How to Reduce Shrinkage and Spoilage in Your Bulk Candy Bins
Share
Bulk candy bins are a massive draw for customers, but they are also the biggest source of shrinkage (loss) in a candy store. Between sampling, spillage, over-pouring, and product going stale, shrinkage can quietly eat away at your profit margins.
Here is how to get it under control.
Control the flow of the product. Gravity bins (the tall dispensers where you pull a lever) drastically reduce shrinkage compared to scoop bins. Customers cannot sample from them easily, and they limit the amount of product that spills onto the floor. Use gravity bins for all small, hard candies and jelly beans, and reserve scoop bins only for larger items like gummies and wrapped chocolates.
Implement a "weigh and pay" station strategy. Place your scales near the bulk bins, not just at the checkout counter. When customers can weigh their bags as they fill them, they are less likely to overfill a bag, realize it costs too much at the register, and abandon it. Abandoned bulk candy must usually be thrown away due to health regulations, representing a total loss.
Manage your bin inventory tightly. Do not fill a bin to the top just because it looks good. Candy at the bottom of a full bin can sit for months and go stale. Only fill bins with enough product to last one to two weeks, and always practice FIFO (First In, First Out)—empty the remaining candy, pour the new candy in, and place the older candy on top.
Buy from a high-turnover distributor. The freshness of your bulk candy starts with your supplier.
Because Royal Wholesale Candy moves a massive volume of product every day, you are guaranteed to receive fresh candy with maximum shelf life, reducing the chances of spoilage in your store.