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Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/96770
Beyond Chocolate The non-chocolate chewy category is on the rise and candy makers are providing more options to please both sweet and sour taste buds By maura Keller n a slow economy, consumers often modify their chocolate buying behavior and turn their attention to less expensive non-chocolate product options. As such, one product segment receiving more attention within the candy industry is non-chocolate chewies. As more and more consumers — both young and old alike — embrace nonchocolate chewies, manufacturers are busy creating products that are sure to please. In the Know According to Barry Sokol, executive vice president at Sorbee International, each year they are seeing growth in the nonchocolate chewy category. "New products are being introduced in both branded and private label," Sokol said. "Some candies are still tradition and continue to evolve and grow. Others are new and are driven by trends or licenses." Some of Sorbee's key products within the non-chocolate chewy category include Crystal Light Sugar Free Chews made with Splenda — an item created as an addition to their Crystal Light sugar free hard candy line. It has 1/3 fewer calories than regular chewy candy. And Sorbee is now producing the new Country Time Lemonade Chews (Lemonade, Pink Lemonade, Peach Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade). One area within the non-chocolate chewy segment that is receiving attention on the part of consumers and industry players is sour, chewy candies. As Kristi Shafer, brand manager of Sour Confections at American Licorice Co. explained, sour candy in general and sour chewy in particular, are growing faster than non-chocolate as a whole. "According to Symphony IRI, non-chocolate volume sales are up 0.7% in the latest 52 weeks, chewy is actually down -0.2%, but total sour (hard and chewy is up 3.7% ) and sour chewy alone is up 4.0%," Shafer said. "This growth is due to a number of reasons including new product introductions, heavier advertising, and the people who were kids when sour first was introduced to the market are now young parents themselves." American Licorice Co. has an array of sour, chewy candies under their Sour Punch brand. Their key items are the Sour Punch Straws, which offer the perfect blend of sour and sweet fruit flavors. "Consumer research tells us there are sour candy consumers who are looking for their favorite "single flavor" versus a mixed variety," Shafer said. "For these consumers we offer single flavor, mouth-watering Straws in strawberry, blue raspberry, green apple, watermelon and cherry." Sour Punch CandyBuyer.Com | Professional C andy Buyer | nov + dec 2012 | 23