June 13/Deerfield, Ill/Prepared Foods -- The Snacks and Sweets Expo held late in May in Chicago allowed a look at some of the latest confections and snacks hitting the marketplace, as well as new creativity in those segments.
Some of those innovations, however, seem to look back to the past. New England Confectionery Co., for instance, is embracing the history of its Necco Wafers by moving away from the all-natural trend. The company is returning the confections to their original, artificially colored roots after a couple of years of an all-natural range of hues. A Necco spokesperson likened it to the New Coke/Coke Classic event of decades ago but, more importantly, was quick to note that the move was the result of consumer demand. Whether it is the first salvo in a pushback against natural as a trend remains to be seen. For that matter, it also may be the first indication of consumer dissatisfaction with the fairly unregulated “natural” claim. Regardless, the packaging does not boldly proclaim anything artificial, so it may be something of a soft relaunch. Instead of vegetable-derived colorings, the manufacturer opts for yellows 5 and 6, reds 3 and 40, and blue 1.