The Enduring Appeal of Edible Treats A Look at

Gourmet Snack and Candy Sales

By Hilary Danailova

If you’d told Christopher Curtin a year ago that virtual tastings would become a staple of Eclat Chocolate, his West Chester, Pa., shop, he wouldn’t have believed you. But when the pandemic hit, Curtin wanted to replicate the experience of sampling his upscale truffles, caramels and other confections. “I’m amazed how virtual tastings have really taken off,” he said this spring.

Eclat sends a nine-piece boxed assortment to each party, then schedules a Zoom call during which everybody chats on video while trying the shop’s bestselling caramels — featured in Vogue Magazine — or the truffles that Curtin said were a favorite of American chef Anthony Bourdain. “Tastings are a great way for families to get together virtually, or for companies to do corporate team building,” the chocolatier noted.

Virtual tastings are just one example of the creative strategies that have kept businesses humming. While fewer people have been shopping in person, gourmet retailers report overall strong demand; after all, eating well at home has been one of the few reliable pleasures during pandemic isolation.

“Every chocolate has a story behind it,” Curtin reflected. Having worked for years in Europe, Curtin blends modern methods with traditional, labor-intensive practices like making caramels in a giant copper kettle for depth of flavor. His best-selling Peruvian truffle, from beans harvested high in the Andes, “is pure simplicity — chocolate, cream and butter. It’s an upscale, elegant gift.”

Gifting at Eclat has increased dramatically during the pandemic, compensating somewhat for a drop in wholesale orders. Another popular gift is a two-flavor box of so-called “cubes” — squared-off chocolates in flavors like caffe latte, roasted banana peanut, and bourbon pecan. “We’re very design forward,” said Curtin.

Year-over-year sales were up during the first quarter of 2021 at A Bit of Taste, a Seattle gourmet shop. “Our business is growing,” affirmed Owner Debe Franz “People have been eating at home more, and sales have a lot of items have jumped.” They’re also drinking at home: A Bit of Taste has sold lots of the herbs used in fancy cocktails.

When Franz took over the store two years ago, the only products were extra virgin olive oil and bal-