instore - December 2017 - 28

merchandising

ON DISPLAY

Decorated cookies

Convenient, fun, pleasing to the eye as well as the palate - what's not
to love about decorated cookies? Category upgrades in recent years -
longer shelf life, cleaner ingredients, new technologies, to name a few -
have made them even more of a no-brainer for instore bakeries that are
looking to separate themselves from the pack.
When it comes to trends in decorated cookies, licensed designs rank
near the top, says William Dekker, R&D manager and pastry chef for
Duluth, Georgia-based chocolate decorations specialist Dobla North
America. Licensing, Dekker says, provides a way for producers to cut
through the noise bombarding today's shoppers. "With consumers
being overwhelmed with an overload of ads and information, recognizable icons from the past and present are a way to make your products
stand out."

"Major licensed properties spend a lot of marketing dollars to
make sure their symbols and characters are always recognized by
consumers, and our decorated cookies are the perfect combination for
a child - a popular character and a tasty treat," Strauss says. In addition
to the Minions, Cookies United's other decorated cookie stars include
Batman, Superman and DreamWork's Trolls. "Kids and even parents
connect with these characters on an emotional level, making the intent
to purchase very high," Strauss says. "A licensed product will outsell a
generic product side by side every time."
Anoka, Minnesota-based DecoPac Inc. is another company capitalizing
on the licensing trend. With its PhotoCake edible image technology,
DecoPac can draw on its extensive licensing agreements to help make
consumers' favorite characters come to life on the surface of a cookie,
says Tina Steichen, the company's DecoDesign manager.
"Consumers have strong brand loyalty to licensed products," she
says. "Seeing them brings excitement to younger children, and adults
enjoy it because it brings them back to a particular time and place.
PhotoCake allows them to be in the driver's seat when it comes to
their decorations."
In 2018, DecoPac will encourage customers to turn to PhotoCake more
for corporate events, marriage proposals, proms and other outside-thebox applications, Steichen says.

Seasonality, clean label, other trends

"A licensed product will outsell
a generic product side by side
every time."
Michael Strauss, Cookies United

28 * DECEMBER 2017 * instore

Other trends DecoPac is tracking include cookies topped with rings
and edible decorations other than PhotoCake. New at DecoPac is a set
of metallic shimmer decorations, part of its DecoShapes fondant line.
The company also is seeing strong demand for its SugarSoft line of
premium edible sugar decorations, which combine soft texture with
innovative printing technology, Steichen says.
Seasonality also can play a big role in decorated cookie programs.
New for DecoPac in time for Easter 2018 is a line of brightly
painted egg rings; a jewel-toned "Easter Love" ring collection,
perfect as a cookie topper; and a round "Easter Blessing" image in
PhotoCake. Eggs and bunnies also can be found in the SugarSoft
line, Steichen says.

COOKIES UNITED

Islip, New York-based Cookies United also prides itself on its licensed
decorated cookies, says Michael Strauss, the company's marketing
director. Anyone can make a decorated Christmas tree cookie, he says.
Only Cookies United can top one with a Minions character wearing a
Santa hat.

Royal icing, buttercream and "touches of fondant" are among the icing
trends in decorated cookies, says Steichen. Cookies United has experimented with many different icings and flavors over the years, Strauss
says, but the company has always come back to its classic shortbread
sugar cookie base and royal icing. "It makes for the best-quality cookie
in appearance and taste," he says. Cookies United also has rejected
other trends, including edible images. "They got very poor reviews,"
Strauss says.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of instore - December 2017