How to Start Fast-Growing Candy Businesses: A Comprehensive Guide.

Of all the food businesses, the candy business is the most interesting and has been around the longest. Besides making people happy, candy is also a great way to make a living. According to a recent report by Statista, the global confectionary market recently topped the $1 trillion mark in 2022 and is expected to grow at an annual rate of 4.77% through 2027. As you can see, candy is big business and there is always a lot of opportunity for people who want to satisfy people’s sweet tooth!

The artical covers the profitability and potential of the candy industry, highlights the top candy companies globally, and explores future trends like functional ingredients and plant-based options. The guide also discusses essential equipment for candy production and offers practical tips for starting a candy business.

Top 20 Candy Companies in the world

Below, you’ll not only find where the candy company ranks but also their estimated net sales, how many employees they have, and which products they make.

Company Name	Location	Net Sales (Mil.)	Chief Officer	# of Employees	# of Plants
1. Mars Wrigley Confectionery, div. of Mars Inc.	Chicago, Ill., USA	$20,000	Andrew Clarke, global pres.	34,000	53
2. Ferrero Group	Luxembourg, Italy	$13,566	Lapo Civiletti, CEO; Giovanni Ferrero, chair	36,372	31
3. Mondelez International	Deerfield, Ill., USA	$11,467	Dirk Van de Put, CEO & chair	80,000*	150*
4. Meiji Co. Ltd.	Tokyo, Japan	$10,075	Masahiko Matsuo, chair, & Kazuo Kawamura, pres., both repres. directors	10,815*	7
5. Hershey Co.	Hershey, Pa., USA	$8,066	Michele Buck, pres., CEO & chair	16,140	14
6. Nestle SA	Vevey, Switzerland	$7,636	Paul Bulcke, chair, & Mark Schneider, CEO	291,000*	403*
7. pladis	London, UK	$4,655	A. Salman Amin, CEO	16,000	25
8. Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli AG	Kilchberg, Switzerland	$4,331	Dr. Dieter Weisskopf, group CEO	14,500	11
9. Ezaki Glico Co. Ltd.	Osaka, Japan	$3,311*	Katsuhisa Ezaki, pres. & CEO	5,381*	24*
10. Haribo GmbH & Co. K.G.	Bonn, Germany	$3,300	Hans-Guido Riegel, Michael Phiesel & Herwig Vennekens, man. Partners	7,000+	16
11. Perfetti Van Melle Spa	Spa Lainate, Italy, & Breda, Netherlands	$3,150	Sameer Suneja, CEO	17,900	31
12. General Mills	Minneapolis, Minn., USA	$2,221	Jeffrey Harmening, chair & CEO	35,000*1	47*
13. August Storck KG	Berlin, Germany	$2,000	Axel Oberwelland, CEO	7,000+	3
14. Orion Corp.	Seoul, Korea	$1,736	Chul Kon Tam, chair & CEO	13,165*	16*
15. Kellogg Co.	Battle Creek, Mich., USA	$1,323	Steven Cahillane, chair & CEO	31,000*	52*
16. Morinaga & Co. Ltd.	Tokyo, Japan	$1,229	Eijiro Oota, representative dir. & pres.	1,414	9
17. Valeo Foods Group	Dublin, Ireland	$1,190*	Seamus Kearney, group CEO	2,000	8
18. Bourbon Corp.	Niigata, Japan	$1,134*	Yasushi Yoshida, pres.	5,100*1	10*
19. Chocolat Frey AB	Buchs, Switerland	$1,100	Dr. Raphnel Gugerli, CEO	2,150	4
20. United Confectionary Manufacturers	Moscow, Russia	$1,055	Kirill Butko, CEO	23,778	19

The Future of Candy Type

Functional Ingredients Enter the Candy Industry

Functional products offer benefits like energy boosts or sleep aids. We’ve all browsed the aisles and seen stress-relieving gummi es and wondered if they work. Manufacturers are also incorporating additives such as ginkgo biloba for brain health, turmeric for its anti-inflammatory properties, and ashwagandha to reduce stress.

Melatonin is another popular functional ingredient as many consumers are replacing energy drinks with sleep aids. Melatonin sales growth now far outpaces CBD, the cannabis derivative with its own health perks. We’ve started seeing melatonin gummies and chocolate bars on shelves with mixed results.

