Tip # 219: From the Archives: Use Mass Displays

Retailers have been using mass displays as a successful visual merchandising technique for many years. According to Chron.com, “mass displays group a large quantity of merchandise together in one place to attract attention to it.” You may see this technique used in grocery stores and in other retail settings today, because it attracts attention and can be used to create a sense of urgency. If you’ve been in the business for any length of time, creating a sense of urgency is important considering many shoppers will wait until the last-minute to purchase gifts for their loved ones.

In 1960, RCI published an article written by Harry P. Cole, a sales associate for Paper Goods Company, featuring the surprising results this merchandising technique had on one of his retail clients.

Use Mass Displays

In making displays of your candy, both in the store and in your show windows, try using mass displays. Last February, one of our good roadside customers was unfortunate enough to have to go to the hospital and he was out for about five weeks starting January 15. The manager of this particular store, quite a smart, bright young lady, always wanted to make big displays of Valentine’s Day hearts. This was her opportunity. Instead of having hearts distributed all over the store in various places singly, she had large groups of them on tables. Each type was packed one on top of another with the top heart opened on a display stand to show the contents, prices and weight. Her boss was an old timer and when he came back shortly after Valentine’s Day and learned of the type of displays that were made, he started to raise the devil, but when he saw the figures he sang a different tune. The Valentine’s Day sales in that store were 20 percent over the previous year and the average in the area was only about a five percent increase.

Since making their debut shortly after Christmas, your Valentine’s Day displays may have seen shoppers come and go for a little over a month. Consider making some space for a fresh, new, attention-grabbing display, grouping your inventory of beautiful heart-shaped boxes near the front of the store or near the register. Keep in mind, the location of a mass display is important. This merchandising technique will be much more successful in a highly visible area of your retail space. If your space or inventory doesn’t allow for a mass display this Valentine’s Day, it’s not too late to incorporate one into your Easter and Mother's Day. Here's wishing you a successful Valentine's Day! 

Learn more about how to build your sweet business and help us celebrate our 100th anniversary at RCI's Annual Convention & Industry Expo in Chicagoland, Illinois June 12-16, 2017. Click here if you would like us to send you an email notification when registration opens. Not a member? Learn what makes membership with RCI so sweet!

Tip #218: Meet the Press: 5 Keys to Getting Media Coverage

Many business owners view the beginning of a new year as a time to relax after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, but for candy makers it’s just the halfway mark when it comes to holiday prep. A couple major candy holidays are on the horizon, which makes it a great time to share new and exciting happenings with the local media. You can expect the media is seeking newsworthy stories, why not let your business be the headliner?

Even if it takes you a couple hours, a well-written press release can offer more return on investment than any paid advertising. But before you begin typing, here's some tips to ensure you’re giving reporters what they're looking for.

#1 Get Personal

Consider ways to weave in a human-interest story (e.g., a customer-success story or recognition for a long-time employee). Both reporters and their readers like stories about real people. If you can offer this, your press release is as good as gold.

#2 Just the Facts

 If you want to be taken seriously by the media, your writing should deliver the facts and explain why your news is relevant in an objective manner. As an overall rule, avoid subjective claims or marketing jargon such as “the best,” “revolutionary,” “magical.”

#3 Insert Quote Here

Back up the information with a good quote or two that further supports why the information is relevant from key players involved – this could be a company executive or even a customer excited about the news you’re sharing.

When requesting a quote, have an idea of what you want them to say and offer guidance to ensure the quote supports your story. Within a quote is the only place it is acceptable to use first person. Otherwise, leave “me” out of it!

#4 Wrap it Up

Reporters are busy and often on a tight deadline, so keep it short. It is best to limit yourself to one page. If you’re considering a second page, it’s possible you’ve lost your focus. Every line of your press release should be supporting your hook. If it’s not, let it go.

#5 Proofread!

Don’t underestimate the value of letting others proofread your writing. Nothing loses credibility faster than incorrect spelling and bad grammar.

If your high school English teacher isn’t available to proof your writing, a quick Google search will lead you to online proofreading tools like Ginger (gingersoftware.com). Ginger is a free proofing app that checks your grammar, features a built-in dictionary, translator and more – which can be streamlined through Microsoft Office, Google Chrome (i.e., Facebook and Twitter) and even your mobile devices.

Stay connected with RCI through Facebook for more tips and inspiration dedicated to the retail candy maker. Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Tip # 217: Get the Crunch Without the Cracks

Randy Hofberger of R&D Candy Consultants, LLC, is an active member of RCI and the lead instructor for RCI’s Chocolate Boot Camp^®. This week’s post is an excerpt from his article “Crunch Without the Cracks,” which offers eight tips to reduce cracking in chocolate-covered pretzels, cookies and crackers.

