Little did he know when Daniel Kitay founded his startup Funday Natural Sweets in March 2021 that Australia was facing a long lockdown.
The time was right, however, for his “clean candy” company, which makes nostalgic, natural lollipops, including a version of Australia's iconic red frogs.
Just four months after launch, Funday signed a deal with Woolworths in addition to national listings in Chemist Warehouse Australia and a recent international listing in New Zealand.
"It's amazing to see our range sell out at such large Australian retailers," says Mr. Kitay.
Online sales have also increased and, thanks to a fan base of loyal regular customers, have doubled from month to month.
“It's our online sales that really surprised us,” he says.
“That's why we introduced a subscription model where a top-up of candy is delivered on your schedule. We have so many regular customers who love comfort – this is a real growth area for us. "
The global confectionery market is estimated at $ 227.4 billion by 2027, according to Research Dive, and “better for you” confectionery is driving the upward trend.
It's not just about what we eat, but how we access it. The same report predicts that online candy sales will exceed $ 15 billion by 2027. An important factor is busy professionals who usually have hectic lifestyles and find shopping in online stores very convenient and easy.
Based in Australia, Funday continues to seek new opportunities in Australia and abroad, having already expanded in Singapore and Hong Kong.
“It's been a crazy year for everyone,” says Mr. Kitay.
"There's no doubt that the pandemic has affected the confectionery market – we're just glad that the taste has changed in our favor."
The article Sugar Free and Directly to Our Door first appeared in Retail World Magazine.
