WARWICK – The customers usually buying truffles and candy bars at Warwick Chocolate Company came up to the register in recent days with chocolate Easter bunnies and eggs, setting off a surge in sales for the holiday.
However, with Easter falling so early this year, in just two days on March 31, owner Victor Gelman said the store traffic has never been as intense.
“A lot of times Easter is in April, but this is a much more compressed selling season,” said Gelman, who is a chocolatier. “I would say people started coming out last Thursday and it will only get busier. It is always a fun and exciting time and great to know that customers enjoy our products and the store.”
According to Numerator, a market research company, 53 percent of consumers plan to buy candy on Easter, making it the second most popular holiday for candy purchasing after Halloween. The National Confectioners Association reported that chocolate and candy sales this Easter season will surpass $5 billion.
The top seasonal treats, according to the NCA, are:
- Chocolate eggs or bunnies
- Jellybeans
- Candy-coated eggs
- Marshmallow candy
Gelman said one of the most popular items at Warwick Chocolate Company are the stuffed chocolate bunnies with filings that include Swedish Fish candy and caramel popcorn.
John Traver, Managing Partner of Samuel’s Sweet Shop in Rhinebeck, said that the store’s “super cute” solid milk, dark and white chocolate bunnies are always best sellers. Samuel’s also makes homemade Easter bark and chocolate-dipped Peeps.
“Easter sales are always best when the weather is warm and spring-like, bring on the sun,” Traver said. “The thing about any holiday sneaking up on you is that it makes for very fun, high-energy, last-minute sales. We have had a blast in our shop this week.”
Easter bunnies aside, Patrick and Justine Maiorino, owners of Guilty Pleasures Cheesecakes in Washingtonville, said that anything freeze-dried has been popular this year. Nostalgic candies such as PopRocks, Fun Dip and Reggie Bars are also popular.
“We do feel like with March being so compressed, there will be a lot of last-minute buying,” they said.
