Entry deadline looms for the World Confectionery Awards

Entry deadline looms for the World Confectionery Awards

Entries for our World Confectionery Awards, which will be presented at our World Confectionery Conference are gathering pace, as our final deadline of August 7 fast approaches for this year’s event, reports Neill Barston.

Among those bidding for honours is Perfetti Van Melle USA’s Trident Vibes sugar free gum, which Confectionery Production was recently on hand to witness the launch of at the recent Sweets & Snacks Expo in Indianapolis, US.

This year’s expanded awards, judged with support from our experienced industry editorial board, cover six honours celebrating achievement across the global sector, including sustainability, ingredients, finished products, equipment, team of the year, and emerging enterprise accolades, which are free to enter via our dedicated event website ahead of our final deadline next Wednesday.

As for its entry, Perfetti Van Melle explained that its latest Trident Vibes offering has tapped into Sour Patch Kids as a flavour trend, which it is anticipating will engage with a younger audience of consumers.

The 40-piece bottle packs all the fun of the fan-favourite sour candy into a sugar free gum that delivers a long-lasting chewing experience. The new sugar-free gum is coated with a
crunchy candy-like shell and packed with a Sour Patch Kids sour then sweet experience.

“Sour is huge right now! We’re confident this Trident sour then sweet gum is a standout item. When you put together the quality and long-lasting chew of Trident, the overall popularity of sour
candy, the delicious peach and mango flavors, and the iconic Sour Patch Kids sour then sweet enjoyment you clearly get a winner,” commented Perfetti Van Melle North America VP of Marketing, Craig Cuchra.

As the company noted, recent research shows that 42% of consumers are looking for new and exciting formats to deliver multi-sensorial experiences and in its recent exclusive launch with a national retailer, Trident Vibes showed 20% incremental sales increases.

Confectionery Production editor Neill Barston said: “Thanks to those who have so far put in their entries for this year’s awards, which are now in their third year of operating. When we created these accolades amid the pandemic, it really was with a view to celebrating the brightest creative innovations across our entire global confectionery community amid challenging times. So, it’s good to see that response continue for this year’s conference, and we’d welcome as many diverse entries as possible that offer a representative flavour of our dynamic global sector as it moves to meet its broader market tests head-on.

“We look forward to seeing as many businesses as possible attend our World Confectionery Conference where our awards will be presented next month, so it’s still not too late to register for our show as it celebrates 90 years of publishing for Confectionery Production magazine.”