Sugar Savvy

Usually, the more consumers buy, the more companies make. Usually. Candy companies have been jumping on the bandwagon with various Limited Edition sweets and the public is eating it up, so to speak. While candy manufacturers reap the rewards of their latest marketing efforts, we’re along for the sugary high.

The Hershey Company has been producing one Limited Edition after another. Their Almond Joy has four Limited Edition bars available, Pina Colada, Chocolate Chocolate!, Key Lime and Toasted Coconut. They unveiled KitKat Milkshake, Reese’s Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, Reese’s Bar in Peanut Butter and Peanut Butter Fudge and then Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups with Caramel. And they’re not done yet.

In October, Cherry Cordial Creme Kisses hit the shelves, and are only available until January. Limited Editions have played a large part of Hershey’s first quarter record profits, and they currently have 10 different Limited Editions available. In fourth-quarter of 2005, the special releases helped Hershey earn a 7.5% increase over their usual sales during that time of year.

And it’s not just Hershey. M&M has also gotten in on the act with their recent release of Dark Chocolate M&Ms.

Interestingly enough, besides having a short-shelf life, the Limited Editions are quite difficult to locate. Here in the Northeast, I’ve only been able to find the KitKats. Desperate sugar fiends have even resorted to buying the elusive candies on Ebay. A quick search yields two pages of Limited Edition items … Cherry and Cola Twizzlers anyone?

For those who find the Limited Edition candies hard to resist, the candy manufacturers are showing no signs of letting up. Given their limited releases though, if you spot them in a store near you, grab ‘em while you can.