Trends in Treats Candy Sales at Candy Stores and Florists

By June Allan Corrigan

“If it begins with chocolate, it ends with a smile.”

That’s the slogan at The Village Chocolate Shop - pe in Bennington, Vt., and truer words could hardly be spoken. Candy makers know it as do florists who are no slouches either when it comes to prompting smiles. Serving as a stand-alone treat or as an accompaniment to a beautiful flower arrangement, candy equals happiness. For this article, offi cials at two sweet shops and two florists discussed trends and how they sell more of everyone’s favorite treats.

Dark chocolate is trending at Vermont-based and family owned The Village Chocolate Shoppe. In addition to their Bennington location, the Monte family also operates The Village Peddler and Chocolatorium in East Arlington. “My orders for milk and dark chocolate are almost equal now whereas before it was like 10 to one,” said Owner Nick Monte . It’s a shift he’s seen happening over the past five to six years. “Everyone is more aware of the health benefits of dark chocolate and the fact they can include it in their diet. It’s made a big difference.”

Kids tend to gravitate towards more sugar-laden milk chocolate selections at either of this candy maker’s approximately 1,000-square foot locations. “Adults want something a little more sustainable,” Monte said. At this point, dark chocolate and milk chocolate versions of all their confections exist – even ones that were traditionally milk chocolate only. For instance, Monte initially resisted the idea of making dark peanut butter cups. “But I finally gave in and they’ve turned out to be really great sellers!”

Variety is The Village Chocolate Shoppe’s secret to increasing candy sales. Shoppers find all their favorites but also a host of unique offerings the Monte family creates at the Bennington location – the site of production for both stores. Meanwhile, Monte’s daughter Denise, who helps out as a cashier part-time, recommended paying attention to customers’ conversations. “Listen to customers as they talk amongst themselves, especially if you feature a big variety. Then you can offer them a sample of something you overheard them saying they might like.”

The Monte family also devotes space at The Village Peddler and Chocolatorium to educating people about chocolate. In addition to featuring an exhibit about the confection’s history and hosting gatherings where they explain its finer points, they also conduct tastings or “flights” of chocolate akin to those offered by wine or craft beers purveyors. “We’ll include mass market chocolate and higher grades of chocolate so people researching its health benefits can taste the difference for themselves,” Nick Monte concluded.

There was a time when M & M Floral & Gifts in Bellingham, Wash., would give customers carte blanche when they wanted to pair chocolates with a flower arrangement. The approximately 2,500-square-foot shop has always relied upon Chocolate Necessities, a renowned local chocolatier, to supply the product. “We would tell them they have this, this and this and then the price and it just got kind of monotonous,” said M & M Owner Mary Sue McIntosh . Rather than overwhelm the customer with too many choices, the florist introduced a drop-down menu on its website for candy add-ons limiting the choices to truffles and sea salt caramels, which are generally the most requested items anyway.

McIntosh admitted she was a little hesitant to try the website method, but the drop-down menu has worked beautifully and they actually sell more candy that way. “However, around the holidays, we will display chocolates onsite and we have a lot more choices for those who walk in the door.” The artisan chocolates have a short shelf life though so she

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