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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, April 5, 2022
Updated: Wednesday, April 13, 2022
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 There are so many reasons to love summer! Warmer temperatures, longer days, RCI’s Annual Convention & Industry Expo (mark your calendars for July 25-29, 2022) and a whole lot more fun that you don’t get to have indoors during the cooler seasons! Admittedly, we’re counting down the days until the first day of summer on June 21 (77 days from when this post was first published)! If you’re looking to introduce new flavors to your product lineup this summer, we’ve got some fun and easy ways to make your mark this upcoming season! Cocoa butter transfer sheets are a great visual option to denote summer flavors like coconut, banana, and citrus flavors and themes on your chocolate-covered treats. Transfer sheets can be used on any number of chocolate treats, such as truffles, dipped sandwich cookies and bark. For those who sell ice cream or gelato, RCI member American Chocolate Designs suggests garnishing with a piece of decorated chocolate to emphasize the flavor or add the finishing touch for a theme.  Photo credit: Bruce’s Candy Kitchen, RCI Candy Clinic; Easy Baked Is there anything that says summer more than a pair of brightly colored flip flops? RCI member Bruce’s Candy Kitchen of Cannon Beach, Oregon uses a cookie cutter to cut out slab marshmallow in the shape of a flip flop base before dipping it in chocolate and adhering various chocolate transfer sheets to achieve the bright colors and fun designs found on flip flops. This look could also be achieved with chocolate-covered Nutter Butter cookies. What creative uses for chocolate transfer sheets have you discovered for summer? Share your ideas on RCI’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/RetailConfectioners. Cheers to summer! 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:
Ice Cream
Idea Sharing
Member Ideas
Summer
Transfer Sheets
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
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With many mothers wearing more hats than usual and grandmas missing visits from their grandchildren, consumers are looking for ways to make Mother’s Day bigger and sweeter than ever in 2020. This week, we’re sharing fun ways for consumers to celebrate and feel connected even when apart.
Limited-Time Offers
Bring back seasonal confections for a limited time and require advance orders. If you typically offer caramel apples during the fall or chocolate-covered strawberries for Valentine’s Day, consider bringing these seasonal favorites back for the week leading up to Mother’s Day.
One-Stop Shop
Since it’s difficult to stop by multiple retailers at this time, think of ways to provide a one-stop shopping experience. Bundle chocolate with gift items and remind consumers if you offer gift wrapping and greeting cards. Partner with other local businesses, like florists and coffee shops, to expand your reach while supporting fellow businesses and ease the strain if you are short staffed.
Treats to Ship
Bundle warm-weather treat for consumers who may need to ship gifts, but don’t want the extra expense required for shipping chocolate in the heat. Check out our blog post for 5 Sweets that Beat the Heat. These treats are good options if your community allows sidewalk sales or food trucks to operate.
Gourmet S’mores Kits
Create gourmet s’mores kits and share tips for outdoor enthusiasts to create memorable camp-in experiences. Check out this past blog post for ideas on how to take your s’mores to the next level. The Washington State Parks Foundation offers programming for viewers to enjoy camping activities from their living rooms and back yards.
Subscription Boxes
Create a sweet subscription box, giving shoppers the option to answer a survey to help select the recipient’s favorite treats. This ensures a steady supply of sweet treats for Mom and reoccurring sales for you.
Take-and-Make Treat Kits
Invite families to make memories together with take-and-make Mother’s Day treat kits. Along with instructions, share a link to your video tutorial for them to follow along.
Ice Cream Sundae Kits
If you sell ice cream, create ice cream sundae kits as a way to upsell pints paired with candy toppings, chocolate and caramel sauces and decorative sprinkles. Make your own “magic” chocolate shell sauce by adding coconut oil to melted chocolate.
Virtual Tasting Kits
Create virtual tasting kits with tasting guides in sets of two. Consider offering add-ons at a discount so the whole family can experience tasting together virtually. Partner with a local liquor shop, winery or coffee maker to pair chocolates with Mom’s favorite beverages.
Customizable Gifts
Give shoppers the opportunity to customize their gifts by offering options to build their own care packages, choose the recipient’s favorite color ribbon or packaging/gift wrap. Use free tools like Canva and Vecteezy to design beautiful custom wraps for chocolate bars or boxed chocolates.
Pin It to Win It
If you aren’t already taking advantage of Pinterest to promote and sell your products, now is the time! Now, more than ever, shoppers are relying on social media for news, inspiration and entertainment. Create Mother’s Day themed boards and post purchasable gift ideas perfect for moms with a sweet tooth. Click here to learn more.
