Plan ahead for the 2023 National Candy Month (NCM)

It is never too early to plan for the 2023 June National Candy Month (NCM). The initiative, started by the National Confectioner’s Association, celebrates the value candy adds to our lives during an entire month. It is a time to celebrate the authentic and fun treats candy and snack manufacturers have produced for over 100 years.

For candy makers and retailers alike, National Candy Month can help address the confectionery sales gap between Easter and Halloween. This holiday has the potential to grow incremental confectionery sales as well as actionable ideas for activating around National Candy Month as a retailer, manufacturer, or distributor.

National Candy Month shows how manufacturers and retailers can work together to address the confectionery sales gap between Easter and Halloween and represents a $500 million incremental sales opportunity for the category. At the same time, NCM presents an opportunity for the companies to speak to consumers about the vital role of chocolate and candy in making summer moments a little more fun.

Graduations, camping, picnics, Father’s Day, beach and pool outings, patriotic holidays, road trips, and summer vacations are some proposed activities where NCM can be activated and disrupt the shopping experience. You could also leverage everyday assortments to build sales velocity and profits, limiting markdown liabilities and building bigger baskets with cross-merchandising, secondary displays, advertising, and social media.

• 63% of beachgoers in the U.S. will bring candy with them.
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• 83% of people on the road this summer will take candy along for the ride.
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• 76% of consumers bring their favorite treats with them into the wilderness.

Chocolate and candy have always been a fun part of the summer and many seasonal summer celebrations.

The National Candy Month has grown from a test in three chains and 570 stores to more than 50,000 retail rooftops in 2022. It is the perfect opportunity for candy makers and retailers to grow incremental confectionery sales.
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Information via the National Confectioners Association (NCA):

The National Confectioners Association is the leading trade organization for the U.S. confectionery industry. NCA advocates for an environment that enables candy makers to thrive and work to ensure that chocolate and candy are celebrated for their contributions to culture, society, the economy, and everyday moments of joy.