Convenience stores have long been a place for consumers to pick up a quick snack or treat such as candy. According to Technomic’s Q1 2020 C-Store MarketBrief, 88% of consumers purchase retail food, including snacks and candy, from c-stores at least once a month, and more than half (64%) do so at least once a week. For retailers looking to boost their traffic even more, offering the latest candy and snacks could help.
Showcase new flavors from favorite brands
Pairing new flavors, such as candies consumers love with drinks they also love, in the form of Sour Patch Kids Crush® Flavored Soft & Chewy Candy, as well as Swedish Fish Crush® Flavored Soft & Chewy Candy, is a great way to get customers excited about the candy aisle. Crush® Orange is the No. 1 fruit-flavored soda brand among the general population, teens and Hispanics, while Sour Patch Kids and Swedish Fish are leaders in the candy category and the most followed candy brands on Instagram.
Combining the two brands’ flavors in the form of new candy offerings is the perfect way for c-store retailers to attract more consumers. Be sure to advertise these new products in store.
Highlight candy for snack time and desserts
According to Technomic’s 2019 Flavor Consumer Trend Report, 49% of consumers say they are likely to try new flavors at snack time, while 55% say they’d be likely to try them for dessert. As far as what consumers consider makes a flavor new or unique, 40% say a twist on a familiar flavor and 33% say it’s a familiar flavor being featured in a dish it’s not traditionally in—and that could extend to candies. Consumers who are used to seeing a flavor in a certain drink may have their curiosity piqued by seeing those flavors in candy form instead, for instance. And if it’s a candy that’s flavored like one of their favorite drinks? All the better.
Post signage around stores to indicate that there are new products available, so that customers stopping in can be enticed into the candy aisle, where they might make a purchase. Consider sending out digital alerts about new products, too.
Expand product offerings
Retailers who are satisfied with their offerings may think there’s no need to expand what’s on their candy shelves. However, to attract consumers to make incremental purchases, or those they weren’t necessarily planning on, offering something they haven’t tried or seen yet can be a big help.
Snacks and candy that are already popular, such as Sour Patch Kids and Swedish Fish, are on the rise in terms of sales: Mondelez International candy brands have a 3.2% three-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR), according to Nielsen data. With growth like that, it only makes sense to increase the number of products like those on shelves—more so if there are new and exciting flavors for consumers to try and love. In fact, Sour Patch Kids Crush® Flavored Soft & Chewy Candy was the No. 1 preferred idea among consumers who were asked about what type of innovations in candy they’d prefer.
Update the candy shelves with what consumers are looking for: new and exciting flavors from their favorite brands. Find out more about Mondelez product growth at mondelezgrowthprogram.com, and learn about all Mondelez has to offer at mondelezinternational.com/.
This post is sponsored by Mondelēz International Foodservice