Sweet & Snack Expo in Chicago Delivers a Very Sweet Experience

As a business owner, when it comes to attending large product expos, having a buying strategy is imperative if you’re hoping to have a successful visit. In the absence of pre-planned organization, chances are good that you’ll probably find yourself in possession of an abundance of haphazardly-gathered products which will fail to meet your ultimate needs. Therefore, knowing the importance of targeted shopping, Gratitude Goodies, LLC, approached the Sweet & Snack Expo with a solid plan and—boy, did it deliver!

When times are rough, most of us turn to chocolate and candy as a form of comfort, which is one of the main reasons that the confection industry tends to remain financially viable, regardless of the economic climate. In fact, current research suggests that the sale of chocolate and candy has shown a 4% increase over last year. While the reasons behind this growth are understandably complex, it’s important to remember that, while many of us may not be able to afford luxuries such as dinner, a movie and dessert, chocolate remains an extremely affordable treat.

This year, trends at the Sweet & Snack Expo involved an assortment of “retro” sweets that, having been continually driven by the Baby Boomers, are still going strong; however, we also saw a lot of “BFY” (better-for-you) trends emerging for the Gen X,Y and Millennials. One of the biggest hits were sour snacks and sweets, with “Gluten Free” being the main buzz words that consumers were actively drawn to. Still, don’t be fooled by items that have always been gluten free, such as marshmallows, popcorn, and most candies that exclude wheat. It should come as no surprise that manufacturers are using the gluten free movement as a way to increase their profit margins by including the GF logo on their packaging.

Popcorn was another item that we saw a lot of. However, the days of plain butter flavoring are long-gone. This year, we were bombarded with an abundance of unique flavors, such as cotton candy, Sriracha, quinoa, kale and spicy hot. In addition, in an effort to jump on the healthy food bandwagon, we also saw a lot of companies with all-natural jerky that was made using proteins such as salmon, turkey, pork, chicken and beef. In the very recent past, Gratitude Goodies has used most of these products and flavors for our designs, so we have a solid understanding of what sells to the main stream.

Seasonal sweets and snacks have risen in popularity as consumers have pressed for themed candy that will easily pair with our Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. Therefore, vendors who pay attention to this consumer desire will win a portion of the profits. With that, when it comes to chocolate, products with nuts—particularly the almond—tend to be the most popular item since consumers love chocolate with a healthy, crunchy element. Knowing this, our customers can be certain that they will continue to see chocolate with an assortment of crisp nuts for their enjoyment.

Overall, this year’s expo was amazing. As a gift basket company, we want to make sure we are designing with our client’s tastes in mind, so when it comes to the latest trends in candy and snacks, you can rest assured that Gratitude Goodies is on top of it.

Gratitude Goodies, LLC is a gift basket company serving the Atlanta area and nationwide. To contact us, call 770-886-9598 or go online at www.GratitudeGoodies.com.

Diane Campbell | Gratitude Goodies | www.GratitudeGoodies.com | 770-886-9598