Niagara Chocolates’ New Flavors Sweeten Up Valentine’s Day
Niagara Chocolates, a fastest-growing premium chocolate brand, has releases four limited-edition flavors just in time for Valentine’s Day. A recent survey confirms that while consumers from Gen Z and beyond still choose chocolate and romance as Valentine’s Day signatures, a spirit of adventure and an interest to try new, exciting experiences accompany these traditional celebration elements.
Other key findings include an overwhelming preference for bold flavors inspired by dessert favorites, popular bakery indulgences and special holiday offerings.
Niagara’s new flavors include:
Dark Chocolate Fondue – Mess-free and easy to recreate at home, our Dark Chocolate Fondue is ready in under 2 minutes and perfect for creating a fun dessert activity with a loved one or as a fun entertaining element.- Red Velvet Cheesecake Cups – Delicious notes of red velvet and cocoa complemented by the delicate tang and smoothness of cheesecake. Also available in 12-ounce gift boxes.
- Snickerdoodle Cookie Clusters – Creamy milk chocolate with notes of zesty cinnamon and crunchy vanilla cookie pieces, our Snickerdoodle Clusters will surely make your heart flutter.
- Double Chocolate Frosting Cups – Enjoy our twist on a cupcake! Smooth, milk chocolate frosting flavors in rich, creamy, decadent dark chocolate will satisfy your sweet tooth any day of the week.
“For Valentine’s Day 2023, every generation declared a preference for celebrating romance – either with a loved one, boldly going on a first date or even fantasizing about a secret crush,” said Joe Annunziato, director of marketing at Delica North America, parent company of Niagara Chocolates. “No matter how they choose to celebrate, there was an overwhelming agreement that chocolates are the best gift to give and receive, and our hand crafters are excited to share their bold new flavor innovations.”
Additional Survey Findings:
- The #1 gift that consumers want to give themselves, their loved ones and receive for Valentine’s Day is chocolate.
- Over 50 percent of recipients would love to receive a Valentine’s card from their secret crush.
- Over 85 percent of respondents would be willing to go on a first date on Valentine’s Day – but 16 percent would only be interested if given a box of chocolates as an invitation.
Made with simple, non-GMO ingredients, Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa, and small batch hand crafted chocolate, these limited-edition products are available on Niagarachocolates.com, Amazon, and national retailers such as Safeway Albertsons, Fresh Market, Walmart and more.
*Results from Pollfish Survey conducted January 2023
Niagara Chocolates launched nationally in 2021 and is the fastest-growing brand in premium chocolate, led by top-selling flavors such as Toasted Coconut Clusters, Sea Salt Caramel Cups, Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups, and Dark Chocolate Coconut Clusters, as well as the Almond Toffee Milk Chocolate, Salted Almond Dark Chocolate and Almond Butter Dark Chocolate bars.
The brand was established in 1956 with a focus on simple ingredients, a hand crafted process, and delivering indulgent products, which remain the brand pillars to this day. Niagara Chocolates has proudly invested in local communities since the brand’s inception through fundraising programs, enabling local schools and organizations to raise millions of dollars to support efforts of all types and make dreams possible. The brand is owned by Migros Group, the largest company, and retailer in Switzerland.
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Sprouts Adds GoodSAM Foods Chocolate Bars to Shelves
GoodSAM Foods’ popular chocolate bars have launched in Sprouts stores nationwide. GoodSAM chocolate bars have been available in Sprouts stores and online as of Oct. 31.
Four varieties of GoodSAM chocolate bars will be available to Sprouts shoppers in flavors including: Caramel Salt, Sea Salt, Original and Mint. All GoodSAM bars are made with Direct Trade, regeneratively farmed ingredients that are non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, keto-friendly, sugar-free, and made without fillers or chemical-laden sweeteners.
GoodSAM is a healthy snack food brand with a commitment to sustainability and regenerative agriculture.