Although many holidays and celebrations look different these days, embrace the opportunity to think creatively and continue to evolve your business. Share in the comments below, creative ways you plan to celebrate moms this year.
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:
Caramel Apples
Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Graphic Design
Ice Cream
Marketing
Mother's Day
sales
S'mores
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Updated: Monday, April 27, 2020
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I scream! You scream! We all scream for summer!
With summer around the corner, this week's tip suggests taking a critical look at how you display ice cream in your retail store.
As with candy merchandising, the way your ice cream is displayed can have a positive or adverse affect on sales. During a past conference in Houston, Texas, members visited La King’s Confectionery. The owner, Jack King, shared that when he revamped his ice cream display to reflect a European gelato shop, his ice cream sales increased significantly.
So, if you are still hand-dipping your ice cream out of traditional, round buckets, consider updating your display. By displaying ice cream in a more modern style and adding embellishments such as cookie crumbles or caramel swirls, your customers won’t be able to resist your delicious ice cream!
Take it a step further by offering a toppings bar nearby. Take products that you currently offer (i.e. chocolate-covered pretzels, caramel, nonpareils, etc.) and let customers create a new favorite ice cream treat!
Revamping your ice cream display is one way to help your ice cream sales heat up this summer!
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Ice Cream
Merchandising
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Updated: Wednesday, April 29, 2020
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Trendspotters from the 2015 Summer Fancy Food Show identified popular flavor profiles that just might tantalize your taste buds and inspire ideas for your own new product development.
Flower Power
Floral notes such as rose, lavender and hibiscus made a memorable appearance in products such as Belvoir Fruit Farms Elderflower & Rose Lemonade, Masala Pop Saffron Rose Popcorn, Rogue Creamery La-Di-Da Lavender Cheese and Vosges Haut-Chocolat Blood Orange Hibiscus Caramel Marshmallows.
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| Vosges Haut-Chocolatcovers marshmallows in burnt sugar caramel with blood oranges and hibiscus flavors, chocolate and tops it with black salt. |
Cocktail Culture
Spirits, wine, and beer inspire flavors and ingredient pairings like Bissell Maple Farm's Pappy & Company Bourbon Barrel-Aged Syrup, Brooklyn Brine Co. Hop-Pickles, Colonel Pabst All Malt Amber-Lager Worcestershire Sauce and L.A. Creamery The Manhattan.
Go Ginger
An honorable mention, so to speak, goes to ginger as another hot flavor trend (pun intended) for 2015.
Tags:
Candy Making
Caramel
Chocolate
Flavors
Floral
Ginger
Ice Cream
Lemon
Liquor
Marshmallow
New
Photos
Popcorn
Recipe
Trends
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Updated: Wednesday, April 29, 2020
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As you likely know, s’mores as a flavor and product has become quite the consumer craze. This week’s blog tip is to capitalize on the craze and celebrate National S’mores Day which is Monday, August 10. Here are a few fun s’mores ideas we found on Pinterest to help get your creative juices flowing. Remember, if you make your own marshmallow, s’mores are a great way to showcase it!
Tags:
Candy Holidays
Candy Making
Ice Cream
Marshmallow
Photos
Popcorn
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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As you likely know, s’mores as a flavor and product has become quite the consumer craze. This week’s blog tip is to capitalize on the craze and celebrate National S’mores Day which is Sunday, August 10. Here are a few fun s’mores ideas we found on Pinterest to help get your creative juices flowing. Remember, if you make your own marshmallow, s’mores are a great way to showcase it!
Tags:
Candy Holidays
Candy Making
Ice Cream
Marshmallow
Photos
Popcorn
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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| La King's Confectionery, RCI 2011 Fall Regional |
It’s almost summertime which means it’s nearly prime time for ice cream! Therefore, this week’s tip is to take a critical look at how you display the ice cream in your store.
As with candy merchandising, the way your ice cream is displayed can have a positive or adverse affect on sales. During our 2011 Fall Regional Conference in Houston and Galveston, Texas, members visited La King’s Confectionery. The owner, Jack King, shared that when he revamped his ice cream display to be more of a European style (similar to the way gelato is displayed), ice cream sales in his store went up. The photo above is an example of how he currently displays his ice cream.
So, if you are still hand-dipping your ice cream out of traditional, round buckets, consider a display redesign. By displaying ice cream in a more modern style and adding embellishments such as cookie crumbles or caramel swirls, your customers won’t be able to resist your delicious ice cream!
Take it a step further: Take your display a step further and offer a toppings bar nearby. Take products that you currently offer (i.e. chocolate covered pretzels, caramel, nonpareils, etc.) and let customers create a new favorite ice cream treat!
Tags:
Ice Cream
Merchandising
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