-By Renee Covino

Classified as recession-resistant, the confectionery category is enjoying a sweet rush of trends, many with gourmet flair.

It seems the recession can't keep a good confection down. Industry experts who spoke at the National Confectioners Association's (NCA) three-day All Candy Expo held in Chicago in late May revealed candy sales and product trends that had a repeating theme in common: the category may not be completely recession-proof, but it is definitely recession-resilient.

The down economy didn't even sour attendance at the show itself; the NCA reported that the 2009 All Candy Expo "bucked all trade show industry trends with 7 percent growth in customer attendance and 4 percent growth in exhibitor participation."

Jim Corcoran, NCA's vice president of trade relations, believes the largest confectionery and snack trade show in the Americas "really clicked" with retailers and wholesalers, especially given the category's power in this economic climate.

On the show floor, more than 2,000 new sweet treats and savory snacks debuted. Here are some strong themes surrounding the new items that would seem to resonate in the category moving forward:

--Superfruits are superhot flavors (cranberry, pomegranate, blueberry, cherry, raspberry, acai berry)
--Lemonade and lemon flavors are strong contenders, too
--"Real" fruit flavoring is appearing on more packaging
--Exotic origins are on the rise; expect to see more "odd-sounding" foreign flavors
--Limited editions are more limited, but still pertinent
--Premium chocolate is waning a bit in dark chocolate; some interesting unveilings have come out featuring premium milk chocolate
--Little gourmet chocolates are flowing from mainstream players
--Sea salt is a key topper, not just for snacks, but in sweets, too
--Jalapeno flavor is everywhere in snacks, including meat snacks
--Restaurant-licensed snacks are gaining in popularity
--Specialty drinks are hot snack flavors (think Margaritas and Bloody Marys)
--100-calorie snacks are not going anywhere -- portability and portion control are targeted to both kids and adults
--Old nostalgic favorites are carefully expanding with minor line extensions
--Favorite candies are also expanding into holiday shapes and colors
--Nostalgic packaging continues to make a comeback
--Supersour candy still packs a punch with kids; regular sour candy seems to have some adult followers, too
--Sugar-free gum flavors continue to evolve, with mint being a popular blend with fruits and other exotic flavors

Also featured at All Candy Expo was the Gourmet Marketplace, a "show within a show," featuring a variety of specialty products in every candy and snack segment, from premium and upscale to fortified, all-natural and organic. This is where show attendees also got to experience upscale wine/beer tastings and pairings (with chocolate and snacks), while meeting some of the world's top chocolate artisans.

The NCA reported that since its inception three years ago, the Gourmet Marketplace has grown to include more than 60 confectionery and snack companies. The "Taste of Gourmet" experience/demonstration area this year featured top names in chocolate and confection, including: The French Pastry School; Hello Cupcake; Frederic Loraschi of Chocolat Michel Cluizel, as well as Master Chef Jacques Torres. Dove, Green & Black's and Pastry Chef Suzy also scheduled tastings and pairings throughout the show.

Gourmet events branched off the show floor this year with a savory chocolate-themed luncheon, featuring well-known chocolatier Fritz Knipschildt and some melt-in-your-mouth truffles (topped with sea salt).

Joan Steuer, president of Chocolate Marketing LLC, presented the "top 10 chocolate trends" at one of the many educational sessions featured at the show. Her watchful chocolate eye (and palate) has been focused lately on:

1. Chocolate with a "purpose," meaning pure and sustainable;
2. Bean-to-bar micro-manufacturers, which she says are "committed to excellence";
3. Hot chocolate is still hot, according to her, with "brewed" being the latest hot-beverage fad;
4. Salt caramels are chewy, gooey and found in many a chocolate home now, Steuer observes;
5. All-American chocolate "comfort classics," from bite-sized to big-sized, are in vogue;
6. Big, fat marshmallow treats are found in lots of new flavors and are covered in chocolate;
7. Healthy chocolate mixes include fruits, nuts and chocolate nibs;
8. Fresh and date-coded chocolate is sought out more now;
9. Super-high cacao percentages -- the latest wave hits the 80s and 90s, Steuer contends;
10. Value chocolate is purchased chocolate, but value takes on many meanings and is not always about the lowest price.