“Every day our team at GoodSAM strives to create delicious treats that feel indulgent but work to flip the traditional food system on its head through transparent supply chain practices and regenerative agriculture that doesn’t exploit but gives back to the farmers we rely on so heavily,” says GoodSAM Founder & CEO, Heather K. Terry. “We are excited about our new partnership with Sprouts as their values so closely align with our own and their plentiful stores offer us a whole new avenue for getting our tasty, impactful chocolate into the hands of consumers in markets around the country.”
More about GoodSAM’s offerings at Sprouts:
- Caramel Salt: 55 percent dark chocolate with a salty caramel finish, this bar is as good for the planet as it is for the tastebuds.
- Mint: A perfect mix of mint and dark chocolate, this rich and smooth bar is made with organic cacao from the Sierra Nevada region of Colombia and organic mint.
- Original: With 55 percent dark chocolate, this trusty original is the best of all things chocolate. Made with Organic Cacao from the Sierra Nevada region of Colombia, this is the first chocolate bar to combine regenerative farm practices, sugar-free, non-GMO, vegan, and Direct Trade practices.
- Sea Salt: A savory twist on the classic, this bar has all the goodness of the Original with a sprinkling of sea salt & nibs.
The Sprouts partnership marks GoodSAM’s continued expansion and upward trajectory as the health food and sustainability leader continues to innovate new products and find mass market availability with new retailers. To find a Sprouts location near you, visit https://www.sprouts.com/stores/.
GoodSAM’s other products are available on GoodSAMFoods.com, Amazon, Thrive Market and select retailers and include various chocolate bars, chocolate chips, nuts, coffee, candy-coated nuts, and more. All products in the GoodSAM line are Direct Trade, non-GMO, contain no added sugar, and are grown using regenerative farming techniques and preserving indigenous and smallholder farmer wisdom. GoodSAM believes in three things: food that’s good for you, good for farmers, and good for the planet. To learn more about the GoodSAM Foods team and shop products, visit www.goodsamfoods.com or follow on Instagram at @GoodSAMFoods. For sales inquiries, contact Kari Janapareddi at Kari@GoodSAMFoods.com.
Read more about GoodSam in the November issue of Gourmet News.
Dessert Holdings Acquires Dianne’s Fine Desserts
Dessert Holdings, North America’s leading premium dessert company, has acquired Dianne’s Fine Desserts, a leading provider of premium frozen thaw-and-serve desserts, from Geneva Glen Capital. The acquisition expands Dessert Holdings’ assortment of products supplied to the foodservice industry. Financial terms of the private transaction were not disclosed.
Founded over 40 years ago, Dianne’s innovative product line includes cheesecakes, layer cakes, pies and tarts, brownies and bars, individual minis and specialty desserts using high quality ingredients and chef inspired craftsmanship. Dianne’s operates two Global Food Safety Initiative-certified manufacturing facilities.
“Dianne’s possesses a distinctive set of product capabilities and customer relationships that are highly complementary with Dessert Holdings,” said Paul Lapadat, CEO of Dessert Holdings. “Dianne’s has an exceptional, innovative team that we are thrilled to welcome to the Dessert Holdings family.”
In conjunction with the transaction, Dianne’s Chief Executive Officer Mike Knowles and President Dan Scales will be retiring.
“We are proud to have grown Dianne’s into a differentiated national supplier and value-added partner to the foodservice channel,” said Knowles. “We are excited for Dianne’s to become part of Dessert Holdings and believe its scale platform and capabilities will enable us to continue to grow,” added Scales.
Adam Schecter and Jeff Gonyo, managing directors at Geneva Glen Capital, said, “We are truly thankful to Mike and Dan and the entire Dianne’s management team for the incredible effort and dedication that resulted in a strong outcome for all of us. The team was able to navigate exceptionally well through the challenges of the pandemic while maintaining focus on continuous operating improvements and delivering first in class menu products to its customers. We are excited to see the Dianne’s team take the next step in their growth as part of Dessert Holdings.”
Dessert Holdings was represented in the transaction by Ropes & Gray as legal advisor, PwC as accounting advisor, and William Blair as exclusive financial advisor. Dianne’s was represented by Katten Muchin Rosenman as legal advisor, RSM as accounting advisor, and Lazard as exclusive financial advisor.
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