Each year the National Confectioners Association hosts the Sweets & Snacks Expo at McCormick Place in Chicago. Confectioners from all over the world exhibit their sweetest wares and many introduce new products at the show. Here are a few previews of candies that you’ll be seeing in stores this year:
Name: Sour Punch PUNCHIES
Brand: American Licorice Company
Description: The sour, chewy, bite-size candy packs the perfect punch of fruity-sweet and sour and each of the five delicious Punchies® flavors is stamped with a whimsical Punchi face!
Introduction Date: 06/01/2013
Notes: I have a package of these and have sampled exactly one so far, mostly because I didn’t know what they meant by a soft shell, it’s kind of like a jelly bean coating with a sour licorice center. I’ll have a review next week.
Name: Lindt EXCELLENCE Diamonds
Brand: Lindt & Sprungli
Description: EXCELLENCE Diamonds individually wrapped chocolate pieces. EXCELLENCE 70%, Sea Salt, Intense Orange and Chili.
Introduction Date: 05/01/2013
Notes: I like smaller bites of chocolate. It could be that I have a short attention span or that I’d like to fill the landfills with wrappers, but an appropriately sized mini portion of chocolate actually feels more decadent sometimes than a full bar. So I’m happy to see that Lindt is working on creating some nice little bites with a bit more design to them. Their Excellence line is quite good, and because it’s Lindt, it’s pretty easy to find.
Name: Smurf Candy
Brand: Haribo USA
Description: In preparation for the highly anticipated Smurfs 2 movie in July, Haribo has released its first licenced product in the U.S.: Haribo Smurfs gummies. Already popular in Germany and France, Haribo Smurfs are strawberry and raspberry-flavored gummi candies in the shape of popular Smurf characters, like Papa Smurf and Smurfette. The gummies are the classic Smurf blue, with different characters wearing red, white and yellow caps. The candies are also gluten and fat free.
Introduction Date: June 2013
Notes: I tried a version of these when I was in Germany and liked them, it’s a good, well rounded raspberry flavor.
Name: Annabelle’s Rocky Road S’MORES
Brand: Annabelle Candy Co Inc
Description: - Handmade Milk Chocolate Coated Marshmallow with Real Graham Cracker and Cashews.
Introduction Date: 01/01/2013
Notes: It’s a natural sort of product extension to make a marshmallow and chocolate bar version with graham crackers. I’m looking forward to finding this, though I know that Annabelle Candies are hard to find when you get east of the Rockies. So not all areas may be able to get a hold of these.
Name: Cold Stone Creamery Bars
Brand: The Cacao Group, Inc
Description: Five flavors will be available nationwide starting June 1 of this year. They are: Chocolate Devotion, Mmmmmint Chocolate Chip, Cookies & Creamery, Coffee Lovers Only and Cherry Almond Sundae. The chocolate is available in 1.8-oz. bars or 5.4-oz. stand-up bags.
Introduction Date: June 1, 2013
Notes: Cold Stone has done some hard candy and jelly bean varieties to date, so it’s only natural for them to get into chocolate bars. The flavor list sounds like they’re going to make bars in flavor combinations that aren’t usually seen like the Coffee Lovers and Cherry Almond Sundae, so that will set them apart from the already crowded bar field.
All images courtesy of their respective manufacturer
Related Candies
- Candy Tease: Bar None, Reed’s and Regal Crown Sours
- Candy Tease: April 2013
- Candy Tease: October 2012
- Candy Tease: August 2012
- Candy Tease: Sweets & Snacks Expo 2012 - Part 3
The coldstone bars looks tempting but they should done a cookie dough version of the bars.
But the problem with coldstone products that they sucked and get discontinued eventually. Coldstone should stick to ice cream that it
I loved the Haribo Smurfs that I tried in France. There they’re the Schtroumpfs
The Cold Stone chocolate bars are made by the same company that makes Crev chocolate bars. Unsurprisingly, these look exactly like Crev bars, but in different flavors. But, good news: Crev bars are phenomenal.
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