Plant-based, Organic & Sugar-free Options Are Here to Stay

The COVID pandemic encouraged many people to reconsider what they consume. In truth, this trend predated the crisis. As restrictions limited choices, comfort foods like chocolate and candies saw demand. Manufacturers recognized this and developed organic, plant-based, and sugar-free alternatives.

Hershey’s organic and sugar-free chocolate bars and Reese’s peanut butter cups met relative success last year. Seeing major brands highlight these attributes signals it’s more than a fleeting trend.

Plant-based gummi sales are also growing rapidly from the get-go. While some gummi brands declined last year, we believe plant-based gummies will take off in the coming years.

Is Candy Business Profitable?

Equipment for Starting a Candy Company

A variety of candy machinery is used at different stages of candy production, from ingredient preparation to final packaging. Here are some of the key machines employed:

• Sugar Grinding Machine break down sugar crystals to the desired fineness.
• Batch Rollers shape the candy mass into consistent ropes. Rope Sizers then standardize the rope thickness.
• Cutting and Shaping Machines portion the ropes into individual pieces, giving them specific shapes.
• Cookers mix and heat ingredients like sugar, glucose and flavors.
• Cooling Tunnels set candies before packaging.
• Coating Machines apply layers of chocolate, sugar glaze or polish.
• Mixers and Blenders uniformly combine ingredients.
• Depositing Machines dispense liquid candy into molds.
• Extruders extrude candy into various extruded shapes.
• Candy Wrapping Machines individually wrap candies through methods like twist wrapping, pillow packing or fold wrapping.
• Bulk Packing Machines bag or box larger quantities of candies.
• Metal Detectors and Checkweighers ensure quality and accuracy.
• Conveyors transport candies between production stages and packaging lines.
• Form, Fill, and Seal Machines (FFS) automatically form bags, fill them and seal them.
• Cartoning Machines place packaged candies into larger shipping cartons.
• Labeling Machines apply labels to packaged products.
• Batch Kneading and Aerating Systems produce soft candies like marshmallows.
• Enrobing Machines coat candies with successive layers of chocolate or other toppings.
• Cooling Drums set certain candies before packaging.

Each type of candy may require specific machinery based on its ingredients, consistency, and packaging needs. The choice of machinery can significantly impact the efficiency, quality, and scalability of candy production.

7 Tips to Start a Candy Business

1. Candy business ideas

Candy business names could be offered by GPT4.0. You can get the ideas from luxury candy brands ,like nestle, ferrero and others.Hope the prompt below could be helpful.

Let's assume you are a brand marketing expert and brand name is important for the product. I want to create a brand is for [product], the product is the main crowd is like [feature], now you for the product whether there is a corresponding well-known brand, and give me 5-10 choices.

2. Research the applicable food handling laws in your area and acquire any State licenses and permits necessary to operate.

Each country has different laws and regulations, and there are many different permits and licenses for food, so it is important to submit information to your local health department.

3. Determining start-up capital

The amount of start-up capital determines the size of your candy business. Large corporations can directly lay out candy manufacturing lines, small businesses can directly purchase candy packaging for their own branding, and even some self-employed individuals can directly start a candy business from home. Candy business is mainly divided into offline store type, online e-commerce, TICTOK candy store. According to their own volume to choose the most suitable for your own.

4. Design an eye-catching logo and build a website

It sounds like you may not think you can do it. It’s actually really simple, and AI can now help us design it directly and generate it quickly. Here is the prompt I use:

If you are a web designer, consider using the AIDA model and help me design a website that focuses on the [topic ]”

5.Develop a digital marketing strategy and consider learning about SEO

Search engine optimization, or SEO is crucial to getting your online candy store in front of as many potential customers as possible. This will be an incredibly valuable tool in boosting your store’s bottom line. Since your store’s profit margin will be directly correlated to your SEO, it is important to incorporate the most popular keywords into the copy on each page.

One of the most effective ways to achieve this is to write a blog. There are plenty of blog topics that you can write about, and they should help outside eyes see your business as an expert in your particular field. This can go a long way in helping your page show up higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) which will get more people looking at your products and promotions.

