‘I’ve heard tell that what you imagine sometimes comes true.’ -Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
When Carl T. Hammond Sr. opened his candy factory in 1920, he probably couldn’t imagine that his business would still be flourishing 100 years later. However, that’s the beauty of life, sometimes it gives us something beyond what we ourselves can even imagine.
Carl Hammond was committed to quality from the beginning, and what started as a small family business, with a loyal local following, has now grown into an national brand that’s left a sweet stamp on the retail candy industry. EBD is incredibly proud to say that we’ve played a part in its brand growth and timeless appeal, so we wanted to fill you in on how it happened.
In 2007, Andrew Schuman purchased Hammond’s Candy Company and moved to the Mile High City with his family. With a background in retail and an entrepreneurial approach to business, he and Carl Hammond Sr. weren’t much different. Schuman was the perfect ingredient for the next phase of this confectionary company. He brought EBD on to the Hammond’s brand team in 2008 and we’ve served as brand stewards ever since.
When we partnered with Hammond’s Candies, the brand was mostly available in boutique stores. Despite their quality ingredients, legacy and nostalgic appeal, their packaging was difficult for the consumer to understand. There were inconsistent packaging forms — plastic bags, wooden crates, and many different hangtag designs. The brand itself had multiple logos and was not a cohesive brand experience.
At the onset of our design process, we set out to honor the history of the company and keep the nostalgic appeal of the product. Fonts were selected for their relevance to the 1920’s and deep rich colors reinforced the retro feel. The packaging systems were updated for better shelf presence, and for streamlined assembly in the factory.
In the first three years, between Andy Schuman’s business savvy and the EBD branding and packaging efforts, sales doubled.
And then? Hammond’s started making its way to higher-end gourmet stores. Schuman’s development of the business, coupled with the cohesive branding and packaging from EBD, took the products to premium retailers such as Harry & David, Crate and Barrel, Whole Foods, and Nordstrom. New products were introduced to the lineup, such as chocolate bars and snack items, assisting in the national expansion.
Over the last five years, Hammond’s has not only increased their growth in boutique and gourmet stores, but has gone into big-box retailers like Target, Costco, and mainstream grocers nationwide. To keep the brand fresh, we have updated the packaging forms and brand identity to showcase a more contemporary approach reflective of the grocery store market today. Over the last 12 years, we’ve made minor easy tweaks to keep the brand fresh, and relevant and always looking new. Understanding that consumers like local small businesses, we’ve made sure the brand keeps it’s independent and exclusive feel.
Over time the retail market changes, and it’s our job to assist brands in adapting to those changes. The result? A company now five times larger than when we started.
While 2020 has kept businesses on their toes, this is an important year for Hammond’s — their 100th year anniversary! Be on the lookout for the scrumptious new items.
For more Hammond’s branding, see our website here.
