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.

Tip #198: 4 Things to Consider Before Succession Planning

Successful business acquisitions for both parties are often the result of strategic planning and preparations made many years before the business goes up for sale. Financial advisers will recommend the planning process starts at least two to five years prior to listing the business for sale, with the intent to make your business appealing to potential acquirers.

In this excerpt from Building and Selling a Successful Business, an education session lead by Andy Charles and Erin Collins of Haven’s Candies during RCI’s 2015 Fall Regional Conference, Charles outlined the following four areas to evaluate when molding a successful business in preparation for acquisition.

• FinancesThe financial picture of a business being groomed for future succession will look much different than a business that is operating to sustain itself and grow. It is important to position your business in a way that you are able to offer the best possible financial picture to future potential buyers. 

• Staffing
  A self-sustaining operation is more appealing to potential buyers. Begin training and nurturing your staff to operate the business, whether you are there or not – which, by the way, allows you to take a vacation now and then too.
  
  
• Facilities & Equipment
  A business that has been in operation for any length of time is likely to have less than ideal facilities or outdated equipment, which may have been tolerated through the years because the business was focused on other areas. This doesn’t mean you should build a new manufacturing facility or replace all of your equipment, but consider how these elements of the business will appear to an outsider. Then evaluate what is worth the investment to update and what’s not.
  
  
• Customers and suppliers
  When preparing your business for an acquisition, assess what opportunities and risks exist? What impact does a transition in ownership, both negative or positive, have on those relationships and how will you manage that?
  

Time and preparation offers the opportunity to position your business in a way that allows for the highest return, as well as the ability to focus on what’s important to you. For Charles, it was crucial to find a successor who would be a good steward of the business, take care of the employees and customers and play an active role in the community. Thanks to the due diligence performed years before the acquisition, Charles was able to find the right fit for his business and complete a successful transition between himself and Collins as the owner-operator of Haven’s Candies.

RCI members: Click here to login and view the complete presentation from Charles on topic of succession planning, as well as Collins’ take on the acquisition and transition process 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.

Tip # 197: Go Wild with Sweet Summertime Merchandising Inspiration

Photo credit:Top: DIY Tropical Backdrop, Brit + Co. Left to right: Chocolate Covered Orange,
  GiveRecipe.com, Pineapple with Sunglasses, PlayBuzz.com, Tropical Bark, Shutterbean.com

Once school is out for the summer, there is no doubt consumer’s social calendar will begin to fill up with pool parties, barbecues and family reunions. Impactful summer merchandising can help your business take advantage of opportunities for impulse purchases of your must-have summer treats!

Learn how to create this tropical
backdrop for your retail display.

An eye-catching, tropical summer-themed window display and photos shared through social media can encourage increased foot traffic in your store regardless of your location! Considering showcasing current products that incorporate tropical flavors, such as citrus, banana, pineapple, coconut and mango. Or introduce a limited edition of tropical-themed treats just for summer. Some options could be as simple as dried pineapple or mango dipped in dark chocolate or a tropical white chocolate bark made with toasted coconut, macadamia nuts and candied fruit, click here for a recipe courtesy of Shutterbean.com.

 

Don’t let your tropical ingredients hide out in the kitchen, let them shine in your retail space too! Pineapples, coconut and colorful citrus can be great, inexpensive props for your merchandising displays. Create a statement with a DIY tropical backdrop, click here for step-by-step instructions from Brit + Co.

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 # 196: Coat Marshmallows in Dextrose

The season for s’mores is right around the corner. Variations of this classic summer treat continue to grow in popularity, but don’t let a rise in seasonal demand lead you rock-hard, dried-out marshmallows!

If you’re not enrobing the marshmallow, roll it in dextrose after it is cut to prevent it from drying out. For marshmallows bound for the enrober, adding a little dextrose to the top and bottom will also help the chocolate stick.

Some candy makers use powdered sugar for the same effect, however, the added sweetness from the powdered sugar may make your marshmallows too sweet.

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 # 195: Spice Up the Grill with Cocoa!

Image courtesy of Mister GC at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Kick off grilling season by offering consumers something a little unexpected…cocoa!

If you’re a candy maker, you know a thing or two about cocoa. Put your knowledge of chocolate flavors to work and develop your own special blend of cocoa rub. When mixed with salt and spices, cocoa can make for a great, savory rub, which can be used on steak, chicken and pork.

Start by researching a simple recipe for cocoa rub, like this one from TheDomesticMan.com, then do some experimenting of your own to find the perfect mix. This can be packaged in a small, clear candy bag and tied with twine for a homemade and masculine look. If you’ve got some outdoor space by your store, consider firing up the grill and passing out samples to passersby – first, check with your local health department to ensure your following sampling guidelines.

Stir up some buzz, by sharing your new product on social media and write a press release for the local media. RCI President, Brian Pelletier of Kakao Chocolate, shared his recipe for Cocoa Grilled Pork and got invited to do a cooking demonstration for the local news. Talk about sweet exposure! Click here to view Brian’s interview on Fox News in St. Louis.