Texture is so very important in our foods and is a large part of the eating experience. Many of our most popular confections have a crunchy texture and using baked goods such as cookies, crackers and pretzels is one way to provide this. When coated with chocolate, however, there is a chance the finished product will crack, making it less appealing to consumers.

What cause these fissures to develop? While it may seem that there are little micro earthquakes occurring on your pretzels or gremlins attacking the chocolate-covered cookies, one of the main culprits can be moisture entering these dry baked goods and causing them to expand. To prevent moisture from coming in contact with the finished product, one of the most obvious solutions is to use packaging with a good moisture barrier. While this will solve many of the cracking problems, there are other factors that can cause cracking. Also, this will not help any of your products that are open to the atmosphere in your display cabinets.

Other suggestions to reduce cracking in chocolate covered pretzels, cookies and crackers include the following:

1. Have a uniform coating. Unequal coverage will cause different contraction rates and, thus, cracking.
2. Thicker coating is a stronger coating and a better moisture barrier. Coverage should be complete without pin holes, air bubbles or thin spots.
3. Using a chocolate formulated to be softer will be less prone to cracking.
4. Enrobed baked goods will generally have less of a heat load and will require a gentler (less) cooling.  Good cooling tunnel conditions will have little or no air movement at the tunnel entrance and a temperature of approximately 65ºF.  Air velocity may be gradually increased to about 700 CFM until the chocolate is set – at which time velocity may be increased to 1200 CFM. Coldest tunnel temperatures exceed the low 50sºF. Total tunnel time should be a minimum of eight minutes, but 12 minutes is better.
   If your operation requires you to maintain consistent tunnel settings because of various product mixes, increasing the tunnel belt speed will give less total cooling and more line production. 
5. Enrober/tunnel/feeding area relative humidity should not exceed 55%.
6. Pieces to be enrobed should be room temperature or warmer (up to 78ºF).
7. Pretzel and cookie packages can be opened the evening prior to enrobing. This will help them equilibrate to the atmospheric conditions.
8. Rough-surfaced centers reduce cracking and the loss of the chocolate shell, e.g., salted pretzels are better than unsalted pretzels.

 Stay connected with RCI through Facebook for more tips and inspiration dedicated to the retail candy maker. Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Tip # 216: Submit a Nomination for the Candy Hall of Fame

Induction into the National Confectionery Sales Association’s Candy Hall of Fame is one of the highest honors in the confectionery industry, recognizing individuals who have served, over and above their personal careers, by giving back to the industry through active participation in trade associations, educational efforts and community involvement.

We’re proud to see RCI members honored by the Candy Hall of Fame, including those from the class of 2016.

Pictured above (clockwise from top right): James Day of Esther Price Candies with wife, Elaine, Vivian Farber of The Madelaine Chocolate Co. with husband Jorge, Bernard Garbusjuk of Boehm's Candies accepting award with family, Bernard with wife Hee Jeong Park and Thalia Hoenthal of Guittard Chocolate Co. with husband Michael. All inductees were recognized at a luncheon as well as a formal banquet.

RCI members inducted into The Candy Hall of Fame, class of 2016:

• James Day, Esther Price Candies Corp.
• Vivian Farber, The Madelaine Chocolate  Co.
• Bernard Garbusjuk, Boehm’s Candies, Inc.
• Thalia Hohenthal, Guittard Chocolate Co.
• Patrick Murnane, Murnane Companies

 CANDY HALL OF FAME NOMINATING CRITERIA

Nominations for induction into the Candy Hall of Fame are welcomed from any source, but should include proof that the criteria below have been met. In addition, the Candy Hall of Fame Selection Committee accepts letters of support from individuals familiar with the nominee’s qualifications.

• Twenty years of service in the candy industry (buyers must have at least 10 years of experience)
• Nominees must have a demonstrated loyalty to building and supporting the candy industry through active participation over and above job requirements.
• If nominee is retired or deceased, nomination must be within two years of either event.
• Unless deceased, the nominee must attend the Candy Hall of Fame Induction event.
• The nominee must agree to meet NCSA deadlines for materials and information.
• The nominee must be at least 50 years of age.
• The nominee must be a current NCSA member.
• Nomination does not guarantee induction.

Nominate someone you know who is deserved of this honor and fits the criteria. Click here to download the 2017 call for nominations form. The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, January 27, 2017.

SEND ALL NOMINATIONS AND SUPPORTING MATERIALS TO:

NCSA CHoF Selection Committee

Spitfire House

3135 Berea Road

Cleveland, OH  44111

Nominations can also be emailed to info@candyhalloffame.org.

Stay connected with RCI through Facebook for more tips and inspiration dedicated to the retail candy maker. Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.