I haven’t seen these Hallowe’en favourites of yesteryear on the store shelves for at least a couple of decades. Now Hershey’s is bringing them back. But why? Could it be that old-fashioned individually-wrapped caramels are both convenient and affordable?
So… ‘Real chocolate’ has been the focus of a number of candy company controversies over the past couple of years. Some confectioners have been introducing faux chocolate openly,while others, such as Hershey’s, tried to sneak it into their products without telling people…
‘Chocolate’ vs ‘Chocolatey’
‘Chocolatey’ has become the word chocolate lovers look for on candy wrappers – warning them that the product doesn’t use pure chocolate. Or even uses all faux chocolate.
The recent price increases – and continuing high prices for – cocoa and sugar have made using real chocolate in most mass-produced confections a non-starter, from a competitive standpoint.
Sneaky sidesteps
All makers of sweet snacks are looking for alternatives to chocolate items – products which they can make cheaper and generate more profit on.
The intermediate step in the segue away from chocolate began about a yer and a half ago. Many candy bar makers turned away from solid chocolate bars to one of two types of chocolate covered bars.
It’s not that these ‘covered’ bars were new. Some candy bar makers have been using puffed rice and wheat as fillers in their products for years. Others have been using airy ‘wafers’ to bulk-out their bars. Kit Kat is a notable member of the latter category.
Still others have decided to launch competitors to the venerable old Aero bar. Which is full of air bubbles that displace a lot of expensive chocolate, but also provide some novel promotional op-portunities…
Another separate thrust in the covered bar sector is the pocket bar. Thin: Cadbury’s Caramilk, or Hershey’s new Salted Caramel and Affogato cream-filled bars. Cream is cheaper than chocolate. Simple as that.
A totally new approach
Now Hershey’s is trying a totally new approach to sweets, one which doesn’t involve chocolate at all. Just in time for Hallowe’en, the candy giant is bringing back an old favourite that Boomers – but, likely, no one younger – will remember, fondly.
The new caramels are made from Milton Hershey’s own original recipe, using only 4 ingredients: sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, butter, and brown sugar.
“Best caramel I have ever had,” wrote one fan on Hershey’s website.
“I bought three packages. Shared with family and friends. Almost all gone. Loved by all,” said another.
My take
… Maybe it’s time for the grand, old, chewy Caramel to make a comeback. Of course, Werther’s and Kraft have both persevered with their wrapped caramel offerings through the years. And Hershey’s may find it has some serious competition, if the Caramel catches on again, big time…
My question for you, as consumers, is: Will you rally to the Grand Old Caramel again? Or does the idea of a candy with no chocolate in or on it fail to engage your enthusiasm?
~ Maggie J.