Growing up as a child in the midwest gave me my own perspective on what I deemed the best candy.  In many ways, I am certain that my location actually played a roll in what I liked and what I didn’t.  It turns out that the look and design of candy actually play one of the largest roles in the choice of candy according to children and study groups.  So I want to go over some of what I believe helped me create my love of the candy that I love today. It may be a little different for everyone because we all have defining moments in our past and I think mine was a long long time ago.

I am fairly certain my love of candy all started back when I was around 5 years old. I can remember fondly when my family would travel down to visit our family in Alabama.  One of the best parts of this was when my grandfather would take me and my siblings to the candy store.  Now this was a huge deal in that time and especially in that location.  Luckily, the gas station that had what seemed like an endless supply of candy was two miles down the road.  My grandfather would give us between 5 and 25 cents each trip and let us pick whatever we wanted.  Back then and in that location, candy was so inexpensive and somehow it was one of my favorite memories.  My siblings and I would run into the store and start counting out what we could get and for how much.  Now surprisingly the cost made a difference in what we would get.

It was indeed a big time and then candy boxes and their designs called to me.  The first thing I would do would be to pick out the coolest and most bright-looking candy.  This would always seem to happen and in reality, the best looking design ended up usually being the most expensive.  So even though I wanted the best candy boxes designs due to the way they looked I didn’t actually end up purchasing them. Now that is something to think about because even if the candy catches the most attention it may not be the best if it costs too much.  So designing candy that is not only attractive but cost effective is very important. 

Now on the other hand cost is also a big part of why something may seem so cool. If you see a great looking piece of candy and yet see something else that looks similar and costs more it may actually drive more demand.  It truly depends on the location.  In a lower-income area the cost-effective piece may be the best choice but word will spread due to the higher cost and unattainability.  This is a consideration to take when working on your own candy product or if you have a store.  Make sure to test the difference and see what works and sells the most in your location. I find that where you grew up makes a big difference and also the preferences that come from a good experience.  So make sure to test well and make a design that fits the cost well. Enjoy a wonderful candy career!