Confectionary Enjoys Taste of Success
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowAn Indianapolis-based candy company says it could double its workforce as it diversifies its product mix. Newfangled Confections, which launched about a decade ago with its signature peanut butter and chocolate treat Frittle, can be found in Target and Fresh Thyme Markets and has been featured on national shopping channel QVC. Founder Carrie Abbott says her 2020 acquisition of “The Best Chocolate in Town” has allowed her to diversify product mix and position the company for growth.
The company stems from a catering business where Abbott created a peanut butter and chocolate treat for a wedding, which took the form of brittle. “I had all these leftover pieces and started giving them away, and thought, ‘Wait, there’s really something there,’” said Abbott in an interview on Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick.
Having seen how people enjoyed the treat, Abbott took a chance and pivoted from catering to candy and created what is now known as Frittle.
“I stopped packing the cars and vans and the trucks for catering and then focus on this one single item that we could make package and hopefully grow to scale.”
The flagship product has since been picked up by regional and national retailers, but Abbott says being featured on QVC was a major step.
“That was our biggest win, if you will, in terms of size. But really, it’s the central Indiana and local Indianapolis fans that just keep it going,” said Abbott.
Newfangled’s growth plans also include a major acquisition. Eighteen months ago, the company acquired “Best Chocolate in Town,” an Indianapolis-based artisan chocolatier known for its truffles and caramels.
“The founder, Elizabeth Garber, was ready to start a new chapter in her life and came to us. And since then, we’ve just had so much fun looking at and really developing and scaling and improving processes of a very successful line that’s been around for 20 years,” said Abbott.
The candy maker says as the company enjoys its successes, it must also listen to customers and respond. “What is it that they like? What sizes do they like? What flavors do they like? It’s not just about current trends.”