Per capita U.S. confectionery consumption topped 25 pounds in 2005 for the first time since 2000, according to U.S. Department of Commerce figures released last month. Last year’s total was 25.7 pounds, up nearly a pound from the 2004 figure of 24.8 pounds per capita. In 2000, the total was 25.1 pounds per capita.

Total manufacturers’ shipments for the year were up 2.6 percent over the prior year to $18.3 billion, according to the Commerce Department’s annual 311D Report, and tonnage shipments climbed 4.6 percent to 7.6 billion pounds. (The total shipment numbers are termed apparent consumption and equal shipments plus imports less exports and include candy and gum.)

 “The numbers indicate that the confectionery industry had a healthy year in 2005,” says Jim Corcoran, vice president trade relations, National Confectioners Association.

Shipments of chocolate confectionery products totaled $10.3 billion, up 3.2 percent, while tonnage shipments were up 6.0 percent to 3.6 billion pounds. Non-chocolate shipments reached $5.8 billion, up 7.0 percent, while shipment volume climbed 5.6 percent to 3.3 billion pounds.

The sales scenario tracked by the Commerce Department was not as bright for gum, where shipment dollars declined by 12.4 percent to $1.7 billion, and shipment volume dropped by 10.1 percent to 464.8 million pounds.

Translating totals to retail dollars, the National Confectioners Association estimates that retail confectionery sales in all classes of trade exceeded $28 million in 2005.

Steve Gold
Steve Gold, senior vice president of Ford Gum & Machine Co., passed away this spring at age 60 after a long illness. Gold was responsible for sales and marketing for Ford’s Carousel Retail Division, the Carousel Bulk Vend Division and private label sales for Ford Gum.

Before joining Ford Gum, Gold was vice president of Leaf Inc. and president of Carousel Industries. He also worked as a CPA at Price Waterhouse and as a trader at the Chicago Board of Trade.

Survivors include his wife, Pamela; children, Holly and Fawn; and grandchildren, Reily and Connor.

Sarah Aiko Uno Takitani
Sarah Aiko Uno Takitani, who co-founded Hawaiian Host Chocolate along with her husband, Mamoru Takitani, died on June 28, 2006. She was 92.

A former Japanese language schoolteacher, she founded Hawaiian Host with her husband in 1960. She was preceded in death by her husband, who died in 1988.

Scott J. Frey has been named senior vice president of sales and marketing for Brach’s Confections Inc. Frey, a 32-year veteran of the snack and confections industry, has an extensive background in marketing, managing and growing diverse consumer businesses. He has held executive-level positions with both small and large suppliers, including a prior vice president’s role with Brach’s.

Keith Domalewski has joined the Customer and Brand Development Division of Just Born Inc. as market insights manager. Domalewski comes to Just Born from Frito-Lay in New York, where he was senior category manager.

18% Percentage of shoppers who say they use self-checkout  “all the time” when it is available

29% Percentage of shoppers who opt for self-checkout only when there is a line at the other lanes

35% Increase in self-checkout transactions in 2005 vs. prior year

Source: IHL Consulting Group, “2006 North American Self-Checkout Systems”  

Gasoline price volatility helped fuel record growth for the convenience store industry in 2005, according to the “2006 NACS State of the Industry” report.

Total industry sales grew a whopping 25.5% to $495.3 billion. Motor fuel sales accounted for 81 percent of the increase in total convenience store sales. However, in-store industry sales climbed by 14.8% as well. The total store count was up 1.8 percent to 140,655 by year’s end.

Combined in-store sales exceeded $1 million per store for the first time in “State of the Industry” history, hitting $1.081 million per store.

Those interested in the complete lowdown on the convenience industry will find it within the pages of the report, which is available to NACS members for $150; the purchase price includes a CD-ROM that provides additional statistics and historical data.

For more information, visit NACS Online at www.nacsonline or call (800) 966-6227.

The National Confectioners Association has named Cocoda, a British sales, marketing and distribution consultancy, as its “in-country marketing representative” for the United Kingdom and Germany. In this capacity, Cocoda will help facilitate introductions between U.S. confectionery manufacturers and the buying communities in the United Kingdom and Germany.

“There are so many interesting manufacturers in the United States that it seems incredible that so few have any real presence in the United Kingdom or Germany,” says David Hill, founder of Cocoda.