Small Batch: The Rise of the Artisan Confectionery Sector
For any foodie, the trigger words ‘artisanal,’ ‘small batch,’ and ‘craft’ immediately conjure the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). Add on the terms ‘nostalgic’ and ‘Limited Edition’ and you’ll capture a large portion of the rest of the population, each eager to consume unique, specialty products.
The Rise of Artisan Confectionery
One slice of the confectionery sector is largely expected to drive a projected rise in dessert food sales.
Which one? Artisan confections.
Artisan confectionery includes customizable dessert delicacies often produced in limited quantities, allowing both large and small food development companies to participate in the space. Culinary artists can skillfully craft luxurious delicacies based on their imagination and customer preferences. Confectionery designs sometimes reflect a specific event, season, or dietary restriction.
Artisan Confectioners Not Limited by Company Size
While designer confections offer customers the “perfect” dessert for the occasion, they also provide significant revenue potential to food manufacturers of almost any size. Mom-and-pop establishments specializing in desserts can create and establish market share for one-of-a-kind confections.
The smaller order sizes are more a feature of the market than a barrier to entry. The food industry is well-adjusted to limited runs of seasonal products based on specific holidays.
The artisan confectionery industry is likewise quite lucrative at much smaller batch sizes. In fact, many brands experience a dynamic in which “designer items” which are only available for a limited time or in limited
quantities facilitate an increase in consumer desirability and product price. This consumer desire for greater exclusivity and quality is making premiumization a priority for artisan confectionery companies.
Many artisanal confectioners produce sweet works of art. William Poole, a chocolatier based in the U.S., says:
“I still have a youthful vigour of wanting to create beautiful things for people to enjoy. The chocolate element is magic to me – the flavour of chocolate itself, or chocolate as a medium, is limitless in what can be done with it. Through moulding you can create a thing of beauty, and tablets that are filled with anything in the world.”
Marketability Based on Design Colors
The color of artisanal confectionery is essential to the overall vision of the candy artist. As you might imagine, limitations to color can restrict creativity. Color is so vital that it can quickly become the most recognizable feature of a confectionery.
Big League Chew, the gum brand, recently collaborated with New Era and Major League Baseball for the creation of baseball caps that mimic gum variety flavors. Flavors of gum that are associated with specific colors are reinterpreted as ball cap design colors. The new caps are available in bright hues, such as Big Rally Blue Raspberry, Wild Pitch Watermelon, and Ground Ball Grape. In order for the marketing plan to work, the gum colors had to consistently match the shades of the ball cap fabric. Significant variations in the gum products' appearance could cause a disconnect between the cap design and the gum flavors, impeding the campaign.
Safe Color Options in Smaller Batch Sizes
Color plays a vital role in the development of artisanal sweets beyond co-marketing efforts. Certain colors are associated with specific seasons or holidays, and they are needed to craft confections that meet consumer expectations. Because specialized confections are often color-dependent, participants in the artisan confectionery field can run into several obstacles, including the need for safe colorants to create their designs.
At Colorcon Specialty Markets, we provide color-matching services to bring your artistic visions to life. We also realize that the incorporation of color must not sacrifice product safety, taste, or quality.
Custom Color Batch Sizes for Artisan Sweets
Colorcon Specialty Markets delivers confectionery inks, glazes, and colorants that have been proven safe. To meet the unique needs of the artisan sector, however, we also offer a wide variety of batch sizes. Since many smaller confectionery companies produce products in limited quantities, large batches or bulk quantities of color aren’t needed to complete most orders. Smaller batch sizes avoid issues with excess stock and substantial waste generation and product loss.
Learn how Colorcon Specialty Markets’ flexible options help our customers get to market – regardless of their batch sizes or color requirements. Want to discuss an upcoming project? Contact us today!