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 # 194: Create your Own Nutrition Fact Labels

Get answers to even the trickiest questions directly from
confectionery professionals through RCI’s List Serve.

So, your business is required to provide nutrition fact labels for your products. Whether you’re looking for a solution or reconsidering your current solution, you can create your own FDA-approved nutrition fact labels without spending a fortune. Read the following recommendations from fellow candy makers through RCI’s forum, List Serve.

“My state health department offers a free service. I gave them my ingredients, package size and serving size and they built complete nutritional labels.”   - W. Lewis, Chiammaya Custom Crafted Chocolates

“NutraCoster is a good program for creating nutritional and ingredient information panels. Another good one is Genesis R&D by ESHA Research. Both of these programs have generic ingredients to add, but you have the ability to use specific information on ingredients like chocolate.” – M. Koch, Morley Candy Makers/Sanders Candy

“We use NutraCoster as well and like it okay, but I just learned about ReciPal, who will do individual recipes for $19. They also have monthly plans.”   – B. Pelletier, Kakao Chocolate

Not sure if your business is required to provide nutritional information for your products? Click here to learn about the FDA’s requirements for nutrition labeling.
 

Get answers to even the trickiest questions directly from confectionery professionals through RCI’s List Serve. RCI members: click here to post your own questions or subscribe to daily digests and threads. Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Tip #193: Make your business more relatable through social media

#BehindRCIChocolateBootCamp

Make your business more relatable by offering glimpses behind-the-scenes through social media. In addition to sharing product photos, look for ways to tie in images that illustrate recipe development and testing, family dynamics (if you’re a family business) your company culture, and daily routines when appropriate. Plus, use a hashtag, like #behind>yourcompany< for followers to track all your insider footage in one place.

By welcoming followers behind the scenes, your business will feel more genuine and relatable than competitors who only share glamour shots of their products.

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 # 192: Make your Favorite Summer Treats Pop!

Pop Rocks Truffles from Love & Olive Oil, Patrotic Strawberries from Our Best Bites,
Firecracker Bark from Not Your Momma's Cookie

Get things poppin’ this summer with the surprising addition of Pop Rocks^® to your favorite summer recipes! Put a little unexpected zing into your truffles or sprinkle on top of chocolate-covered potato chips, chocolate-covered strawberries, barks or really anything, by incorporating this fun and festive candy into your Memorial Day, 4^th of July and Labor Day celebrations! The fun nature of the Pop Rocks makes these products great to sample during busy traffic days or promote on social media.

Keep in mind, Pop Rocks may react to the water content found in heavy cream or other ingredients used in the above recipes. To avoid this, simply coat the Pop Rocks in cocoa butter to protect the “pop” until it hits consumer’s mouths!

Pop Rocks® is a registered trademark of Zeta Espacial SA.
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.

Continue your education through the Allured Fund for Confectionery Education

We’ve all seen the statistics on the effect of education on one’s personal income, but have you considered the effects continued education can have on a business?

Whether you’re investing in your own personal education as a business owner or manager or training for your staff, these investments can make a significant impact on the success of your business by helping you improve business practices and remain relevant in your industry.

Are you interested in attending an educational course or convention in the confectionery industry, but aren’t able to due to financial hardship? The Allured Fund for Confectionery Education awards grants of $500 to attend educational functions sponsored by the American Association of Candy Technologists (AACT), Professional Manufacturing Confectioners’ Association (PMCA), Retail Confectioners International (RCI), the National Confectioners 
Association (NCA) or the Fine Chocolate Industry Association (FCIA). 

Click here to learn more about the Allured Fund for Confectionery Education and download an application form.

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 #190: Don’t Sweat It! Stop Sea Salt Caramels from Sweating

Suffer from sweaty sea salt caramels? Take tips from fellow candy makers and RCI members on how to avoid this common problem, as discussed through RCI’s member forum, List Serve.

“We are looking for a high-quality sea salt for our caramels. We experience problems when storing salted caramels in our cool room (50 degrees – 50% humidity). The sea salt seems to sweat or become clear on the caramel when stored.” - M. Mootz, Michael Mootz Candies, Inc.

“We do not store our sea salt caramels at a reduced temperature due to similar issues, we store [sea salt caramels] at factory room temperature.” – T. Hicklin, Candy House Gourmet

“Some salts are harder than others. Pink Himalayan sea salt is harder and more dense. It is less likely to absorb moisture.” – R. Hofberger, (retired)

“I would recommend dehumidifying to at least 40%. If that can’t be done, shrink wrap the boxes/cases. Completely enclose the product and then store. It works very well.” – Marty Lyp, Peterbrooke Chocolatier

If you’re a member of RCI and you would like to get in on the conversation, click here to subscribe to List Serve. 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. Not a member? 

Tip #189: Celebrate National Spring Cleaning Week – Throw an Office Cleaning Party!

