Have you ever noticed that each season tends to have its own color palette? Browns, dark reds, and oranges are often associated with autumn; whereas, spring is often marked with the soft hue of pastels of blue, green and yellow. Along with color, the changing of the seasons elicits thoughts of correlating tastes and scents. Like pumpkins and apples in autumn and peppermint and chocolate in winter.
For me, summer is the perfect red/pink hue of a strawberry or slice of watermelon, the vivid blue of a swimming pool and tropical waters, and the bright greens of a summer forest and a rolling summer lawn. Now, more than ever, there are numerous options when it comes to candy that can bring on that summer feeling.
Starting strong for summer, are gummies. Watermelon, peach and strawberry are popular flavors for summer. Some of my favorites are the Haribo® Peaches, the Strawberry Gummi Bears from Albanese Confectionery (also great as an allergy friendly option) and the ever-popular Sour Power® Watermelon Sourbelts, just to name a few.
Some honorable mentions are the new Gummi Watermelon Slices from Albanese Confectionery that just came on the market this year. If you are looking for a more exotic option, the Swedish Strawberry (Jordgubbe) and Sugar-Coated Strawberry (Sockrad Jordgubbe) gummies are exquisitely detailed and well worth their higher cost. Another beautiful option are the 3-dimensional gummies that come in assorted fruit shapes and flavors. Sometimes you can even purchase a single fruit option rather than an assortment. These particular gummies are striking with their glossy sheen and thick 3-dimensional shape. See my latest article discussing the growing 3-dimensional gummy trend right here.
Summer is also about spending more time outdoors and family vacations. One of my favorite things to do for customers is preparing “goodie bags” for a long flight or road trip to a getaway destination. Fun treats shaped like fish and other sea creatures, seashells, flamingos, palm trees, and even a few pieces of salt water taffy, all give that summer vibe and add a little bit of excitement to what can be a long flight or road trip. Another great idea is to use these fun-filled bags to announce a surprise vacation destination.
My go-to sea creature themed candies for these types of bags are the Albanese Gummi Sharks (made in a delicious firecracker popsicle flavor that just screams summer), the Kervan Red Lobster Gummies, Mini Red Swedish Fish® (I think the smaller version is so adorable and everyone likes the red the most anyway, right?), and Gustaf’s Blue Dolphin Gummies. For the jelly-filled gummy lovers, you can find whales and turtle-shaped gummies. For those that want a little more tartness in their candy, you can add sour gummies in shark, fish and octopus designs.
Heading to Florida? Consider getting your hands on crocodile, alligator, frog, snake, centipedes, and worm gummies to go with a swamp-themed mixture. There are several varieties to choose from and are always a big hit with kids.
When it comes to chocolate, options are slightly more limited, probably because summer means HOT and that means melted chocolate. But there are some summer-themed chocolates, most notably fudge. Personally, I am not much of a fan of fudge – just too sweet for me. Besides, fudge you can find chocolates shaped like seashells that make a really beautiful display. The milk chocolate seashells from Koppers Chocolate are candy-coated so hold up a little better in the summer months. Plus, they have a satisfying crunch when you eat them – kind of like an M&M but better! Asher’s Chocolate also makes a larger milk chocolate peanut butter fudge seashell that is beautiful but can be a bit on the pricey side. However, they do look lovely on a dessert platter or in a gift box.
So if you are planning a summer event or heading out on an amazing adventure, and you are looking for something sweet to add a celebratory air, there are a plethora of options available.