Chantal Fakkert, international account manager for Look-O-Look, told ConfectioneryNews at the International Sweets and Biscuits Fair (ISM) last month: “The last couple of years we moved to a new segment beyond our shop-in-a- shop concept and that’s the novelty section.”
“We started with a candy takeaway concept. We launched a pizza last year and it was a tremendous success all over Europe.”
The Dutch based firm has traditional been known for its shop-in-a-shop concept, a display that allows children to pick from a range of packaged sweets.
‘Explore new countries’
Fakkert said: “We created the pizza in a real case, so people really think they’re getting a real pizza and they open it and it’s a surprise of a candy pizza. It’s great for children’s’ birthdays and parties.”
“We hope to extend our business and to grow with the pizza and to explore new countries. We are a Dutch-based company so besides Holland and Belgium where we have been for many years, Germany and France are the most important countries within Europe. Hopefully after the ISM, we are also going upwards and going to the US and Australia.”
Takeaway innovation
Look-O-Look also recently introduced a candy product resembling takeaway fries and it is considering developing a Fish & Chips version for the UK market.
It also launched a mini version of its candy pizza at ISM and a ‘Jungle Pizza’ that was made in conjunction with a German reality show.
“The packaging is very important. It’s the first view for a consumer. It should be attractive, people should see the gimmick. For the pizza, it was very important for us that it resembled a real pizza,” said Fakkert.