The brand’s entry into more retail stores will reach shoppers who “left the candy bar sector because they couldn’t find products that truly met their needs,” Katie Lefkowitz, founder and CEO of Harken Sweets, told FoodNavigator-USA.
Harken Sweets has grown rapidly since its launch last December, when it was initially available in several New York retail stores and online. That success led the brand to expand its production capacity, eventually securing placement in about 80% of Walmart stores nationwide, according to Lefkowitz. Once the brand was established at Walmart, its production capacity was well prepared to meet demand from an additional 1,000 retail locations outside of Walmart.
“We now have the capacity to take on these larger retailers. … The interesting thing about Harken is that it’s doing well at a large retailer like Walmart. And we’re seeing really positive signs at a more conventional retail chain like those under the Albertson-Safeway umbrella and also in the natural foods channel like we’re seeing at The Fresh Market,” she said.
The brand’s broad appeal across various retailers attracts consumers looking for a healthier alternative as well as those simply looking for something sweet, Lefkowitz stressed.
Harken Sweets offers a healthier alternative to traditional candy bars with the message of “thinking back to a time when (people) could eat these sweets and feel good about it,” Lefkowitz explained. This nostalgic and comforting theme is reflected in the brand’s design, she added. The plant-based candy bars contain no added sugar and are sweetened with dates, which provide prebiotic fiber in addition to prebiotic tapioca.
“The goal is really to make this product accessible to as many people as possible so they have these healthier alternatives available in all kinds of settings. So we’re trying to reach every shelf, one retailer at a time, and offer people these healthier alternatives,” she said.
Main objectives: reach new consumers across the country, outperform the category
Harken Sweets’ expansion is aimed not only at attracting consumers to the brand, but also at achieving strong sales and unit growth that exceeds category results by attracting new and regaining lapsed shoppers.
“The best way to really support a retailer is to operate in an environment where all boats rise, and all boats rise when a new product hits the shelves that actually increases the overall size of their category. (If) you put a product on the shelves that essentially trades market share with other products on the shelf, that’s a net neutral addition to their shelf, whereas if you’re a product like we are, you’re winning back shoppers who have left the category or increasing the overall size (of the category) for that retailer and in turn offering shoppers something really unique so they can shop in that category,” she said.
Rely on social media and word of mouth
According to the brand’s internal data, Harken Sweets’ engagement comes primarily through social media and word of mouth, which “shows what fantastic experiences people are having,” Lefkowitz said.
She continued, “As a brand, you can’t focus on word of mouth. It’s not something you really have control over. People will tell you through word of mouth that they love the product. … It all comes down to making sure the products are really incredible and differentiated,” Lefkowitz said.
