’s Chocolates: MassaCHEWsetts Basket

We love a good play on words, so Hilliard’s Chocolates pretty much had our attention at “MassaCHEWsetts!” Cued up as “the perfect gift basket for your out of town guests,” this basket is loaded with colorful salt water taffy (if you didn’t get the play on words before, hopefully now you have), a chocolate lobster, Boston Baked Beans and more coastal delights.

Winans Chocolates + Coffees: Celebrate Ohio Basket

What’s not to celebrate when your state is known for the buckeye!? In addition to some of their other signature products, including a moulded chocolate in the shape of Ohio, this gift basket is wrapped in cello, tied with a festive ribbon and accompanied with a greeting card.

These state-shaped gift baskets make great souvenirs, corporate and holiday gifts. If you love your state and you're proud to show it, why not show your state pride with a gift basket?

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.

Tags:  Candy Clinic  Gift Baskets  Gift Ideas  Marketing 

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Tip #305: Build a Better Gift Basket

Posted By RCI, Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Updated: Monday, April 27, 2020

Give your products new life by grouping them together in an eye-catching gift basket. According to Gift Shop magazine, “gift baskets are a convenient way to improve store sales and even turn clearance items into fresh, full-priced, saleable items.”

Not only are gift baskets fun and interactive for the recipient, as they discover each different element carefully tucked inside, but for the retailer they encourage increased customer spending and create for beautiful merchandising displays.
 
Rebecca Craig of Marie's Candies, an RCI member and the Third Vice President of RCI’s board of directors, shared the following “recipe” for the perfect gift basket as an instructor for RCI’s past Merchandising Essentials course.
 
MATERIALS NEEDED:
  • Gift basket or container
  • Various boxes or bags of your product (depending on size of basket)
  • Themed gift item(s) (e.g., promotional items, plush animals, holiday ornaments, baby bottles, etc.)
  • Filler (e.g., tissue paper or shredded paper)
  • Cello wrap
  • Shrink wrap (for shipping)
  • Ribbons and bows
  • Adornments and decorations
  • Merchandising tag

DIRECTIONS: Place crumpled tissue paper and/or shredded paper in the bottom of the basket, so the contents are raised just below the edge of the basket for best visibility.
 
Method #1: Focal Point
Position the tallest item in the center of the basket. Arrange smaller items around the center, from the next tallest to the shortest. Contents should face the outer edge of the basket. This method should look balanced from every angle, making it a great focal point for your merchandising display.
 
Method #2: Back to Front
Position taller items in the back and shorter items in the front. All contents should face the front of the basket. This method will give the basket a front and back, but it may be assembled more quickly.
 
With either method, it is important to have plenty of filler to fill in gaps between items and provide stability to the contents of the gift basket. If items need additional support, consider using skewers or double-sided tape. A piece of Styrofoam can also be glued to the bottom or side of the basket to offer even more support.
 
Wrapping a gift basket in cello or shrink wrap will keep the contents in place and prevent curious customers from handling the merchandise in the gift basket. Looking for to learn more great ideas from fellow candy makers and suppliers, register now to attend RCI’s Regional Conference in Nashville, TN August 19-21!
 
Offering customers the opportunity to ship your gift baskets to friends, family and clients, will open up even more sales potential. Now that you know how to build the perfect gift basket, how do you ship them like a pro?! Click here to read our post “Ship Gift Baskets Like A Boss,” to pick up more of Rebecca’s pro-tips on shipping gift baskets.
 
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.

Tags:  Gift Baskets  Increase Sales  Merchandising  Shipping 

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