5 Ways to Celebrate National Apple Month

Pumpkin may reign king of fall, but one might say the apple is queen. October is National Apple Month and just another reason to incorporate apple into your fall product line up. Keep reading for five confections to help you celebrate National Apple Month.

Credit: Hilliard’s Chocolates

Apple Pecan Caramel Bark

RCI member, Hilliard’s Chocolates, evokes all the fall feels with this bark that combines white chocolate, cinnamon oil, dried apples, caramel and cinnamon sugar for a welcome fall treat. Hilliard's Chocolates presented this idea at a past Candy Clinic. RCI members can login to view past Candy Clinic presentations like this one at retailconfectioners.org/candyclinic.

Credit: Peter’s Chocolate

Apple Pie Truffles

Achieve the comforting flavors of warm, apple pie in a truffle with this recipe from Peter’s Chocolate.

Credit: King Arthur Baking

Apple Cider Caramels

Another iconic fall flavor, apple cider brings a welcome depth of flavor to any caramel recipe. Check out  this recipe from King Arthur Baking.

Credit: Shugary Sweets

Apple Pie Fudge

Not only does this fudge bring fall flavor, the addition of gingersnap cookies emulates the texture of a crisp fall apple. Click here to view recipe from Sugary Sweets.

Credit: Cookies and Cups

Caramel Apple Popcorn

Caramel popcorn is reimagined for fall with dried apple chips and a dash of warm cinnamon in this recipe by Cookies and Cups.

We hope this week’s post helps you celebrate the flavors of the fall apple harvest.

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Dusting Colors: Edible or Not?

Ever wonder if those shimmery and glittering powders are really edible? Learn what's safe for consumption and what to look out for when sourcing dusting colors.

However eye-catching, not all colored dusts are created equal...or edible. There are very glittery, colorful products meant for crafts, yet packaged and marketed for the confectionery industry. Commonly labelled as “Disco Dust” and “Pixie Dust," these products are actually tiny bits of metallized plastic that should not be consumed.

Understanding Dusting Colors

Is "non-toxic" considered safe?

No, "non-toxic" just means the product is not poisonous—think Play-Doh or crayons. Always read product descriptions and understand common buzzwords.

Good = "FDA Approved" or "Food Product"

Bad = "Non-Toxic" or "For Decoration Only."

Nothing adds glitz and glam quite like dusting colors, but not all are safe for consumption. When sourcing safe dusting colors, it’s important to look for products that are FDA approved.

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Cheers to International Coffee Day with Chocolate Discs

Many would agree together chocolate and coffee are the perfect blend. In honor of International Coffee Day on September 29, create thin, chocolate discs to top (and eventually melt into) a coffee cup or mug. Using a three-inch diameter ring mould (like this one) could help you create a consistent shape every time.

 

The average ceramic coffee mug is 3.25 inches in diameter and an eight-ounce disposable coffee cup is approximately 3.15 inches.

Of course, solid chocolate discs are delicious as is, the options are endless if you’d like to add flare with flavorings (like caramel, French vanilla, hazelnut, mint, pumpkin spice, etc.) or toppings of crushed peppermint, sprinkles, swirls of dark/milk/white chocolate or cookie crumbles. The addition of colored cocoa butter or transfer sheets add to the visual aesthetics.

Once you’ve perfected your product, connect with local coffee companies and/or restaurants in your community to sell or promote your chocolate discs. Quick tip: For best results, pair chocolate discs with milk-based coffee drinks such as a lattes and cappuccinos.

Crave more? Click here to subscribe 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.

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Celebrate Grandparents’ Day with S’mores Kits + Get Free Printable Gift Tags

 

We can all agree grandparents make life sweeter. Help customers celebrate National Grandparents’ Day on Sunday, September 12 with s’mores kits. 

Click here to download printable Grandparents' Day gift tags.

With s’mores season in full swing, many candy retailers already carry s’mores kits which can be quickly converted to a gift for Grandparents’ Day just by adding a themed gift tag. Click here to download RCI’s custom “grandparents make life s’more fun,” gift tag for free—printed six to a page.

If you don’t already offer s’mores kits, packaged with graham crackers and marshmallows this is an easy way to help move your solid chocolate bars. Check out this past blog post for ideas on how to take your s’mores to the next level. 

As always, promote your Grandparents’ Day s’mores kits on your website and social media for shoppers looking for fun and easy gift ideas. Don’t miss an easy opportunity to capture sales this Grandparents’ Day! 

Crave more? Click here to subscribe 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.

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5 Confections Made Better with Sea Salt

Just when you think rich and buttery caramel couldn’t get any better, a dash of sea salt can take it to the next level. Marked as a hot flavor trend in 2008, this sweet and salty power couple continues to prove its staying power.

Chocolate-covered sea salt caramels are a customer-favorite for many RCI members. If you’re looking for new avenues to apply the magic of sea salt, keep reading for five confections that are even better with sea salt.

