instore - January/February 2013 - (Page 36)

halloween gear gear up for halloween fo hall wee by John Unrein H alloween presents an enormous opportunity to attract new shoppers, particularly to the instore bakery, at a time when all ages of consumers are thinking about sweet treats and parties. Oct. 31 falls on a Thursday in 2013, so this means there will be school classroom parties for children and grown-up parties for adults to consider. Weekly cupcake sales typically jump up to 50% at the instore bakery during the week of Halloween, and cookie sales tend to increase 5-10%. Still, there are plenty of ways to achieve even greater sales bumps. The trick is to view your entire store as a merchandising arena in which to capture sales from those shoppers who ordinarily don’t visit the instore bakery and deli (remember that less than 20% of total store shoppers visit the instore bakery). Secondary displays and end caps need to be strategically positioned throughout the store to drive higher impulse sales. Further, eye-catching signage can prove a vital ally to attract shoppers from other departments to the instore bakery and deli. Use the perimeter of the bakery/deli wisely, by placing unique Halloween treats in convenient packaging toward the front of perishables departments. Americans spend $7 billion on Halloween, and the average person spends $72.32 on decorations, costumes, candy and sweet treats. There are 41 million trick-or-treaters on Halloween in the US. And don’t forget that Halloween does not represent a scary holiday to all. Originally, the celebrations of Halloween honored the ghosts of passed loved ones. Dia de los Muertos (Nov. 2) falls on the Catholic holy day of All Souls Day. In Mexico, elaborate altars with pictures of deceased loved ones are decorated with flowers, food and candy. Wicked Promotions Reality television has elevated cake decorating to new heights. So why not bring a cake decorating competition into your store? Host a preHalloween cake decorating contest by inviting customers to register for a chance to earn a spot on a team with one of your cake decorators. Select as many as three customers, each to pair up with a cake decorator from your store. Host a live competition that features three teams that carve and decorate a cake shaped like a pumpkin. Teams can sculpt their own pumpkin cakes by hand or decorate two Bundt cakes stacked on each other to create a pumpkin shape. Make sure to invite the media to cover your special event. Halloween haunted houses offer a spooktacular twist on traditional gingerbread houses, and it’s easy to get extra creative by incorporating Halloween candy into your designs. Research your own patterns, templates and ideas galore to inspire your spooky creation. Decorate the gingerbread haunted house by using icing to adhere black and orange jelly beans, gummy worms and spiders, candy corn and black licorice to the house. Create a spooky pumpkin patch with pumpkin-shaped candy and green-tinted coconut. 36 JA 36 • JAN + FEB 2013 • instore FE 01 013 instor Try creating Zombie cake pops with red velvet cake inside. Learn more at thecakegirls.com/ zombie-cake-pops.html

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of instore - January/February 2013

inStorebuyer - January/February 2013
Editor's Note - Gear Up for Fall
Calendar
Table of Contents
News - On Our Radar
Consumer Insights - Trending - Breads & Rolls
Trendspotting: Take-and-Bake Breads & Rolls
Trending - Deli Salads
Trendspotting: Whole Grain Deli Salads
Consider Gluten Free
Gear Up for Tailgating
Think Like a Tailgater
Wrap It Up
Tailgating at Home
Sweet Victory
Gear Up for Halloween
Merchandising Tricks
Get Creative with Raisins
Healthy Options for Kids
Hispanic Celebrations
Quinceaneras
Gear Up for Fall Catering
Planning Tools
Distinctive Ingredients
Innovative Products
Key Trends in 2013
Local & Natural
Adding Theater
Pasta Power
Specialty Cheeses
Cheese Pairings 101
Kosher Catering
Product Trends - First to Market
Bizarre Holiday
Product Showcase/Ad Index

instore - January/February 2013