Clean labeling for candy has been a dominant 2016 trend

When the last months of a year roll around, it’s natural to take stock of what your brand has accomplished and where it’s going. Candy is a food that never really goes out of style, but you should still take time to make sure you’re on the right track. Are you maximizing your appeal to potential customers? Is there anything you could be doing better?

Food Dive recently gave an overview of the most popular concerns for candy producers this year, which can help you see what areas you may have neglected. It’s important to keep up, as candy as a sector is on the rise – the news source noted that overall confection sales in the U.S. will total $35.86 billion for the year.

Clean packaging a leading trend
Food Dive reported that one of the major trends this year has been the use of “clean labels.” It could be time to buck candy’s reputation as uniformly unhealthy or a rare indulgence at best. If you’re using natural ingredients or focusing on items that have positive nutritional properties, your labels provide a great space to discuss those advantages.

If competitors are still focusing on standard candy sales approaches, pivoting in a healthier direction could be a bold marketing move. Food Dive noted that major conglomerates such as Mars have tried to focus on using natural ingredients. Phasing out artificial colors – and then promoting this fact on clean labels – is now a priority for the global brand. Admittedly, it has been difficult for Mars to naturally color its brightest items, but that hasn’t dissuaded the company.

Chocolate health benefits emerging
If you think your items aren’t contenders for clean labeling, it may pay to check again – new breakthroughs in confectionery are being made all the time. Science News noted that researchers have discovered ways to give one of the major advantages of dark chocolate, namely antioxidants, to milk chocolate. Through a formula of dried peanut skins and maltodextrin, there’s a way to have the health benefits of antioxidants without the bitter taste, allowing candy brands to potentially market healthier candies to customers with sweeter palates.

When you’re designing your new labeling strategy, make sure your label printer is able to produce effective and attractive packaging that will get your message across. This is where the Afinia L801 Memjet comes in. With this printer on your side, you can print impressive designs on the material of your choice, drawing eyes to your confections. Learn about the printer on our U.S. site, or our Canadian site.