Fresh-Squeezed Ideas: 4 Citrus Confections to Brighten Your Candy Case

Citrus flavors like lemon, orange and lime are perfect for spring and summer. They’re fresh, vibrant and always popular this time of year. If you’re looking to add some zing to your candy case, try these citrus-inspired ideas.

Photo credit: Olympian Candies

Lemon Twist Bark
Layer dark chocolate with lemon-flavored white chocolate. Sprinkle crushed lemon candies and a pinch of lemon sea salt. Finish with a dark chocolate drizzle for a sweet, salty and sour treat.

Photo credit: Abdallah

Orange Creams
Classic orange creams feature a soft orange-flavored center covered in white chocolate, topped with an orange drizzle. For a fun twist, take a cue from RCI member Abdallah Candies and display them in ice cream cones—perfect for summer merchandising and social media posts.

Photo credit: Fazio’s Chocolate

Key Lime Pie Truffles
RCI member Fazio’s Chocolate offers a bright key lime pie truffle filled with key lime ganache, covered in white chocolate and finished with graham cracker crumbs. Consider adding this flavor to your summer collection.

Lemon Blueberry Caramel
Blend lemon oil and dried blueberries into your caramel for a bold, fruity combination. Walker’s Chocolates created this award-winning piece, and citrus-berry pairings continue to be a customer favorite.

Photo credit: Water’s Edge Chocolates

Bonus Idea: Lemon Cut-Outs
RCI member Water’s Edge Chocolates created cheerful lemon-shaped cut-outs. Use a cookie cutter to shape crispy rice treats, lemon fudge or even brownies, then dip in yellow chocolate for a fun, summery treat.

New flavors spark curiosity and keep customers coming back. Promote your citrus creations on social media and encourage fans to spread the word. Limited-time flavors can boost excitement and sales!

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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.

Tip #199: Make Lemonade: Fresh-Squeezed Merchandising Ideas

Photo credit (bottom left to right):2015 RCI Fall Candy Clinic,Stephen Libs Finer Chocolates,
 DIY Lemonade Stand, LilLuna.com, Lemonade Sign, Burton Avenue

Every kid knows that setting up a lemonade stand in the front yard is an easy way to earn some added spending money for the summer. Why can’t the same idea be incorporated into your retail shop to increase sales this summer?

Draw inspiration from this iconic summer enterprise for your next merchandising theme. First, brainstorm ideas to display your lemon-flavored treats. Something as simple as draping one of your existing display table with a swatch of lemon-clad fabric and accessorizing with fresh lemons and a pitcher can set the tone for your lemonade-themed display. If you, or someone you know, is handy with a hammer and nails, erect an actual lemonade stand with scrap wood or old pallets. Don't forget, a hand-painted “lemonade” sign is a must! Click the following links to view DIY tutorials for the Lemonade Stand from LilLuna.com and the Old-Fashioned Lemonade Sign from Burton Avenue.

Take your lemonade stand to the next level by inviting a local children’s organization, like the Girl Scouts or Boys & Girls Clubs, to actually sell lemonade at your shop as a fundraiser, alongside your lemon candies, of course. Maximize the opportunity for PR, but submitting a press release to the local media and encourage the kids and their families to invite relatives and friends to visit your shop and support their cause.

RCI member, Stephen Libs Finer Chocolates of Evansville, Indiana shared this great idea, including the products they incorporated into their lemonade stand, at Candy Clinic during the 2015 Fall Regional Conference in Maine. Members can click here to login and view a video of the presentation by Marjorie Libs of Stephen Libs Finer Chocolates on our website.

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