If you spend a lot of time behind a keyboard, it should be no surprise that germs can make a home out of all those nooks and crannies. In fact, keyboards, along with phones, water fountain handles and microwave door handles rank at the top of the most germ-contaminated spots in the office. Need a more compelling reason to host an office cleaning party this week? According to a study conducted by Dr. Charles Gerba with University of Arizona, “the average desk harbors 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat.” Do you have a disinfectant wipe in hand, yet?

Whether you hire a cleaning service to keep your workplace clean or not, there’s a good chance some areas of your office could use a little extra cleaning. Consider scheduling a brief “office cleaning party” (15-minutes to an hour, depending on your need), for all office staff to address key areas within their personal workstation (e.g., keyboards, phones, computer monitors, etc.) and delegate individuals or teams to tackle public spaces like the break room (e.g., coffee maker and microwave), restrooms and lobby (if necessary). Few people enjoy cleaning, but there are ways to make it more fun by playing energizing music and making sure you have all the supplies needed to get the job done. By giving the team a reason to move around and change up the day-to-day monotony, you might be surprised to find, not only, a cleaner office, but a more motivated and focused team.

Click here for seven “handy hacks” from Staples.com to make your office cleaning party a breeze! 

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 # 188: Burst those Bubbles!

Pesky air bubbles often cause grief to chocolatiers, especially when using chocolate moulds. Tapping a filled mould by hand or using a shaker table or other equipment, can effectively release trapped air from the chocolate. The frequency of this motion can play a critical in forcing air to the chocolate’s surface. 

Did you know that very high frequency pulses or taps to the mould can have the adverse effect by increasing the depth of the chocolate’s surface tension layer, trapping air and pushing it to the bottom of the mould? To the chocolatier’s dismay, unsightly hollow spots or huge bubbles will later appear on the face of the moulded chocolate. 

For best results, experiment with tapping filled mold at rates between 5 and 20 times a second produce, depending on the viscosity of the chocolate and the mould’s shape.

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 # 187: Apply the 80/20 Rule to your Marketing Messaging

The Pareto principle is a common rule of thumb in business that suggests 80% of your sales come from 20% of your customer base, as one example. This principle can be applied to many facets of business and marketing, but today we’re going to focus on content marketing that will compel consumers versus repel them.

It may be easy to lean on platforms like email blasts and social media to push product, promote the sale or urge online ordering! Be careful not to inundate your followers with messaging that is purely focused on making the sale. This approach can actually cause followers to lose interest and, perhaps, even mistrust your brand.

You will have better success at building a loyal following of consumers who are genuinely interested in your company, the products you sell and the people who make them, if 80% of your content is devoted to sharing valuable and useful information that helps to weave your brand’s story. Leave the remaining 20% to the sales pitch.

Here’s a few ideas to spark your imagination:

• Sharing interesting facts about your company history is always a win, especially when paired with a photo.
• A peek behind the scenes can convey a sense of transparency and makes your company more trustworthy.
• Add a personal touch by congratulating staff on important milestones, such as employment anniversaries, birthdays, babies, graduations, weddings and etc.

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

Tip # 186:Take 3 Tips from RCI’s Chocolate Boot Camp

Last week, twenty-seven chocolatiers participated in Retail Confectioners International’s Chocolate Boot Camp^®. Although students in the course varied in age and experience, each of them graduated with a better understanding of working with chocolate.

“No matter what size your company is or how long you have been in business, there is always something to learn at Chocolate Boot Camp," says Michael Crudden, Vice President of Operations at Rosalind Candy Castle and 2016 course graduate.

We’ve snagged 3 quick tips from this popular course to share with you! Even if you’re a seasoned vet, you may be surprised to learn something that you can incorporate into your business.

Tip #1: Some centers need to be cooled in order to make them firm enough to hold their shape. If centers are too cold, they will cause the chocolate coating to crack and have a dull finish. Ideally, centers should be between 65-75 degrees Farenheit when coated in chocolate.

  

Tip #2: When using chocolate moulds, avoid bloom by making sure the moulds are 4 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the chocolate.

Tip #3: If you don’t have a tempermeter, dip a knife blade into chocolate, leaving a thin film on the blade. If the chocolate is firm and not tacky in 5 minutes, at normal room temperature (65-68 degrees Farenheit), it is in good temper.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Tip #185: Support the next generation of candy makers

Each profession serves its purpose for making the world go round, candy makers and chocolatiers just have a special way of making that journey so much more enjoyable.

If you are reading this, chances are you are pretty passionate about candy making. Whether your fondness came from a lifetime of learning through the family business or if it materialized more organically, that fondness keeps you coming back for more day after day.

As a treasured recipe is passed from generation to generation, so should the joy and love for the art of candy making. Keep the magic of the industry alive for generations to come by supporting the next generation of candy makers by mentoring a young family member or offering advice to a start-up. When doing so, keep in mind it may be just as important to share what you love about your business and the industry as a whole as it is to teach responsible business practices and time-proven techniques.

Share what you love about your business or the confectionery industry and your comment may be featured in the next issue of Kettle Talk, RCI’s quarterly magazine for members.

Not a member? Learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business at retailconfections.org/join.