Candy Care 101

At Marich, we take extra care to ensure that all products that leave our factory meet our strict standards for quality and freshness.

The following are some suggestions on how to properly store and care for your valuable inventory of Marich products. Maintaining the quality of your candy not only protects your investment, it also ensures that your customers will always be presented with products of superior taste and appearance. Following these basic guidelines will help keep your confections at their peak. If you have any questions, please give us a call.

Maintain a clean display. When refilling your display bins, trays, or jars, take a moment to clean them to remove any build-up. Bits and broken pieces of candy, powdered sugar and other residues can contaminate fresh product and make an unappetizing display. It is also a good idea to make sure all scoops and other utensils are kept clean to avoid potential contamination.

Reseal each case after opening. If you have partial cases of product in inventory, resealing them is the most important step you can take to protect your candy from the elements. When candy products are exposed to excessive air, they can lose their flavor and become dry, hard, or sticky. Open cases also invite a variety of pests.

Avoid direct sunlight. Direct sunlight can damage food products. Make sure that as the day passes the sun does not shine directly on your displays. Direct sunlight can fade colored products and melt or cause chocolates to become spotted, also known as "bloom".

Store and display candy at the proper temperature and humidity. The ideal conditions for candy are 65 degrees F @ 50 % relative humidity. These are the recommended conditions; however, 15 % one way or the other will not have a dramatic negative effect.

Monitor your storage and display areas. Your local hardware store should carry a variety of thermometers and humidity gauges. By placing one or more of these in your storage and display areas, you can properly monitor the conditions.

Store cases 4 to 6 inches off the floor. To protect your product from moisture, spills, etc. store cases off the floor and at least 18 inches away from any walls. When cases of product sit against walls (particularly concrete), the box and product may absorb moisture making the candy sticky. This will also allow your pest control service to easily monitor your premises.

Employ a professional pest control service. A professional pest control service is a good way to protect your inventory and store reputation. Only trained professionals should use pesticides or other chemicals around food products. Please do not spray household cleaners or insecticides near or around food products.

Do not store candy near odorous products. Cleaners, chemicals, paints, or other odorous products can transfer off-flavors or odors to your candy. Since chocolates readily absorb odors, extra care must be taken when storing these types of candies. Food products such as mint candies, onions, etc. will also transfer odors.

Rotate your inventory. Proper rotation of product will ensure freshness and a quality appearance. Always place new inventory at the bottom of older stock so that store personnel will be encouraged to use oldest first. Also, when refilling displays, be sure that the oldest product will be dispensed first.