6. Purchase Your Inventory And Equipment

You’ll need to purchase your inventory from a distributor. You should start with a small amount of stock. You should be able to buy enough to have some left over for when you open your store if you run out of candy during the grand opening.

You will also need equipment such as containers, scales, mixing bowls, spoons and spatulas, labels, packaging materials such as cups or bags, and other supplies like bags or boxes for shipping orders.

7. Advertise Your Candy Store

To start a candy business, you have to advertise your candy store. You can do this by buying ads on popular websites like Facebook and Instagram or getting the word out to your followers.

If you have few followers, follow other candy shops on social media and share their posts with your audience. This way, your followers will see those posts and click through to visit their stores!

It would help if you also considered investing in some print ads—you can get these in local newspapers, magazines, and online publications. These ads must be eye-catching so people won’t just skim past them; try using bright colors and fun images!

You may refer to the following prompt –candy advertising ideas.

Create an advertising campaign about [product/service] targeting [target audience]. Include [number] messages and slogans and choose the best promotional media channels based on our product offering. [Insert supplemental information]

Develop a comprehensive advertising campaign strategy for launching a new product in the market. Here’s our product information: [insert product information]

Create a catchy slogan for a [industry] brand that encapsulates their brand identity and motivates potential customers. Here are their brand voice guidelines [insert brand guidelines].

Write a persuasive 30-second radio script for [product/service/brand], highlighting their current promotions. [Insert information about product/promotion]

Propose creative ideas for a viral marketing campaign that generates buzz and engages users on social media platforms.

Develop a storyboard for a TV commercial that showcases the benefits and usage of [product/service] targeting [target audience].

Provide descriptions for a series of online banner ads for an ecommerce website, promoting their seasonal sale with compelling visuals and call-to-action messages. [Insert supplemental information]

Create a targeted advertising strategy to reach and engage a specific demographic for [product/service].

Write a script for a YouTube pre-roll ad that grabs viewers’attention within the first five seconds and drives them to take action. [Insert supplemental information]

Propose innovative influencer marketing collaborations for a [product/service] to increase brand awareness and customer acquisition.

Develop a buyer persona for a [interest] enthusiast who enjoys attending [event type].

Suggest [number] strategies for lead generation in [market] and [industry].

Write a 15-second advertisement script about [product/service].

List common challenges faced by [insert buyer persona description].

Write a script for a YouTube post-roll ad that ends with a compelling CTA for [product/service].

The candy business is a business that can last a lifetime. I hope you got the answers you were looking for in the article.

Automatic Packing Machines From Lintyco

Lintyco is a pioneer and leader in automated Candy packaging machines and end-to-end packaging systems. Lintyco’s innovative packaging solutions for food, pharma, and other applications are complemented by advanced solutions for secondary packaging, wrapping & cartoning, bulk packaging, and more. Whether you are looking for a new machine or a complete line, or if you just want to upgrade your current packaging machine, talk to Lintyco. As experts of the industry with over three decades of proven expertise, Lintyco will provide the optimal solution backed by excellent consultancy and support.

FAQ

1.What Are the First Steps to Start a Candy Business?

Answer: The initial steps include conducting market research, identifying your target audience, understanding the competition, and creating a unique business plan. Also, ensure compliance with food safety and handling laws.

2.What Types of Candy Machinery Are Essential for Startups?

Answer: Essential machinery includes sugar grinding machines, batch rollers, cutting and shaping machines, cookers, cooling tunnels, coating machines, and wrapping machines. Selecting the right machinery, like those offered by Lintyco, is crucial for efficiency and quality.

3.What Are the Current Trends in the Candy Industry?

Answer: Current trends include the rise of functional ingredients, plant-based and sugar-free options, and innovative packaging designs. Understanding these trends can help in aligning your products with market demands.

4.What Are the Key Considerations for Candy Packaging?

Answer: Key considerations include choosing packaging that preserves product freshness, appeals to your target market, and is suitable for the type of candy you produce. Automated packaging solutions from Lintyco can help in achieving these objectives.

5.How Does Lintyco Packaging Contribute to the Success of Candy Businesses?

Answer: Lintyco Packaging provides a range of candy packaging solutions that are efficient, reliable, and customizable. Our expertise in the industry helps businesses streamline their packaging process and enhance product appeal.