Learning about the confectionery industry at the Retail Confectioners International conference

In my spare time, I'm a blogger, and I've been blogging since 2009—technically longer than that, if you want to count Xanga, LiveJournal, and the rest of the early-aughts blogging sites. I live in the Metro Detroit area, and our blogging community there is almost like a family: I see many familiar faces at "influencer" events, and many people whom I consider good friends I met online before I ever met them in-person.

The confectionery industry is the same way: a family. And when you have events like the Retail Confectioners International (RCI) conference this past week in Milwaukee, or even the Sweets & Snacks Expo last month in Chicago, I am reminded of that—there are a lot of familiar faces, and even so, there are plenty of new people to meet, as well. 

I arrived in Milwaukee last Wednesday for the RCI conference, and technically I was late: the conference started on Monday, June 12, and it ended on Friday, June 16. I wasn't "late" in that I had missed my flight or anything like that, but rather that my publisher and I had strategically planned it so I would be able to attend the RCI Expo and plant visits, among other activities.

However, I thankfully didn't feel "late" at all: I was welcomed with open arms, starting with my RCI contact whom I met for the first time in-person while walking to the Wisconsin Center, the conference venue. 

I didn't feel late when I attended the RCI Awards Banquet on Wednesday night, and a few other industry personnel saw my name tag and told me how they've been readers of Candy Industry for many years now.

And I definitely didn't feel late when I was waiting to board the bus and someone from Hilliard's Chocolate System, the equipment supplier connected with Hilliard's Chocolates in North Easton, MA, saw my name tag, and excitedly told me that he had been on the Kettle Award committee for 20+ years, and had just attended the event last month in Chicago, too. I was able to respond that I actually grew up in North Easton—at least until age five, when we moved to Illinois—and my mother was excited when I had showed her Hilliard's Chocolates on the conference attendee list, as she remembered taking me to their store as a child. 

As for the conference itself, I was able to attend two education sessions on Wednesday—one on ensuring FDA compliant nutrition labeling and packaging, and another on identifying flavor trends, and strategies for impactful product launches. I also attended the awards banquet that night, which honored the best and most innovative in the industry, and the expo, during the day, where I saw some familiar faces, like Jelly Belly, and some brands that were new to me, like Schultz Sweets, even though they're also Michigan-based, in Kalamazoo.

On Thursday, we took off-site tours of Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate, a company we frequently write about; Fazio's Chocolate, a chocolate store in Elm Grove, WI; and Burke Candy & Ingredients, which included both their facility and their storefront (two separate entities). Fazio's is big on family, as well: its gondola chocolate box (see image above) was inspired to honor its Italian heritage, as their great-grandparents, Leonardo and Maria, arrived at Ellis Island after a long ship voyage from Italy.

The RCI conference concluded on Friday with more off-site tours, this time of Ultimate Confections, Vande Walle's Chocolates, and Wilmar Chocolates, which I unfortunately had to miss, since I flew home Thursday night.

I came home with not only truffles to share, but a newfound appreciation for the confectionery industry. When consumers visit a storefront to purchase truffles, caramels, or other tasty treats, they may not know exactly how much work goes into manufacturing and producing said treats—but for many of us in the confectionery industry (and for those of us lucky enough to write about it), we've been able to see all of the hard work going on behind the scenes, too.