Monthly Archives: September 2021

Nothing brings on warm and cozy feelings quite like a piping hot cup of tea. Maybe that’s why grocery sales of premium tea bags grew an unprecedented 18 +% in 2020 (Tea & Coffee Trade Journal). But don’t think their mugs are filled only with basic black. It’s anything but. They’re playing with premium blends and ingredients that support health and wellness.

Don’t be “chai.” Pour a cup and read on for the “it” tea trends that are TEA-riffic for your hot beverage selection.

Organic has made its way from a must for produce to a growing must for chocolate. Predictions have the organic chocolate market totaling $1.39 billion by 2028 (Candy Industry). The positive upswing stems from customers wanting to indulge while still striving towards a healthy lifestyle (Candy Industry). While Supermarkets and hypermarkets may be where customers are reporting purchasing organic chocolate, all retailers can benefit from adding organic chocolates to their selection (Candy Industry).

Want to know the brands that will get the oohs and aahs? Here are some of our favorites.

The saying ‘will work for peanuts,’ may have started as a negative, but these stats on Americans’ love of peanuts might have you changing your tune. We’d be ok being paid in peanuts – but ONLY on September 13 – National Peanut Day!

Snacking has officially transitioned from an in between meal pick-me-up to the new meal for many US snackers. Over the past year, 35% of Americans said they were snacking more often, with 70% of Millennials preferring snacks over meals, according to Food Dive. The increasing popularity of snacks will continue into next year, but customers don’t want any old snack — they demand unique experiences. Snacks offer a great opportunity to experiment with flavor because of their smaller portion sizes, according to natural flavor manufacturer, FONA. Sounds like it’s time to spice up your snack selection.

The flavors tantalizing customers’ taste buds now.

There’s no denying that chocolate is an everyday consumer favorite, with sales totaling $21.9B in 2020, according to the National Confectioners Association. But did you know that until the 1800s, chocolate was an extravagance only experienced by the elite? Though expense was a factor, chocolate wasn’t available to the masses because it was labor-intensive to process the beans and create the final product. Mass manufacturing helped bring our favorite confection to the world.

With Labor Day upon us (September 6 this year) we are honoring the innovators who put in all the hard work to make chocolate manufacturing what it is today. Read our timeline of major chocolate manufacturing milestones and count the familiar names.