Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: How many types of candy do you sell?

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Posted by Stephen Frazza (Member # 2320) on 07-18-2005, 11:37 PM:

How many types of candy do you sell?
We have 26 different types on 3 shelves.They are all normal size bags & boxes.
We are having a debate at work whether it is to many.My one boss went to Jersy Gardens and said they only had like 10 types and feels that less choices would be better.

So I was just curious how many other theaters carry.We are a 9 screen by the way.
Also I would be interested to hear any thoughts on why carrying more or less is a better idea.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 07-19-2005, 02:34 AM:

Less is better because people don't take as long to choose -- and it's faster for inventory.

More is better because you give the customer more choices, and they're less likely to haul in their own stuff.

We have 27 different candies but only 21 in the counter at any given time. All priced the same. (That helps kids in choosing...none of this "what do you have for a dollar" crap.)

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 07-19-2005, 03:48 AM:

Trick is to have the most popular items that will MOVE in your cases. Milk Duds, Junior Mints, Red Vines (or Twizzlers) M&M's (both varieties)..et.al.

Don't duplicate items like Banner Chocolates with M&M's. As for the Just Borne Items: "Mike and Ikes" and "Hot Tamales" are the most popular items from this manufacturer.

Take it easy with the Reeses Peanut Butter Cups-if have the 4count King Pack - don't duplicate with the common dollar twin. Also, Reeses DO spoil quite quick being a super fresh candy, thus keep Reeses rotated quite frequently and don't let this item sit idle for over a month, or the chocolate goes white and the peanut butter heads to stale city.

This keeps your stock fresh at all times. No spoilage...and keep the storage room COOL!

But, for the kiddies - "Sour Patch Kids/Gummy Bears"

..remember: Candy sales only account for 11 to 15 percent of your total concession sales. Thus, don't concentrate on candy items for the tills to make any money.

Drinks and popcorn are your major moving/money making items/combos (and the cheapest to buy and make..). Promo the crap out of these two items like mad.

When doing the menu boards and if you have boards that have double panels, place Drinks on one side, and Popcorn on the other IN the BIGGEST LETTERS you have - being your major sellers. This will be more attractive and the public will notice this as your major items for sale. Then, place candy and misc. items in smaller letters to emphasize your side items below.

Doing the menu boards this way will make it easier for the public to see and to choose what they want. Plus, your sales will pick up speed doing this and your crowd will move faster through the lines since your money making time is so limited at the snakbar.

-Monte

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 07-19-2005, 12:09 PM:

We also make a ton of money on "kid trays," where you have a tray with popcorn, small drink and a little bag of candy. Cool thing about them is, a family of 5 might share one giant popcorn, but the kids will EACH want a tray! $$$

Our best selling M&M is the Peanut Butter variety -- I like them a lot too. But our overall biggest seller is either Milk Duds or Reeses PBCs, depending on what week it is. We also sell a lot of "sour punch straws" in various flavors. Red Vines aren't a big mover for us, for some reason.

Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 07-19-2005, 03:58 PM:

We carry the following 14 candies (in order of sales)
1 Scooby-Doo Gummi Snacks
2 Goobers
3 Whoppers
4 Raisinets
5 Sour Patch Kids
6 Skittles
7 Jolly Rancher Gummis
8 Nerds Rope
9 Sour Punch Apple Straws
10 Sour Jacks Watermelon
11 Milk Duds
12 Mason Dots
13 Hot Tamales
14 Chewy Sweetarts

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 07-19-2005, 05:58 PM:

No Junior Mints?
No Reeses Peanut Butter Cups??
No M&Ms of any kind???
No Red Vines OR Twizzlers????
No Starburst, Rolo, Reeses Pieces, or Cookie Dough Bites?????

I'm sneakin' my own goodies into your place! [Big Grin]

P.S. We brought in a bunch of the Wonka Bars this week and have been selling the bejeeezus out of them. We got ours from nostalgiccandy.com because our regular distributor, for some reason, doesn't carry them. They are "Wonka chocolate" with graham cracker bits mixed in and are, as my wife says, "to die for."

Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 07-19-2005, 07:06 PM:

We have carried the following at different times:

Junior Mints (moved 2/week)
Cookie Dough Bites (moved 1 every two weeks)
Reeses Pieces/Twizzlers/M&M Plain - didn't move well either.

It's all about your crowd. I carry that which sells the best here (very urban crowd).

Posted by Aaron Mehocic (Member # 15) on 07-19-2005, 07:20 PM:

Many years ago when I worked the stand our biggest sellers were Snow Caps, followed by Raisinets and Goobers. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Kit Kat, and Junior Mints never sold well and were phased out over time.
Currently, we carry 17 different candies rangeing from Runts at $1.25 to plain M&M's for a whopping $2.75.

In reading the responses to this point I'm wondering if there is a regional taste in candies much in the same way as Coke sells better than Pepsi in certain areas of the country and vice verse. Mike Spaeth claims a possible urban/rural connection, but I think it goes deeper. Clearly the respondants to this point are selling candies that bit the dust here years ago. Perhaps geography plays a role in this. The only thing I can see as comparable is the overal marketability of sour/gummy candies.

quote:
We also make a ton of money on "kid trays," where you have a tray with popcorn, small drink and a little bag of candy. Cool thing about them is, a family of 5 might share one giant popcorn, but the kids will EACH want a tray! $$$

And thats when you give the kids an economics lesson with a kick in the ass and use of the word NO! Call it "Demand and Supply". [Big Grin]

Seriously, though, I think the Kiddie Meals were one of the best moves I've ever seen our company make with regards to the stand. Great revenue generator!

Posted by Chase Hanson (Member # 2779) on 07-20-2005, 12:15 AM:

Lemme think

1.Wonka Mixups
2.Welchs Fruit Snacks (Theater Branded)
3.Milk Duds
4.Whoopers
5.Buncha Crunch
6.Chocolate Covered Raisins (not Raisinettes [Roll Eyes]

)
7.Pecan Delights (Russel Stovers Suger free "Turtles")
8.Red Vines
9.Twizzlers (why we have both, I can not really explain)
10.Milk Chocolate M&Ms (THERE ARE NO PLAIN M&M'S!!!)
11.Peanut M&Ms
12.York Bites
13.Mr. Goodbar Bites
14.Snickers Bites
15.Kit Kat bites
16.Reese's Bites
17.Reese's Pieces (Redundant much?)
18.Skittles
19.Jolly Rancher Soft Chews
20.Sour Jacks

EDIT:
21. Gummi Stars

Posted by Pravin Ratnam (Member # 1417) on 07-20-2005, 02:43 AM:

I read somewhere that chocolate is on the wane and sour candy is on the rise with kids these days. Personally, as a consumer I would rather pay 5 bucks for a $3 candy than 3 bucks for a dollar candy. I would have liked to have seen more upscale chocolate at some theaters(won't work in a lot of regular theaters, the demographics have to be right).

Posted by Matt Fields (Member # 3211) on 07-20-2005, 08:31 AM:

I don't know about regional differences, but I've definetly seem age differences when it comes to candy. Adults tend to prefer chocolate (Raisinets, Reeces Pieces, ect.), while kids go crazy for the Sour Patch Kids. The only noticable exception to this is Cookie Dough Bites, which some 12 year old girls seem to be addicted to.

I carry about 20 different candies. I keep a core of: M and M 's (Plain and Peanut), Reeces Pieces, Twizzlers, Raisnets, Milk Duds, Sour Patch Kids, Skittles, Cookie Dough Bites, and Gummy Bears. The rest I rotate because they seem to sell for a while and then slow down.