Logistics and info about the candy market in the USA?
April 16, 2023 4:01 AM Subscribe
Is there a good source for information about what major candies are moving in and out the various markets in the United States?
Backstory: I recently discovered Salted Caramel Twix which are delicious. But over the past two months or so, they’ve been harder to find. Yet a seemingly new kind of Twix, Cookie Dough, is becoming popular (and not as tasty).
This has gotten myself and several friends interested in the logistics of what’s going in various markets in terms of candy in the United States. Is there a newsletter or information source that covers the major brands aka the candy that one can usually find in gas stations, convenience stores, and grocery stores in the United States?
This is not a Twix specific question, so no need to focus on that aspect. Ideally, this resource would be noting the comings and goings of candy in the United States ie candy bar A is trying a new version this market XYZ, while candy F is shifting to more urban areas because (reason).
Backstory: I recently discovered Salted Caramel Twix which are delicious. But over the past two months or so, they’ve been harder to find. Yet a seemingly new kind of Twix, Cookie Dough, is becoming popular (and not as tasty).
This has gotten myself and several friends interested in the logistics of what’s going in various markets in terms of candy in the United States. Is there a newsletter or information source that covers the major brands aka the candy that one can usually find in gas stations, convenience stores, and grocery stores in the United States?
This is not a Twix specific question, so no need to focus on that aspect. Ideally, this resource would be noting the comings and goings of candy in the United States ie candy bar A is trying a new version this market XYZ, while candy F is shifting to more urban areas because (reason).
Best answer: The National Confectioners Association might be a good place to look. Maybe look through their trade magazine Candy & Snack Today.
posted by mskyle at 4:41 AM on April 16, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by mskyle at 4:41 AM on April 16, 2023 [4 favorites]
Best answer: There are several trade magazines, the above mentioned Candy & Snack Today plus Confectionery News and Candy Industry. Convenience Store News also covers the consumer candy product sector pretty well.
The NCA also publishes a weekday "smart brief" which highlights both their articles and those from other publications about topics of interest. It's a low stress way to just browse the headlines and find the topics you're interested in. Confectionery News does as well, though a lot of theirs is European focused and a lot about packaging though some about supply chain issues, ingredients and trends. They also have a podcast, which I've not listened to.
The NCA also runs the Sweets & Snacks Expo once a year (May 2023), and the website for that has a great section for the new product announcements for confections. (It's a little early, but in a couple of months they'll fill in the exhibitor info & an awards section. There will also be contact info for various candy companies.) The biggest confectionery trade show, though, is ISM, held in Cologne in January/February. Their website has an archive of the press releases from all the vendors, which usually includes the new product releases & flavors for the year.
(Mars, who owns the Twix brand, is notoriously opaque about their decision making process about flavors and changes in formulations. It's a privately held company still under control of the founding family (pretty rare), so there's no answering to shareholders with them. But sometimes they'll answer questions through their website or PR reps. I think the salted caramel trend is waning, and the new hotness is nostalgia, so many snack companies have been bringing back their classics or original recipes.)
posted by typetive at 12:05 PM on April 16, 2023 [4 favorites]
The NCA also publishes a weekday "smart brief" which highlights both their articles and those from other publications about topics of interest. It's a low stress way to just browse the headlines and find the topics you're interested in. Confectionery News does as well, though a lot of theirs is European focused and a lot about packaging though some about supply chain issues, ingredients and trends. They also have a podcast, which I've not listened to.
The NCA also runs the Sweets & Snacks Expo once a year (May 2023), and the website for that has a great section for the new product announcements for confections. (It's a little early, but in a couple of months they'll fill in the exhibitor info & an awards section. There will also be contact info for various candy companies.) The biggest confectionery trade show, though, is ISM, held in Cologne in January/February. Their website has an archive of the press releases from all the vendors, which usually includes the new product releases & flavors for the year.
(Mars, who owns the Twix brand, is notoriously opaque about their decision making process about flavors and changes in formulations. It's a privately held company still under control of the founding family (pretty rare), so there's no answering to shareholders with them. But sometimes they'll answer questions through their website or PR reps. I think the salted caramel trend is waning, and the new hotness is nostalgia, so many snack companies have been bringing back their classics or original recipes.)
posted by typetive at 12:05 PM on April 16, 2023 [4 favorites]
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You might enjoy the Discord of the Steamed Hams Society, run by Simpsons writer Bill Oakley, which has channels for sweets, fast food, snacks, and other corners of the mass-market food landscape.
posted by staggernation at 4:33 AM on April 16, 2023 [1 favorite]