Harken Sweets enters 1,000 new doors, aims to grow the better-for-you candy category

The brand’s entry into more retail doors will reach shoppers who “left the candy bar sector because they were not able to find products that really met their needs,” Katie Lefkowitz, founder and CEO, Harken Sweets told FoodNavigator-USA.

Harken Sweets grew rapidly since its launch last December, where it initially landed in several New York retailers and online. This success led the brand to scale up its manufacturing capabilities, eventually securing placement in about 80% of Walmart stores nationwide, according to Lefkowitz. Once the brand was established in Walmart, its production capacity was well-prepared to meet the demands of 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 it does well in a big box retailer like Walmart, and we are seeing really positive signs from a more conventional retail chain like those under the Albertson-Safeway umbrella, and also in the natural channel, like what we see with The Fresh Market,” she said.

The brand’s broad appeal across different retailers attracts both consumers who are seeking a healthier option and those simply looking for a sweet treat, Lefkowitz pointed out.

Harken Sweets offers a healthier alternative to traditional candy bars with the message of “hearkening back to a time when [people] could have these candies 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 also provide prebiotic fiber alongside prebiotic tapioca.

“The goal here is really to bring this product to as many people as possible so they have those healthier options available to them in all different types of settings. So, we are trying to get on every shelf, one retailer at a time, and provide people those better-for-you options,” she said.

Key goals: reach new consumers nationwide, outperform the category​

Harken Sweets’ expansion aims not only to attract consumers to the brand, but also to drive strong sales and unit volume that outperform the category by bringing in new shoppers or re-engaging those who have left.

“The best way to really support any retailer is to be in an environment where all boats rise, and all boats rise when a new product comes onto shelf that actually grows the overall size of their category. [If] you are putting a product on shelf that is essentially swapping share with other products on shelf that is a net neutral addition to their shelf, whereas, when you are a product like us, and you are bringing in shoppers who have left the category, or growing the overall size of [the category] for that retailer, and again, offering shoppers something really unique so that they are able to shop in that category,” she said.

Relying on social media and word of mouth​

According to the brand’s internal data, Harken Sweets’ engagement is primarily through social media and word of mouth, which “shows just how fantastic of an experience people are having,” Lefkowitz said.

She continued, “It is not like as a brand you can say you want to focus on word of mouth. That is not something you really have control over. People will share it via word of mouth that they love the product. … It all comes back to making sure the products are really incredible and differentiated,” Lefkowitz said.