Getting creative
Susannah Millen visited Spun Candy’s flagship store in Spitalfields Market, London to find out more about the brand and its creator James Ellender.
What is the background to the brand?
I launched my own consultancy business working across retail, food and beverages in 2011. I worked with a global confectioner for two years before I decided to create my own brand. I saw an opportunity to introduce the concept of live confectionery making, incorporating a product range with wide appeal. Candy is a fun product and making it is hugely creative. In 2013 we opened our first store in Covent Garden. Our aim was not only to target consumers buying from us as retailers, but also to offer creative products for the B2B market. These are ideal for promotion and marketing. We have since developed a range of products, enabling our customers to make candy themselves in our candy class kitchen in Spitalfields.
What are the unique selling points of the brand?
There are many … making candy every day in front of our customers, using natural fruit flavours, our ability to be creative with our candy in terms of design and taste while maintaining a strong and recognisable brand. Our retail stores allow customers to see our candy being made. Our wholesale products are stocked by premium retailers such as Selfridges, John Lewis and David Jones in Australia. This reflects our positioning and promotes our natural flavourings, bold and colourful packaging and consistent taste and quality regardless of where you buy. Companies that use our products for promotions or marketing activities come to us not only because they want a creative and fun product, but also because they want this to be communicated not only through the candy but also using the bespoke packaging. We have the ability to produce short runs of packaging and tailor these to our customer’s requirements. Our candy classes have been hugely successful. We reveal how we incorporate letters, images or logos within small pieces of rock and allow our clients to experience what our trained candy makers do on a daily basis.
What type of retail outlets do you sell through?
As well as our own stores in London and those retailers previously mentioned, we are also stocked by Dubai Mall and Yas Mall Abu Dhabi with The Avenues in Muscat Oman due to be open in October 2015. We also have concessions in Selfridges, London from July to December this year. We stock all Selfridges stores in the UK, all Hamleys outlets across the UK, Partridges London, David Jones in Australia and other select retailers. This autumn we are stocking 40 John Lewis stores across the UK.
Who is your target consumer?
Our customers are mainly females aged 25-45 years old. However, this will shift towards males who buy for Valentine’s Day and Christmas. We have a mix of guests coming to our candy classes. We have also launched children‘s parties, which are hugely popular.
What are your best sellers?
Our gifting lines and anything unusual or suited to tourists like our London or Dubai mix. Lollipops are a clear winner in the Middle East.
How has the range developed?
When we first opened we focused on hard rock. Since then we have developed other lines, which include nut brittle, toffee, fudge, marshmallows and jellies. They are all handmade using premium ingredients and are produced in our stores in front of customers.
How do you promote and market the brand?
We use various channels including social media, events and exhibitions. Our greatest successes have been through brand collaborations and licensed ranges such as Candy Crush, Lulu Guinness and the Rugby World Cup. Equally when we produce candy for a company for their own marketing events we seek testimonials and also social media activity to help promote our brand. Having close links with Selfridges and Hamleys helps with visibility and they are hugely supportive through their own marketing activities. In June alone we held media events in Hamleys and John Lewis in central London to promote our Christmas ranges.
Which exhibitions do you attend?
We have attended Christmas preview shows, retail trade shows, wedding events, marketing and advertising exhibitions, venue and premium service provider events, and licensing and franchising shows. These are all targeting different demographics and market segments. We franchise our brand and stores worldwide, gifting products and candy for weddings and baby showers for example.
What are your plans for the future?
Through 2015 and 2016 we intend to consolidate our product range, brand awareness and retail outlets within the UK. We want to develop our relationships with our existing premium retailers and increase our ranges and brand presence globally. We are increasing our range of gift items and candy classes. Globally we are looking to secure additional premium retailers across all markets, predominantly focusing on Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Through franchising and our store development we will increase our market presence by opening more stores that can manufacturer, retail and offer classes. This in turn offers the full array of products and services that include retail, wholesale to other retailers, B2B candy, classes, licensing and pop up events.
