Huhtamaki and Karkkikatu, a subsidiary of Leaf concentrating on pick-and-mix candy, have together developed a new concept for selling sweets that is said to make candy-on-the-go more convenient.
Called Fun Cups, Huhtamaki supplies two different sized paper cups as well as lids to Karkkikatu. Because the cups are pre-bar coded, there is no need for weighing. The retail customers can just fill the cup according to their tastes and snap on the transparent lid to keep the sweets safely inside. Cups are then scanned at check out like any other item.
"We were brainstorming for new ideas and this seemed like a good concept right from the beginning" said Yrsa Wilen, Leaf business unit manager. "We were especially thinking of entrepreneurs who operate in limited space or are just starting to sell candy. With our Fun Cup concept there is no need to maintain expensive scales, thus reducing store overhead."
There is a fixed price for each candy cup regardless of how full the cup is. Being able to avoid the weighing reduces the work of retail outlets and other points of sale. Furthermore, the bar code is printed directly on the cup, which comes in two sizes - 300 ml and 500 ml.
Leaf's extensive experience in consumer research for the grocery sector, as well as in marketing and logistics, helped lead to positive results gathered from the end users during test marketing. "Fun Cup is a practical solution for the end customer as well, since the cup was designed to fit automobile cup holders. Rigid paper cups protect candy by reducing crushing tendencies common with traditional candy bags. The cups are also a great option for the cinema because they are less noisy than paper bags. Also the Fun Cup makes a more attractive present or give-away than a bag," said Wilen.
The idea for the Fun Cup candy cup was developed during 2002 and first deliveries reached the customers by the end of the year.
The packaging is also said to offer superior printing capabilities and opportunities for dynamic graphics. Custom printing is a value added feature when retailers are considering special promotions or strengthening their store brands. The cups are delivered from Huhtamaki facilities in small packs containing both cups and lids in order to alleviate the work and avoid storing problems at the point of sale.