Today, the National Confectioners Association released the following statement after a federal judge allowed U.S. Sugar’s acquisition of Imperial Sugar to proceed
Industry
National Confectioners Association Statement on Passing of Rep. Jackie Walorski
We are shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of U.S. Representative Jackie Walorski, along with two members of her staff. She was a great supporter of our industry and champion for our member companies in Indiana, and she served as co-chair of the Congressional Candy Caucus since its inception…
2022 Confectionery Leadership Awards Honor Hy-Vee’s Todd Gean and Cracker Barrel’s Drew Germain
The National Confectioners Association and Candy & Snack TODAY have announced the recipients of the 2022 Confectionery Leadership Awards: Todd Gean, Category Manager – Candy, Hy-Vee, Inc.; and Drew Germain, Director of Merchandise Buying, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.
Halloween 2021 Is Shaping Up to Be Bigger, Better and Sweeter Than Ever
*The following op-ed originally appeared in Morning Consult on October 20, 2021.
This Halloween is going to be a blowout. Retailers are going strong on their Halloween sets with about 27 percent more seasonal items on display per store than in 2020. Consumers are planning to celebrate in a big way, including young parents – 93 percent of whom say they plan to celebrate Halloween this year. And sales of chocolate and candy are up 48 percent over 2020 and nearly 60 percent over 2019.
2021 Most Innovative New Product Awards – Winners and Nominees
The Sweets & Snacks Expo started off strong with the announcement of the winners of the prestigious Most Innovative New Product Awards. These highly competitive awards recognize the most innovative candy and snack products and companies for their achievements and new products.
Libby Taylor Receives First NCA Woman of Influence Award
At last week’s Sweets & Snacks Expo, the first-ever NCA Woman of Influence Award was presented to Libby Taylor in recognition of her 27-year career at NCA and incredible impact on the confectionery industry.
Safe and Sensational Seasonal Celebrations
In a recent survey, 85% of Americans said they believe people will find safe and creative ways to celebrate the winter holidays in 2020. If your traditional holiday plans will be different this year, there are still plenty of ways to make your seasonal celebrations a real treat for the whole family. As always, keep in mind guidance from the CDC and your local public health authorities.
NYT: Indiana University Professor of Pediatrics Says “Let Kids Have Halloween”
“…if I had to design an activity for children that might be safe during a pandemic, I’m not sure that I could do a better job than trick-or-treating. It’s outside. It can be socially distanced. The food is individually wrapped (before anyone partakes, parents can wipe the candies down while kids wash their hands). It’s the one night a year when kids will not argue at all about wearing masks.”
2021 Confectionery Leadership Awards Open for Nominations
The National Confectioners Association and Candy & Snack TODAY are now accepting nominations for the 2021 Confectionery Leadership Awards, which honor two top retail or wholesale buyers, category managers and executives. Recipients of this award exemplify best-in-class thought leadership, category management, effective business collaboration and commitment to the promotion of the confectionery industry.
Lawmakers Rally Behind Finding Safe, Creative Celebrations for the 2020 Halloween Season
A bipartisan group of 30 members of Congress urged Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield to provide safety guidance on community activities around Halloween during the coronavirus pandemic.
Five Questions with John Downs: Halloween 2020
There are a few cultural moments of widespread celebration ahead of us as we look at the remainder of 2020, including Halloween. Given the central role that chocolate and candy play in the month of October, who better than NCA President & CEO John Downs to address the questions about Halloween that are top of mind for many people? We all know that this year will look a little different, but that doesn’t mean we have to sit out on the fun of the Halloween season.
