Candy Industry: What types of things were you looking for at this year’s ECRM show? And, which products really stood out to you and why?

Izzo offers valuable insights on bite-size candy, seasonal chocolates and how much is too much when it comes to serving sizes.

Flexitarian. White chocolate. Ethical marketing. Retro. The four S’s (Snacking, sharing, simplicity, sustainability). Technology. Those are just some of the buzz words and trends from this year’s International Sweets and Biscuit (ISM) Fair in Cologne, Germany.

Five confectionery buyers from five different candy stores gathered in a small conference room - and once they started talking, they didn't stop.

While attending the Sweets and Snacks Expo, I tried approx. 5,348 (give or take) pieces of candy (give or take). And while all that sugar made me crash pretty hard, I was still able to make some order from the chaos.

In our sweeter-than-most confectionery industry, I’d say that most companies, be they large or small, fared fairly decently. I recognize that many of you are already wondering what kind of Kool-Aid I’m sipping while writing this.