The Company: Charms Division, TRI Sales Co., Covington, Tenn.
The Product: Maxxed Energy Pop

The Hook: Maxxed Energy Pops contain taurine, ginseng, guarana, B vitamins and caffeine to revitalize energy. The pops come in a can, resembling an energy drink, to keep the energy treat fresh. As parent company Tootsie Roll points out, Energy Pops taste great and cost less than most other energy products.

Ingredients: Sugar, corn syrup, taurine, citric acid, propylene glycol, maltodextrin, artificial flavors, d-glucuronolactone, caffeine, hydrogenated soybean oil, turmeric coloring, niacinamide, panax ginseng, guarana, pyridoxine hydrochloride, d-calcium pantothenate, inositol, FD&C blue 1, cyanocobalamin. Milk may be present.

S.R.P.: $1.00 for 1 can.

The Company: Bloomsberry & Co. and Terrapass, Inc., Salem, Mass.
The Product: Climate Change Chocolate

The Hook: Bloomsberry and Terrapass have joined to create an environmentally friendly chocolate bar. The bar is all natural, dark or milk chocolate, and comes with an offset for 133 pounds of verified carbon, the amount emitted by an average American in one day. Its wrapper features 15 tips for reducing your carbon footprint.

Ingredients: Sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin (an emulsifier), vanilla.

S.R.P.: $4.95 for a 3.5 oz. bar.

The Company: Spangler Candy Co., Bryan, Ohio
The Product: Sour Punch and Smarties Candy Canes

The Hook: Spangler is coming out with a new idea for candy canes for Christmas 2008: Sour Punch and Smarties candy canes. The Sour Punch canes are “Strikin’ Strawberry”-flavored with a hard candy shell and a sour, chewy center. The Smarties canes are fruit-flavored and resemble a roll of Smarties candies.

Ingredients: (Sour Punch) Sugar, corn syrup, citric acid, fractionated palm kernel oil with soy lecithin, corn starch, beef gelatin, artificial flavor, artificial color (Red 40, Yellow 5), sodium lactate, sunflower lecithin.

S.R.P.: $2.49 for a 6 oz. cradle.

The Company: Perfetti Van Melle, Erlanger, Ky.
The Product: Dip Pops

The Hook: The producer of Airheads, Airheads Xtremes and Mentos is launching a new candy treat called Dip Pops. This gourmet lollipop is dipped into a tasty, creamy dip. When the two textures and flavors come together, they create a delicious candy creation. The Dip Pops come in two different flavors: creamy caramel apple and chocolate-covered strawberry.

Ingredients: (Chocolate-covered strawberry) Sugar, vegetable fat, cocoa powder (processed with alkali), whey powder (milk), lecithin emulsifier, vanillin, corn syrup, artificial flavors, buffered lactic acid, artificial color including Red #40.

S.R.P.: $1.09 for individual pop and tub.

The Company: Gia Brands, USA
The Product: Brix Chocolate

The Hook: Brix, defined as the measurement of the mass ratio of dissolved sugar to water in a liquid, has acquired an additional definition: “chocolate for wine lovers.” Gia Brands has created a brand of chocolate called Brix that is specifically made to complement the taste of light, fruity wines. It is available in milk chocolate, medium dark chocolate and extra dark chocolate.

Ingredients: (Medium Dark Chocolate) Sugar, chocolate liquor processed with alkali, cocoa butter, milk fat, cocoa powder processed with alkali, soy lecithin (an emulsifier), vanillin (an artificial flavor), vanilla, natural flavors.

S.R.P.: $7.99 for a box.

The Company: Sorbee International Ltd., Philadelphia
The Product: EatRite/BeFit line of sugar-free products

The Hook: Sorbee recognizes the role health plays in consumer lifestyles today. Consequently, it created a line of sugar-free snacks that taste good and reduce intake of sugar, fat and calories. The EatRite/BeFit line of products are all sugar-free and give consumers a variety of healthy snacks to choose from.

Ingredients: (Sugar-Free Assorted Fruit Hard Candy) Isomalt, citric acid, natural and artificial flavors, FD&C Red #40, Yellow#5, Yellow #6, Blue #1, sucralose, soy lecithin.

S.R.P.: $1.39-$1.89 for a 3-oz. bag.

The Company: The Ginger People, Marina, Calif.
The Product: Hot Coffee Ginger Chews

The Hook: The Ginger People are expanding on their Original Ginger Chews with a new treat. This all-natural chew fuses arabica and robusta coffee from East Java with fresh ginger to simulate a warm cup of coffee. The treat is packed with antioxidants and flavor.

Ingredients: Cane sugar, ginger (8%), tapioca starch, arabica coffee.

S.R.P.: $2.29 for a 3 oz. bag.

The Company: Wrigley, Chicago
The Product: Sugar-free Gum

The Hook: Juicy Fruit has not only introduced new packaging for its gum, but also a new flavor. Strawberry Lime gum is still sugar-free, but now features a juicy liquid center in a convenient plastic jar. The jar allows consumers to tear a strip, pop the top and enjoy.

Ingredients: Maltitol, chewing mass, mannit, sorbet, moisturiser: glycerin; maltitol syrup, gelatin, aromas, acidifier: citricc acid; coloring: E171; thickener: gum arabic; emulsifier: lecithin; sweetener: aspartame, acesulfame K; acidifier: apple acid; thickener: E466; coating: carnauba wax; antioxidant: BHT; coloring: E333, E160a; contains a phenylalanine source.

S.R.P.: $2.99 for one jar.

The Company: Cost Plus, USA
The Product: World Market Cocoa Mix

The Hook: Cost Plus combines the rich taste of dark chocolate with a sweet, tart raspberry taste in a delicious cocoa mix. The flavor combination makes for a warm treat. The cocoa mix also comes in mexicocoa, dulche de leche cocoa and milk chocolate cocoa.

Ingredients: (Dark Raspberry:) Sugar, nonfat dry milk, whey (milk), cocoa powder (dutch process), canola oil, corn syrup solids, natural and artificial flavors, guar gum, salt.

S.R.P.: $9.99 for a 16 oz. can.