Fudge: The centerpiece to success

Fudge is profitable—and boosts overall sales

For many retailers, fudge is more than a popular item for sale. It’s the lion’s share of profits, too. At Kittery Trading Post, for example, fudge accounts for about $250,000 in revenue and sells at a 60% gross profit margin. According to Fox Keim, that’s especially outstanding when compared to all other products, which have a 35% to 38% margin. What’s more, fudge produces the highest dollar per square foot of any item in the store.

Most important, fudge can boost overall sales, as well. Take Franklin’s General Store. About $320,000 of its $1 million in gross sales is from fudge, at a 70% profit margin. But, in addition, says Jim Holley, “When people have a taste of fudge and joy in their day, not only do they buy fudge, but it puts them in the mood to buy other things in our store.”

“Selling Calico’s fudge is the right thing to do,” says Holley. “It will be a home run.”

Related

  • Kittery Trading Post: A customer story

    Kittery Trading Post: A customer story

    When Fox Keim first suggested to the owner of 110,000-square foot Kittery Trading Post that they introduce Calico fudge to the store, the reaction was decidedly skeptical.

  • Franklin’s General Store: A customer story

    Franklin’s General Store: A customer story

    At Franklin’s General Store in Mystic, CT., Calico fudge is a high-margin best-seller that boosts overall sales, as well. “If we didn’t have that fudge counter, our business would be half of what it is today,” says Jim Holley, who owns the store with his wife.