Hi-octane chocolate as well as reimagined marshmallows and marzipan catch the attention of Candy Industry’s trends spotter at the Winter Fancy Food Show.
The release of a new Star Wars movie seems to be affecting craft chocolate makers. Dark bars with a “force” factor above 80 percent cacao abounded at last week’s Winter Fancy Foods Show at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Intense chocolate, as well as reimagined marshmallow and marzipan bonbons and innovative plantain-based snacks topped the candy and snack trends spotted at this 41st annual winter show.
With 80,000 specialty food and beverages on display and halls packed with 20,000 attendees — a 16 percent increase from last year, which represented the show’s strongest attendance — the options to see and savor proved galactic. But it was impossible to ignore the appearance of so much intense dark chocolate. So, what’s fueling their presence?