Celebrate National Fudge Day with 5 Cool Summer Fudge Flavors

Celebrate National Fudge Day on June 16 by rolling out new, limited-time summer fudge flavors! Seasonal fudge flavors will keep your product offering relevant and interesting year around. Blue skies are the limit, but here’s some inspiration to get your ideas flowing for summer.

Photo credit: Pillsbury

Piňa Colada Fudge

Regardless of your actual location, this fudge is sure to send you to a tropical state of mind in an instant. This recipe is packed with dried pineapple, coconut, rum extract and chopped macadamia nuts for added crunch.

Credit: Granny’s in the Kitchen

Pineapple Upside Down Fudge

Transform this classic summer favorite into your new favorite summer fudge flavor! This recipe incorporates yellow cake mix to give it a unique texture—almost like a dense cake.

Credit: Shugary Sweets

Pink Lemonade Fudge

Who could resist their favorite summer beverage in fudge form? Refreshing lemon, plus a splash of berry flavor and so pretty in pink! If you’re looking for the quintessential summer flavor, here you have it! This recipe uses pink lemonade mix for flavor—we recommend embellishing each slice with a candy lemon wedge for irresistible cuteness!

Credit: How to Make Easy Fudge

Pool Party Fudge

If "Pool Party Fudge" doesn’t get you in the mood for summer fun, we don’t know what will! We especially love how this recipe incorporates Teddy Grahams^® on a little "floaty" to really drive home the visual.

Credit: Bakerita

S’mores Fudge

Another summer classic that will leave customers wanting s’more and s’more! This recipe calls for loads of mini marshmallows which can be toasted with a handheld torch or under the broiler in your oven.

We hope this post gives you plenty of inspiration—and, remember to take pictures of your summer products and share them on social media to help spread the word. Cheers to summer and the summer flavors we love!

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 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.

Dad's Favorite Things List: Sweet Gift Ideas for Father's Day

Don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate dads in a big way this year! Father’s Day is June 20^th and we’re sharing sweet gift ideas that appeal to just about every dad and grandpa out there!

Mr. Fix It

For the dad who likes to tinker and fix things. He may have a toolbox full of tools and gadgets, but does he have a toolkit made completely of chocolate?

Credit: Nothing But Chocolate

The Fisherman

Give Dad a fish story he’ll never forget. How about a life-sized chocolate-moulded fish, so sweet his pals will have to believe he’s telling another tall tale! Looking for tips to perfect your moulding techniques? Read this past blog post.

Credit: Munson's Chocolates

The Executive

Give hard-working dads and grandfathers a tie they’ll actually love. Click here to check out a tutorial on how to create shirt-and-tie treat holders as ready-to-give gifts.

Credit: Doodlecraftblog.com

The Foodie

Have some fun with the foodie dad by faking him out with a sweet twist on his favorite foods. The only way to improve on a good, old-fashioned hamburger would be to make it all out of chocolate, of course.

Credit: LindyPopsChocs

The Beer Enthusiast

For the beer-enthusiasts out there, RCI members like Joy Lyn’s Candies and Hilliard’s Chocolates have found that confections like brittle and caramel really do pair well with beer.

Credit (left to right): Hilliard's Chocolates and Joy Lyn's Candies

The Wine Connoisseur

Since a bottle of wine would be too predictable, why not dip the whole bottle in fine chocolate? Sure, wine is fine, but wine and chocolate is even better!

The Daring Dad

These treats aren’t for the faint of heart, but for the thrill-seekers and daring dads who have ever wondered, “what does a chocolate-covered jalapeno/pickle/cricket taste like?” It can’t be too bad, after all, it is covered in chocolate!

Credit: Wickles Pickles

Host a “Pin-to-Win Dad’s Sweet Dreams” Contest

If you're looking for an opportunity to increase your exposure on Pinterest, consider hosting a "Pin-to-Win Dad's Sweet Dreams" contest. Start by asking participants to create a Pinterest board full of their dad's favorite treats from your website. Require entrants to include your company name in the description (for brand awareness purposes) and email you the URL to their board or post a link to your Facebook page (Check out this Pinterest contest for ideas of how to communicate the idea to your followers).

Appeal to shoppers by offering gift ideas they can’t get from big box stores. We hope you find at least a couple ideas to apply to your business and are inspired to dream up a few more of your own.

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 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.

3 Expert Packaging Tips to Rule Retail Sales

Want packaging that will help you rule the retail scene?! Keep reading for 3 fresh tips from CEO of Pearl Resourcing, Emily Page, to help your brand capture consumer attention and gain more sales.

Define Your Brand and Stick to it
Higher margins and customer loyalty is about defining your business as different and valuable among the competition through your product and the visual cues in stores and on packaging that help a customer identify you.

It’s important to utilize a brand guide, so every year and season your packaging stays within the visual guidelines. A brand guide will also make your brand recognizable over time and build brand equity. Don’t design in a vacuum on a computer without considering the existing line-up, and don’t design a single product alone. If you do, you may not realize its compromise on your brand image or store aesthetic.

Brand value comes when customers recognize your brand quickly through visuals, so you must be consistent to increase your value. Consistent color pallets in a store are soothing and attractive to the eye, yet contrast attracts attention. It’s a delicate art form, best advised on by a talented brand director to set the tone. Ask your art director to create a brand guide for all packaging design and store merchandising to follow. Then your whole team will be clear how to keep consistent in their independent projects.

