SF-Confectionery-2020

4 I t’s no surprise that the macro trends affecting our daily lives are playing out in confectionery. Concerns about health, ethics, and experience are right there in the products that sell well. Witness the rise of ethical chocolate such as slavery- free brand Tony’s Chocolonely (the use of child labour has rocked cocoa production), with Fairtrade sugar and compostable packaging. Meanwhiile while mainstream confectioners introduce calorie caps and smaller portion to reduce indulgence, the explosion in ingredient innovation delivers vegan gummies as a way to deliver vitamins, or your alcohol units (a la Smith & Sinclair). So what are the trends you can count on? Local flavours and texture inclusions “What’s happening in flavours is totally influenced by broader social trends,” confirms Sian Holt, director of Fudge Kitchen. “The growth of artisan over the last ten years has really peaked; everyone wants to hear the story. People want to engage with all the detail, the experience. So if you’re doing salted caramel where’s the salt from? Is it smoked, or garlic salt? I’d say the next big thing is the importance of local,” she continues. “We’ve all been encouraged to support local, and we have. Local producers have been the real heroes, so the big question is ‘Where are you?’ If you’re in Kent I think consumers will expect to see apples, cherries, hops... Garden of England.” As you might expect for a fudge maker, Sian is horrified at the suggestion that most exciting NPD happens away from traditional categories of confectionery. “On the contrary, I think ‘brown flavours’ – fudge, caramel, chocolate – are still setting some amazing trends,” she suggests. “In terms of nostalgia we see rhubarb and custard, pear drops leading a mix of sweet and sour. Fruity flavours like yuzu, mandarin and lime are paired with an emergence of dark chocolate. The next social trend is the switch to plant-based, so you see the use of matcha, herbs, avocado add lavender offering a wellness element. Also the addition of protein –  seeds, nuts, cocoa nibs THE TASTE OF NOW @specialityfood SIAN HOLT FUDGE KITCHEN CHARLIE SIMPSON- DANIEL WIZARDS MAGIC CHOCOLATE MATT GILDING BOOJA BOOJA COMMENTATORS We explore the influences impacting trends and consumer demands across the confectionery sector