This year, the COVID-19 pandemic will change how we celebrate the winter holidays, with many Americans opting to hold smaller celebrations or participate in safer, socially-distanced winter holiday traditions to celebrate the season.
However, that doesn’t mean that winter holiday celebrations are off the table.
As we approach the end of the Halloween season – our industry’s “Super Bowl” – I’ve noticed an encouraging trend in the way state and local governments, health departments, the media and consumers are viewing Halloween celebrations.
It’s October, which means we’re in the middle of the confectionery industry’s Super Bowl: the Halloween season. As we’ve gotten closer to the big day, we’ve unveiled resources on Halloween Central to prepare consumers, our member companies, retail partners and community stakeholders to celebrate the Halloween season in safe and creative ways.
At NCA, we’ve been connecting with consumers across the country to better understand how people, especially parents, are approaching the Halloween season this year. As health officials in every state consider safety guidance this fall, we want to share what we’ve learned.
First of all, allow me to take moment to assure you: Halloween is NOT canceled.
As we put the finishing touches on preparations for our first-ever NCA Town Hall, I’ve heard from a few member companies wondering about this new format and what they can expect from the event.
The answer is simple: we want this event to be about you.
As we embark on a new era for NCA and our industry with our “Thrive in 2025” strategic plan, I’m beginning to think our focused approach to advocacy and communications couldn’t be more aptly named as we kick off the next five years with a total refresh of NCA’s visual identity. I am proud of the result, and I believe it reflects the fun and unique nature of chocolate and candy and the joy and sweetness consumers associate with our member companies’ brands.
As business leaders, we have an opportunity to use our influence to create a stronger economy, uplift our communities and contribute to a better planet. Over the past week, we have all seen the gut-wrenching and soul-crushing videos and protests advocating for racial equality that have swept the country.
It is incredible to think how much has changed in our industry over the past few months thanks to the coronavirus. As millions of Americans across the country isolated to slow the spread of the disease, they adapted their shopping habits to match their new lifestyle, prioritizing center store products and flocking to e-commerce and click and collect solutions.
Small businesses are part of the nation’s critical infrastructure, and at times like these, it’s the multigenerational businesses in our communities, like restaurants, ice cream shops, theaters, independent clothing stores and others like those in the chocolate and candy industry, that put it all on the line.
Over the past two weeks, I’ve been reading in the New York Times about a scheme by many Central and Eastern European countries to take advantage of the billions of dollars given by the European Union in agricultural subsidies each…
Confectionery manufacturers are coming to Washington, D.C., to unwrap the issues that matter to the companies that make Americans’ favorite great tasting treats. We represent the full confectionery industry: from large, global brands to small and mid-sized companies, which are…