Photo credit: Lolli and Pops

Design with In-Store Merchandising in Mind

When selecting packaging, consider how it will all display in store before you buy. People buy gifts for themselves or others to feel special—packaging adds to their “special” experience. Take customers on a journey by curating the in-store display with themed colors and shapes. When consumers are in your store, contrasting colors grab more attention than you realize, so even contrasting colors must be in harmony within a similar color family.

Take the time before you embark on a new design and consider what is working in your store. What items sell out? What do your employees say your customers are always asking for? Design with customer requests in mind. Pick complimentary and contrasting colors to use across your entire product line to create consistency. Display products to create visual variety, with a focus on unique shapes or colors, for giftable items to result in higher perceived value and acceptable price.

Photo credit: Pearl Resourcing

Drive Customers Back to Your Online Community
You want every first-time buyer to not only love your product, but also buy from you again. Make it easy for them to find you by including your website and exact social media handles on your packaging (don’t just use the social media icons, this creates opportunities for spelling errors). Focus on a maximum of two or three social media platforms for customers to engage with you. They can learn more on your website.

Recapturing existing customers is always less expensive than acquiring new ones. Offer a coupon code to first-time buyers to encourage return online orders, allow them to familiarize themselves with your products and memorize their favorites. One sale can easily turn into two with very little investment.

Be sure to curate your e-commerce and social media experiences, so the brand story continues to impact their minds and hearts. You don’t need to post a lot, but it should be professional. The easiest and least expensive way to curate great content is to re-post fan content on social media. Encourage high-quality photo sharing by giving a discount code or free product to fans with the best photos. Or send free samples to influencers with an already clear fan following in your region, in exchange for a set number of high-quality photos you can use to get the best both diversity and social proof.

Understanding the unique elements of the retail shopping experience will help you make better branding decisions when ordering or designing packaging for your products. By utilizing these tips, you can make a difference in how consumers view and engage with your products, allowing you to achieve even better sales.

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 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.

About Emily Page: Emily has managed and launched multiple 7-figure product brands in Costco, Williams-Sonoma, Kroger, and Amazon as a Business Growth Consultant and CEO of Pearl Resourcing. She’s bringing you the expertise, resources, and mentors you need so that you can develop products and make them sell in her blog articles and her START TO SOLD YouTube channel and blog.

http://emilyannepage.com

http://pearlresourcing.net   

http://youtube.com/c/starttosold/

2 Ways to Invest in Your Business Right Now

Now, more than ever, is the time to invest in your business! Many would agree that education is the best investment you can make in yourself, your team and your business.

Education is deeply rooted in Retail Confectioners International’s (RCI) mission, which is to advance the confectionery industry by offering members the knowledge to build sweet businesses from entrepreneurial passion. For over 100 years, RCI has developed a reputation as a valuable resource for small business owners both established and new to the industry. With that said, we’re thrilled to share two opportunities for you to invest in education, (1) RCI’s Virtual Merchandising Boot Camp and (2) RCI’s 2021 Annual Convention and Industry Expo. Both events are designed to help you expand your knowledge to build an even sweeter business.

Virtual Merchandising Boot Camp
May 18-19, 2021

Get your business on track and on point with 2 half days of in-depth training where you’ll learn how to engage and connect with customers in your store, online and on social media. Retail strategists, professional store planners and the instructors of this course, Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender, KIZER & BENDER, will break down the essentials and offer a better understanding of what you need to do–and how to do it–to increase store traffic and explode your sales.

RCI’s Virtual Merchandising Boot Camp will take you through each of the steps necessary to build a merchandising strategy that gets results. During the course you’ll learn how to:

• Build a consistent brand inside your store and out.
• Set your sales floor to sell with effective visual merchandising and displays.
• Back up your brand with a successful website and strategic digital marketing tactics.
• Better understand four generations of today’s consumer.

The course will be presented virtually via ZOOM. Students will have the opportunity to interact and ask questions live with instructors. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to build a merchandising and marketing strategy that will take your business to the next level—all without having to leave your desk. Visit retailconfectioners.org/page/VirtualMerchBootCamp for complete course details. Registration is open now!

Annual Convention & Industry Expo
July 19-23, 2021 – Columbus, Ohio

If you attend one in-person event in 2021, this is the one to attend! Join RCI for the 2021 Annual Convention & Industry Expo at the Greater Columbus July 19-23.

Safely explore what’s new in the confectionery industry and take away effective business and production strategies to help you build a more successful business. Designed uniquely for the retail confectioner, this event will continue to offer attendees educational sessions, a two-day expo, confectionery tours and connection opportunities.

As part of this year’s educational programming, attendees will join the discussion with a panel of retail confectioners whose businesses have adapted or pivoted to not only survive, but thrive, despite the challenges presented in 2020 and today. Learn how they made the most of their opportunities with strategic thinking and action, as well as what worked and what didn’t.

In addition, attendees will take away effective business and production strategies with thought-provoking education on the following subjects:

• Build an Exceptional Team Through Coaching and Mentoring
• Positioned for Growth
• Nougat: An Artisan Approach

Educational sessions will be presented on Tuesday, July 20 and Wednesday, July 21. While the convention is hosted by RCI, all confectionery professionals are invited to attend. A variety of ticket packages are available, giving attendees the option to create an experience that fits any schedule and budget. RCI offers a 1-Day Education Ticket for just $225 for those looking to focus on strictly on education.

RCI will conclude the week with off-site tours of local candy businesses, which takes education to the next level. Register by May 14 for best rates. Visit retailconfectioners.org/annual for complete details on this year’s convention.

Don’t miss an opportunity to invest in yourself and your business. Focus on learning this year and watch your business benefit as a result.

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 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.