5 Fresh, New Ways to Feature Strawberry

For many, vibrant, sweet and juicy strawberries are a welcome sign that summer is here!

Roll out the red carpet, welcoming summer’s official berry (we think…) with five fresh, new ways to feature strawberry in your summer product lineup.

Photo credit: California Strawberries

Strawberry Peanut Butter Cups
Put a fresh spin on the classic peanut butter cup with the addition of freshly slice strawberries. Click here for a recipe from California Strawberries.

Photo credit: California Strawberries

Matcha-Covered Strawberries
Perhaps an unexpected twist on chocolate-covered strawberries, the addition of matcha powder to the white chocolate is sure to pique customer interest.

Photo credit: Bridgewater Chocolate

Chocolate Strawberry Pearls
With the slight crunch of dried strawberry in the center of layers of white chocolate and strawberry-flavored chocolate, these delicate pearls made by Bridgewater Chocolate are an elegant way to showcase strawberries.

Photo credit: Taste of Home

Strawberry Pretzel Bark
Here’s a new take on the summertime classic, strawberry pretzel dessert. With its natural berry notes, ruby chocolate is a natural fit for pairing with strawberries.

Photo credit: Milk Bar

Strawberry Shortcake Truffles
Combining all the creamy, salty, buttery, fruity, unforgettably tasty flavors of strawberry shortcake in a single bite, Milk Bar’s strawberry shortcake cake truffles are made with strawberry-studded vanilla cake, soaked in strawberry milk and rolled in strawberry shortcake crumbs. Milk Bar’s founder and television personality, Christina Tosi, shares her recipe here.

With strawberries popping up in farmers markets across the country, now is the time to take advantage of your local harvest. Even if you don’t follow some of these recipes exactly, use them as inspiration to create a recipe that is totally unique to your brand!

Here’s wishing you a sweet, strawberry kind of summer!

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10 Ways to Make Mother’s Day Sweeter than Ever

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.

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