Sweet Innovations

The ALL CANDY EXPO recently conducted its yearly event in Chicago to display the latest in sweet innovations. The show did not disappoint those looking for new wrinkles in confections, some pretty neat and some not so cool. While it would be impossible to review the almost unending number of products purported to be "new" (most were actually line extensions or copycats of existing concepts), here are some that caught my eye, either positive or negative.

Melon Mango Tic Tacs ... the newest and very well executed flavor profile for the Tic Tac franchise. It is rumored that the next flavor to be debuted in 2010 will be pina colada. Seems they are playing it safe with these mainline flavors. Almost wish they would get a little more daring ... how about blood orange or pomegranate?

Bigs' Sizzlin' Bacon Sunflower Seeds ... I love bacon, but this one left me wondering "why"?

Chocolove ... Cute idea. Each package includes a love letter from literature. Inclusions in chocolate are now almost passe (see Vosges), but the crystallized ginger in dark chocolate is a delicious winner.

Bubbagum Candy Teeth ... Sure to be a winner with kids who love practical jokes. These edible dentures come in rabbit, vampire and ninja versions. Sure beats plastic or wax versions of the past. Once the joke is delivered, the product is "naturally" recycled.

Flax SuperSnax ... Another attempt to include the health benefits of flaxseed fiber and omega-3 fatty acids to our diets. Tasted great, but does it really have the ability to deliver a significant health benefit, or is it just marketing hype?

It was apparent the majority of products were aimed at the younger, under-20 set, which is probably why this segment of the food industry always seems to be the most innovative, i.e. their audience has a history of short attention spans and even shorter product life cycles, seasonal at best.