Credit: Bruce’s Candy Kitchen

Caramel Apples
Elevate your caramel apples with a drizzle of chocolate and a sprinkle of sea salt. Not only does this application stimulate the taste buds, the addition of delicate sea salt crystals levels up the sophistication.

Credit: Bixby & Co.

Toffee
It just makes sense to pair buttery and nutty confections with a dash of high-quality sea salt. It’s no surprise toffee and sea salt are a winning combination.

Credit: Popped!

Caramel Popcorn
If you make caramel popcorn, a sprinkle of coarse sea salt crystals, like fleur de sel, can instantly elevate your product and add another variety to your product lineup. Invite customers to sample the new combo, touting “if you love our caramel popcorn, wait until you try it with sea salt!”

Salt Water Taffy
Aside from the flavor, coarse sea salt can add a welcome crunchy element to smooth and creamy confections like taffy. If you pull your own taffy, consider adding sea salt crystals towards the end of the production process so not to lose the texture of the sea salt.

Credit: Belmont Peanuts

Lemon Confections
Think twice before limiting lemon and sea salt to savory seafood dishes. This flavor combination is popular in Asian confections and can be seen in various applications in North America. If you’re looking for a more unexpected application, consider ways to incorporate sea salt with your lemon-flavored confections—such as a touch of sea salt to chocolate-covered lemon creams. Alternatively, we love this idea of lemon sea salt peanuts from Belmont Peanuts. Described as “a flavor match made in peanut paradise,” this pairing is worth a try!

Sea salt can instantly add value to confections, along with an undeniable punch of flavor and satisfying crunch. When adding a twist to any product, even if just a dash of salt, we highly recommend offering samples in-store and heavily promoting the new product (with photos, of course) on your website and social media outlets. Staging your salty, new products atop a generous mound of coarse sea salt crystals (think pink with pink Himalayan Sea salt, if you use it in your application) can both be visually appealing and reinforce the message even if the consumer doesn’t read the description.

Crave more? Click here to subscribe 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.

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Tips for Building A Signature Trail Mix

 

Offering ready-to-enjoy trail mix is a great opportunity to create everyday snacking options, in addition to your special occasion gift options. Snacks, in general, are experiencing substantial growth right now. More specifically, 32% of consumers claim their household is purchasing more trail mix since the COVID-19 outbreak.

While the options are seemingly limitless, typically a successful trail mix hits three categories: (1) nuts and seeds, (2) dried or freeze-dried fruit and (3) something fun or indulgent. This last category is where confectioners can really put their unique spin on a mix.

In an article published in RCI’s Kettle Talk magazine, Charlotte Green with Barry Callebaut U.S.A., Inc. recommends to, “take your most popular confections and either miniaturize them or deconstruct the flavors and combine with fruits and nuts to make a trail mix for chocolate lovers. Chocolate-coated graham crackers can build a s’mores trail mix, caramel turtles can be the inspiration for a caramel apple pie trail mix, or a simple mini peanut butter cup can be part of a PB&J trail mix. Get creative! 42% of consumers consider their favorite flavor most important when buying nuts, seeds or trail mix.”

Trail Mix Mendiants

For a more upscale spin on trail mix, create trail mix mendiants. Mendiants are a French confection consisting of a chocolate disk studded with nuts and dried fruits. Make your own by adding your favorite trail mix ingredients to small pools of milk, white or dark chocolate before they set.

With the arrival of fall around the corner (“hello” to fall hiking, campfires and football games) and National Trail Mix Day on August 31, we can’t think of a better time than now to start experimenting with different trail mix combinations.

If you’re at a loss for what trail mix combinations would get the most interest out of your customer base, start by asking some of your loyal customers or create a poll on Facebook. By inviting consumers to share their input, not only can you more easily meet their needs, you’re more likely to get buy-in and interest in a new product from consumers who participated in the ideation process.

Happy trails to you!

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5 Ways to Celebrate National Banana Lover’s Day

Banana lovers rejoice! August 27 is National Banana Lover’s Day.

Why have a plain old banana, when you can celebrate with the following banana treats?

Credit: Good & Gather

 Dark Chocolate-Covered Banana Chips

Any banana lover would go, well, bananas over sweet and crunchy banana chips dipped in luxurious chocolate.

 

Credit: Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company

Peanut Butter Banana Bar

Here, Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company tops its chocolate-covered peanut butter truffle center with crunchy banana chips. Put a similar spin on your peanut butter meltaway with a sprinkle of crushed banana chips on top.

Credit: Zotter Chocolate

 Chocolate + Banana + Raspberry Bar

Zotter Chocolate takes fruitiness to the next level by lightly coating its banana ganache with raspberry couverture, before layering on milk chocolate.

Credit: The Toasty Kitchen

Peanut Butter Banana Bark

This recipe calls upon white chocolate, peanut butter and banana chips to make a tasty bark with crunch! Read more.

Credit: TCHO

Banana Nut Chocolate Bar

This chocolate bar embodies the classic flavors of banana nut bread with dark chocolate, crisp banana pieces and toasted almonds.

