Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
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CANDY COUNTER Chocolate & Peppermint. "Since Pretzel Crisps are predominate- ly found in the deli section, there really isn't a good place to merchandise the chocolate SKU year-round, as space is limited," notes Perry Abbenante, Snack Factory's vice pres- ident of marketing. "But as an in-and-out item, they could be displayed where space is available around the store." Adding caramel, toffee and more. Mom's Originals in St. Louis is setting itself apart from the many chocolate-dipped pretzel rods available. The company's extra layer of protection—a hand-wrapping of soft cara- mel—is key. "Hand-wrapping the caramel keeps it soft and chewy and also preserves the integrity of the pretzel, making break- age during shipments pretty much obso- lete," says Taran Hensley, who co-owns the company with her mother, Jody. Mom's Originals are available in three sizes: 7-inch Rods, 3½-inch Petites and Minis, pretzel nuggets wrapped in caramel and dipped in chocolate. Popular sellers are milk with a white chocolate drizzle and dark with chopped walnuts and white chocolate drizzle. "So many people want salty-sweet with a crunch to satisfy a craving," says Hensley. "Our pretzels marry the two flavors and offer a perfect balance." Hensley suggests pairing Mom's Originals with wine, coffee or tea. Buttery toffee is the focus for Toffee Break Desserts, Northbrook, Ill. Owner Robin Fields says her Pretzel Toffee is a pure salt-and-sweet treat. "It is almost like a toffee bark with pretzels," she says. Taking advantage of the local trend is The Beer Pretzel Caramel, a signature and best-selling item from Liddabit Sweets, Brooklyn, N.Y., which uses chopped-up pieces of salty, hand-twisted pretzels from Martin's Pretzels, a fixture in New York City's Greenmarkets since 1982. The beer- flavored caramels use other New York–made items as well, such as Ronnybrook Farm Dairy's heavy cream and Brooklyn Brewery's Anette's Chocolate Factory's Chili Lime Tequila Tortilla Brittle uses organic white and yellow corn chips and incorporates roasted pumpkin seeds, a full-flavored tequila, all-natural lime and a little chile de árbol. Summer Fancy Food Show Booth 5146 32 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE ❘ specialtyfood.com