Predictions for the Next Pomegranate

Superfruits were found everywhere at this year's All Candy Expo -- from fancy acai-berry-filled chocolate truffles to Cranberry Raisinets from Nestle to the "Superfruit Mix" from Jelly Belly, including "bean" flavors of Acai Berry, Barbados Cherry, Blueberry, Cranberry and Pomegranate.

But the trend won't stop with the revered pomegranate or the more recent superhero of super fruits -- the acai berry. In order to help the industry keep up with what's next in flavors, particularly the upcoming generation of exotic and antioxidant fruits, the National Confectioners Association, along with FONA International, presented a special seminar entitled "Flavor 101." Invited participants were not only given a chance to review information on odd-sounding foreign fruits, they were also invited to taste the delicate treats of nature -- many flown in from specialty suppliers and stores.

So, what's the verdict for the pomegranate equivalent of the near future? There are actually several contenders (and don't let their foreign names scare you -- many session participants said they immediately loved their novel tastes), including:

• Lulo: Also called the naranjilla, meaning "little orange," this green, pulpy, tangy citrus fruit is native to Columbia, Ecuador and Peru. The taste is described as a combination of grapefruit, pineapple and lemon. Traditional native uses include utilizing the juice in ice cream, sherbet or cold beverages. Recent South American introductions include confections, beverages and dried fruits. U.S. products unveiled so far include a premium beverage and a specialty cooking sauce. The future is said to hold an opportunity for its use in specialty chocolates.

• Camu camu: Derived from the Amazon jungles of Peru, this small, purplish berry-type fruit has a yellow pulp and is extremely acidic. It contains high concentrations of amino acids and is said to have more vitamin C than any other fruit in the world, according to Barb Pugesek, market manager for FONA. It is currently most embraced by Japan as an ingredient for functional foods (as well as some beauty products). In 2007, it was featured in a U.S. energy drink and organic juice; it is currently growing in the U.S. supplements category. Pugesek maintained that it could have a promising future as a confectionery ingredient, particularly in the gum category.

• Rambutan: Native to Southeast Asia, the sweet, semi-transparent flesh of this aromatic fruit is a good source of calcium and vitamin C. In Southeast Asian countries, it is a common fresh fruit enjoyed in salads as well as in various sweets. It was recently featured in yogurts and chilled desserts in Asia. There is a future potential for its use in more fine dining beverages and desserts.

• Cherimoya: This is actually a family of fruits -- cherimoya, soursop, custard apple and guanabana -- originating in South America and said to taste like an exotic mix of pineapple, strawberry and banana. It is rich in fiber, vitamin C, calcium and niacin, and is currently popular for use in ice cream and smoothie-type beverages or for dessert garnish. "This is the next new tropical fruit favorite behind the passion fruit," Pugesek said. The future holds further potential in beverages, confections and frozen treats.

• Cupuacu: Native to the Brazilian rainforest from a tree that belongs to the cocoa family, this fruit is approximately the size of a melon, with a white, creamy pulp and an exotic "chocolatey" taste. Pugesek described it as "chocolate without the caffeine." It is said to boost immunity, increase libido, promote younger-looking skin, increase energy and stamina, lower cholesterol, and destroy free radicals. It is a standard fruit in its native area, used for custard-type desserts and ice cream. It is also featured in a confection in Finland, a beverage in Australia and in a jelly candy in Brazil. In addition to its culinary potential, trends for its use are emerging in the bath and body arena.

These ingredients are all "on the 'watch list' as we see how their use will be expanded," according to Pugesek. "Availability will, of course, be a factor in their future flavor potential."