If celebrating National Banana Lover’s Day sounds a-PEEL-ing to you, we hope this post has offered some fun inspiration to incorporate a new flavor profile. And if you don’t want to “reinvent the wheel,” as they say, look at your existing products. If you have an existing confection that already combines peanut butter and chocolate, consider ways you can add banana for a fresh, new twist.

Crave more? Click here to subscribe 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.

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Sweet Ways to Celebrate National Peach Month

August is National Peach Month. Did you know the peach is actually a member of the rose family and originated in China? The two main varieties of peaches are (1) clingstone, which are characterized by flesh that sticks to the stone and (2) freestone know by flesh that is easily separated from the stone.

When picking up peaches from the grocery store or farmers’ market, it’s safe to say green is definitely unripe, however, that rosy red color isn’t always an indicator of a peach’s ripeness. Different peach varieties have different amounts of red blush to their skin. According to the Illinois Farm Bureau, “the skin of yellow-fleshed varieties ripens to an orange tint, while the skin of white-fleshed varieties changes from greenish- to yellow-white.” Peaches with a slight give when pressed gently are ready to be used in the kitchen. Like many fruits, under-ripe peaches can be placed in a paper bag for two to three days to speed up the ripening process.

Peaches are at their peak from June to the end of August, so if you’re looking for fresh ways to incorporate local peaches into your confections now is the time.

Peach Pâte de Fruit
Pâte de fruit, French for “fruit paste,” is a great vehicle for highlighting fresh fruits of any variety. Interested in making your own peach pâte de fruit? Click here for the recipe from The Spruce Eats.

Grilled Peach S'mores

This fun idea comes from RCI member Wockenfuss Candies of Baltimore as a way for customers to celebrate National Peach Month using their chocolate, of course. Via the company's blog, Wockenfuss suggests a twist on the classic s'more by combining grilled peaches with white chocolate and graham crackers. Click here to read their full post.

Peaches and Cream Fudge
It’s creamy, it’s peachy and that’s something we can sink our teeth into. Make separate batches of peach and vanilla to create a beautiful swirl with the two colors. Click here for the recipe.

Peach Pie Fudge
A white chocolate fudge as the base, freeze-dried peaches and peach pie flavoring--topped with a buttery crumble topping stirs enough curiosity to think this just might be even better than the real thing. Check out this recipe from Sweet Recipeas.

Here’s wishing your summer kitchen adventures are just peachy!

Crave more? Click here to subscribe 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.

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Optimize Your E-Commerce Experience

Looking for answers to these questions? Keep reading as Theresa Packard with CommerceV3, offers answers and actionable strategies to start implementing in your business immediately.

How do I best optimize my website?

Optimizing your site should be done based on site metrics and usability, as well as site speed. I'll address how to analyze your site metrics and usability with regards to conversion, but for now, let's cover the bases of site speed.

If your site is not operating at an optimum speed, it may appear to be missing a few pieces to the puzzle. Measuring the site speed on your homepage and top category pages will allow to see if there are images or other code that could be significantly slowing your site.

Many site speed tools such as Google Page Speed Insights, WebPageTest and Pingdom, are free. A site is considered slow if it takes longer than three seconds to load. After running the site speed tools, you may find the top culprits that can affect website speed are often large images that need optimized, script that can be loaded at the bottom of the page versus the top of the page, and additional redirects on the page.

Increasing Conversion Rates

This is the million-dollar question— how to convert browsers into purchasers? When consulting clients, I have found the best place to start is to ask a series of questions. The following questions can help you identify any barriers that may be affecting your conversion rate.

What do your analytics tell you?

The first thing I tell all retailers is to take a look at their analytics (we use Google analytics) to see if there are parts of your site that show the best conversion and parts that show the worst. How do you get more out of the things that show high conversion and high dollars? What’s wrong with the worst parts? Is there something on that landing page acting as a barrier?

Are your customers getting lost?

Are there places on your site where customers may be getting lost? Do they have to think about their journey through your site or is it intuitive? If you have a customer service agent, this may be a good person to ask, since they’re likely the one fielding questions about how to navigate your site. If not, try asking a loyal customer about their experience on your site.

Can customers easily find the products they want through search and navigation?

When a customer reaches the product page, how easy is it for them to see the pricing, count or size and, then, add their products to the cart? A shortage of important details like these is a common pitfall, that can quickly turn potential customers away.

Are there product reviews on your site?

Many online shoppers make purchasing decisions based on other customers’ reviews. Be sure your website has a user-friendly reviews program.

Have you tried to checkout on your own site?

When moving through the shopping cart to checkout, how easy is it for a customer to proceed through each step? We suggest making clear, well-defined steps through checkout. Make sure customers can easily enter shipping and billing information and also have certain already-known fields pre-entered (such as their email address and shipping information when logged in). To help with ease of checkout, offer alternative payment methods like PayPal, Amazon, Apple Wallet, Visa Checkout and etc.— these are especially useful for individuals shopping on mobile devices.

There's a lot you can do to optimize your website and improve your conversion rates, sometimes the best way to identify hang ups is by test driving your site on a regular basis.

Crave more? Click here to subscribe 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.