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The votes are in — chocolate has been crowned America’s leading confection. While we don’t see its fan following fizzling out anytime soon, the best way for chocolate to maintain its position in confectionery royalty, and you to keep racking up the chocolate sales, is by keeping it fresh (in more ways than one). The best way to keep it fresh — incorporating the latest trending flavors and ingredients.

In a world of ever-changing consumer habits, snack selection has remained constant. Snacking is still spontaneous with 72% of consumers not planning their snacks, instead simply grabbing as needed (National Confectioners Association). For one-third of these consumers, the impulse section is part of the snacking experience (National Confectioners Association).  Even as impulse sections evolve beyond traditional cashiered lanes to include self-serve checkouts, self-serve corrals, and grab-and-go sections, must-have items are emerging, regardless of format.  Check out these tips for the must-haves to create an on-point point of sale.

Watch out chocolate — gummies are making a comeback! Chewy Candy sales saw an increase of 14.6% (higher than chocolate) to $4.6 billion in 2021, according to the National Confectioners Association’s (NCA) State of Treating. Even with consumers returning to the chewy candies they love, 43% want to try something new (NCA). Keep the love coming by offering a sampling of these gummy trends.

As a leading candy manufacturer and distributor, with a robust team of confectionery experts, one of the top questions our reps are asked is ‘How can I build a show stopping candy buffet?’ Much like goodie bags, swag bags, party favors, and centerpieces, candy buffets have become a MUST for any celebration. No matter the event — children’s birthday parties, baby showers, weddings, or even fundraisers — a candy buffet or candy table sets the stage.

Fall – it’s the only time of year where looking at leaves on trees is a legit pastime, and a lucrative one at that! In 2018, Vermont’s fall foliage visitors contributed $391 million to the state’s tax revenue and New Hampshire reported $318 million in direct travel-generated earnings from fall visitors. While these and the other New England states are known to attract fall foliage fanatics, every state has its own dedicated fall foliage destinations that are popular among tourists.

Looking at leaves makes customers hungry so they’re going to be in search of portable snacks that can come along for the ride. Tap into the foliage fever by creating a candy display full of products mimicking brilliant (and subtle) leaf colors.

Falling in love with the foliage display idea? While there is nothing wrong with the tried and true Halloween color palette, a fall display has much more staying power when you break free of the lime green, orange, black, and purple. We break down

Skulls – here in the US, they’re not just for Halloween anymore. Enter Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. As reported by USA Today, this Mexican celebration is going mainstream, with those of non-Mexican descent joining in on the fun. In fact, several US cities like San Francisco, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale, and Albuquerque host Day of the Dead parades and other festivities. Major retailers like Target, Party City, and Amazon have jumped on the Day of the Dead bandwagon, adding a selection of decorations and treats. Their motivation – tap into the holiday’s growing popularity, but also the growing buying power of the Hispanic population.

According to Nielsen, Hispanics represent 18 percent of the US population, and predict their buying power to grow from $1.4 trillion in 2016 to $1.8 trillion by 2021. This potential has retailers upping their offerings around Hispanic holidays and other events. With Day of the