Industry Overview
Who doesn’t like candy? Apparently, no one since seven billion pounds of candy is consumed annually in the United States alone. It might amaze people to know that the same candy bars we are eating today were originally created in the late 1800s. As the smaller companies got swallowed up by bigger corporations, the brand names remained the same.
A food staple for WWI soldiers was Hershey’s chocolate in blocks. Hershey began cutting and wrapping individually chocolate bars when the military found cutting the blocks too time-consuming. Today, Hershey and Tootsie Roll and Pez are among the few independent candy companies left in the market.
Individual companies, such as Godiva Chocolate, have annual revenues of over $500 million and Godiva is small by comparison to Mars, a major candy conglomerate.
Las Vegas candy purchases include not only retail but all of the hotels that use candy as treats in their guest rooms, by bowls and on pillows. Candy and confectionery in Denver are energy producers for skiers, trekkers and mountain climbers.
Industry Trends
According to the National Confectioners Association, the industry is on a growth trend thanks to new ingredients and methods of manufacturing. There is no question that weight and health conscious people have made a change in the way candy and confectionery companies produce their products today. Sugar free or lower sugar candies have reached the marketplace and are huge successes.
There are now products specifically created for children, including the puckering sour candies that children seem to love.
More gummies and jellies are finding their way into the market place, for both adults and children.
Brand Names
Of course, Hershey is the first name that comes to mind when thinking of chocolate. Mars candy bars are as familiar to as a Hershey’s Kiss. Think M&Ms!