Celebrate National Beach Day this week – it’s August 30th. Customers will be packing their coolers and driving to the coast to enjoy those curling waves and sandy dunes while raising awareness about beach preservation. Do you know what tops off a great beach day? A little sweet! Holidays like National Beach Day are a great way to drive traffic (and sales) during the summer months.

According to Specialty Food Magazine, summer months can often mean a slump for candy sales due to the large gap between holidays and the rising temps. Creating events around national awareness days like National Beach Day gives customers a new reason to celebrate.  And let’s be honest – aren’t we all looking for another reason to celebrate (and eat candy)?

While it may be less than ideal weather for enjoying a chocolate bar, there are many cool confections that can withstand the warmer temperature. Read on for some of our favorite summertime snacks that are made for enjoying at the beach, poolside, or anywhere else summer may take you.

Gummies

Ever-popular gummies are a year round favorite. They’re chewy. They’re sweet. They stand up to the heat.  Whether gelatin based or pectin based, summer is a fine time for gummy candy. Since we are celebrating National Beach Day, gummies with a beach theme like Clever Candy gummy flip flops, mermaid tails, sour sharks or tropical starfish are especially fun and festive. Gummies featuring tropical flavors and shapes like Vidal gummy pink flamingos or Piña Colada slices inject any moment with a vacation vibe.

If grab-and-go appeals to your customers, stock prepacked gummies with a beach theme and message. We love AmuseMints Beach Treats Starfish Gummy Cup or peg bags of AmuseMints Narwhal farts. Or, buy bulk and make your own specialty mix. Wrap them up in cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon adorned with a seashell shaped tag.

Novelties

Life’s a beach, and beach days are all about fun in the sand, surf, and sun. Plant those toes in the sand, and relax with a sweet swirly lollipop. A sweet toy and treat in one at your point of sale lets customers take home a bit of the summertime fun. Foreign Candy’s Beach Bucket Toys ‘N Treats offer everything customers need for a little rest and relaxation.  Each set comes with a bright plastic bucket, 4 small sand toys, 4 swirly lollipops, and a packet of candy “sand”.

Warm weather got customers feeling the heat, give them a fun way to cool down. CandyRific’s Avengers Fanimation is a cooling fan with an animated LED light show, guaranteed to get Avengers fans to smile. The push button operation wins over customers at your point of sale. Pressed dextrose candy in the handle and Marvel Avengers branding make this product a superhero.

Just like an ocean breeze, sweet gum can be very refreshing. Project 7’s Rainbow Ice flavored gum takes all the goodness of a classic frozen summer sweet and magically packs it into bite sized pieces of gourmet gum. Resealable pocket size packs are very handy for keeping the sand out.  Even better – a portion of the company’s sales go to a variety of non-profits, including those that help to save the planet.

Licorice

Fruit flavored licorice candies may not technically be “licorice” at all, but they sure are a fun way to indulge in a chewy sweet. Rainbow-colored licorice candies embody the vibe of summer ‘s slower pace and orchard-fresh flavors. We absolutely adore AmuseMint’s Slow Down Summer peg bag filled with licorice wheels that features a cool graphic of a sleepy sloth lounging atop a pool floatie. Inject summer color into your bulk displays with Clever Candy’s Two Faced Licorice Wheels.  Tart and tangy candy fans will find the rainbow connection with Vidal’s Sour Rainbow Bricks.

Saltwater Taffy

Classics enjoy longevity because they are perfect as is. According to Smithsonian Magazine, salt water taffy is one of the US’ original and most enduring summertime sweets. First seen on the boardwalks of Atlantic City, New Jersey, saltwater taffy is still a favorite of East Coast seaside resorts. Classic taffy resists melting and comes in a variety of flavors from smooth vanilla and sweet cherry, to exotic chili mango or maple bacon.  Salt water taffy gift boxes from AmuseMints are a great way to bring back some of the seaside vibes, and they slip neatly into beach bags. Summer assortments are sunnier with a wide variety of bulk taffy. We love all the flavors offered by leading confectioners Taffy Town and Zeno’s Taffy.

Lollipops

When you think of candy icons, lollipops top the list. Classic hard candy, mounted on a stick is enjoyed by every generation. Lollipops, or suckers, really stand up to the heat. Too hot for an ice cream cone at the beach? Creamy, dreamy ice cream flavors are made portable with Chupa Chups Cremosa.  Complete with sprinkles, Melville Candy Company crafts ice cream cone shaped lollipops with the iconic flavors of this frozen summertime treat: chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. They’re realistic looking shapes and colors are a terrific focal point for your counters and invite those impulse purchases.

While summer may be fleeting, the flavors and sweet confectionery treats let customers celebrate the fun of summer all year long. Clever merchandising can help boost sales, even in the middle of winter. Instead of Christmas in July, celebrate Summer Down Under in February. Bring out the beach treats and pay homage to the Aussies whose seasons are opposite ours. Tie your assortment to fun national recognition days, like National Beach Day, to give customers a special reason to visit and celebrate. For some great ideas check out NationalToday. For an added incentive, you may wish to host an in store event, donating a portion of sales to a charity that helps clean up a beach. Customers feel good when they feel they are helping, even in a small way, and charity helps position your business as a community supporter.