Sugar Rush: SmartSweets Expands Offerings and Distribution
Call it a (no) sugar rush. Just five months after announcing their U.S. debut in Whole Foods Markets, low-sugar candy company SmartSweets is ramping up its mission to kick sugar out of the confection set, launching two new innovations today.
Joining SmartSweet’s previous line of gummy bears, the new Sour Blast Buddies (think Sour Patch Kids) and Sweet Fish (think Swedish Fish) debuted on the brand’s ecommerce platform today. Both candies will launch this week in regional retailers including Lassen’s, Earth Fare and Bristol Farms, before rolling out nationwide in Whole Foods in September. The Sour Blast Buddies and Sweet Fish continue SmartSweet’s mission to “kick sugar,” with only three grams of sugar per bag and no sugar alcohols, artificial colors or GMO ingredients.
The additions, founder Tara Bosch said, are just the start of the SmartSweets’ platform.
“Gummy bears were the first innovation — we wanted to do something that people have grown up with and that everyone has enjoyed at some point. But the vision for SmartSweets from day one has always been to really be the leader in innovative confectionery products,” Bosch said. “It’s taking us from being a gummy bear company to evolving us into a candy company.”
The launch of Sour Blast Buddies and Sweet Fish also mark an ingredient shift for the company. Both products’ packaging calls out their “plant-based” ingredients, thanks to a switch from gelatin to pectin. The change allows the brand to now be available to vegan and vegetarian consumers, a move Bosch hopes will open up “a whole new community” for the brand.
Bosch chose an unconventional route to promote the products launch: she announced them earlier this weekend on her own robust social media channels before promoting them on company channels today. She told NOSH, her hope was to foster a sense of community with her “tribe” of 28,000 Instagram followers and offer them a behind the scenes look at the company.
“It’s like telling your friends about something that you’re excited about,” she said.
While originally Bosch had planned to rollout more products this year, she told NOSH that SmartSweets has pushed back future launches to the first half of 2019. Instead, the team will focus on pack size, holiday offerings and building deeper retail partnerships for the rest of the year. The company will also have more ammo for marketing, with the announcement of a new celebrity partnership in time for the competitive Halloween candy season.
Bosch also plans to explore new new retail channels for the company. Earlier this month SmartSweets launched in 1,600 Weight Watchers meeting rooms across Canada, with an exclusive snack pack. Within the U.S., SmartSweets will also launch in 3,000 GNC stores. While candy in a supplement store may seem unusual, Bosch said it’s a strategy that’s paid off in her home country of Canada.
“It’s kind of an oxymoron for a [health supplement store] to carry candy. We stick out like a sore thumb to the consumer,” Bosch said. “It’s been really powerful for us in creating a conversation in store and driving trial and awareness.”
SmartSweets will also have a new offering for those customers that convert and become “members of the tribe.” Starting later this week, the company’s website will drive shoppers to sign up for a new subscription box. Each box will be fully customizable, and include company swag as well as six or twelve packages of SmartSweets candy for $19.99 and $35 respectively. Shoppers who want to make a one-time purchase will instead be pushed to do so on Amazon.
Bosch decided to launch the offering after realizing that the company could never compete with Amazon in terms of price or speed of shipping. But, she said, drawing inspiration from beauty brands, what it could do was offer something unique for its most dedicated consumers
“It’s designed to feel like you’re getting a gift from a friend,” Bosch said “Of course, the product is in the box but the end goal and why it really exists is to foster the kick sugar community that we’re building and that sense of belonging to that community.”
