Are You Ready to Spring Into Action?

Your customers might still be thinking about Christmas, but for busy retailers like you, all thoughts should now be turning towards the next big sales opportunity – Spring. 

Holley’s 2023 Spring Collection is surely one of our most gorgeous selections to date, and we’re so excited to share it with you. There’s an exceptional choice of fine food and confectionery, including a mouth-watering range of sustainably grown, plant-based Easter eggs, so there really is something for everyone. 

And there’s no time to waste - with Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter all falling within this busy shopping time, it’s time to pre-order all those delicious treats to delight your customers and turn your seasonal displays into something truly special. 

You’ll love our Valentine’s Day selection 

Did you know that UK consumers spent around £990 million on Valentine’s Day items in 2022? Not all on food, of course, but it’s encouraging to see that despite some predictions of a decline in the number of people celebrating February 14, it’s still very much a day worth stocking up for. 

And, as the first seasonal event of the year, it’s the perfect opportunity to boost your sales after the typical drop-off in consumer spending in January. There’s never been a better time to make sure all your celebratory items are on order well in advance. 

This year, we’re proud to showcase an ever-wider range of sustainable, plastic-free, and vegan gift options, in keeping with the growing global trend of more mindful, conscious consumers. 

Your customers can’t help but fall in love with our wonderful range of chocolate – including the Lots of Love truffle and chocolate selections from Montezuma’s, Green & Black’s ethically sourced organic chocolate collection, and Monty Bojangles indulgent, very chocolatey truffles. 

And of course, no Valentine’s display would be complete without Lindt’s distinctive red and gold heart-shaped boxes of melt-in-your-mouth chocolate balls. (And don’t miss out on their brand-new Blood Orange variant – perfect for gifting to someone special). 

Of course, with the cost-of-living biting at the moment, everyone in the UK is feeling the financial pinch. Reports say consumers are likely to spend less than £25 on individual gifts in 2023. This brings our delectable, edible treats even more firmly into the frame, being far more affordable than many other gift options. 

Making the most of Mother’s Day 

Mother’s Day is one of the most celebrated days outside of Christmas. Interestingly, it originated in the UK as the Christian holiday, Mothering Sunday (and actually had nothing to do with Mums at all!) Traditionally celebrated on the fourth Sunday of lent, it was a day on which people would visit the church of their baptism, also known as their “mother church.” 

Today, while the date of Mother’s Day in the UK still follows that of the traditional Mothering Sunday, we now celebrate it in a similar way to the Americans – a day to celebrate and spoil our mothers! 

Last year, retail spending on Mother’s Day in the UK topped £1.3 million. Much of that went on flowers and gift cards, but also high up on the list of preferred gifts was the timeless classic – chocolate. 

Research shows over a third of women love to try unusual, new or trendy versions of confectionary and desserts. This means you have free range when it comes to the delicious treats and sweets you choose to use in your Mother’s Day displays. 

In these tough times, women are grateful to have an excuse to indulge, so don’t hold back – make sure you take full advantage of this popular celebration to showcase as wide a variety of delicious gifts as possible. 

Luxurious chocolate truffles, Swiss and Belgian chocolate selections, fruit drops, fudge…even gourmet popcorn! And don’t forget to include a touch of the exotic with authentic Turkish delight and halva. 

And of course, what would Mother’s Day be without breakfast in bed accompanied by a lovely cup of tea? Our range of quality English teas, packaged in gorgeous vintage-style tins, is the perfect way for your customers to thank their Mums for everything they do. (Perhaps we can also recommend a beautiful tin or tube of delicious biscuits to go with it!) 

It’s time for a little Easter eggcitement!  

Every year, the long Easter weekend presents a significant opportunity for retailers to capitalise on consumer spending. This year, UK consumers spent around £1.7 million on traditional Easter fare such as hot cross buns, chocolate eggs and other confectionery. 

Predictions are that amount could rise in 2023, despite the general downturn in the economy. This isn’t really very surprising when you think about the inherent feel-good factor of eating delicious chocolate! 

Also not surprising is the fast-growing consumer interest in plant-based and non-chocolate Easter treats. 

As more and more British people either reduce or give up animal products entirely, the market for dairy-free chocolate is enjoying a significant surge. In fact, Google reports that online searches for “vegan Easter eggs” rose by 79% between 2020 and 2021. 

You’ll be thrilled to see we have a mouth-watering selection of plant-based and non-chocolate Easter treats in our Spring Collection for 2023. Take a look at our Mummy Meegz range – not only vegan but also slavery-free, as well as Niederegger’s mini marzipan loaves, Dalla Costa’s Easter pasta, fun tins of fruity jellybeans, delicious Simnel cake, and a wide assortment of biscuits. 

Of course, chocolate still remains top of the list for Easter treats, and no Easter would be complete without a Lindt chocolate bunny or box of flavoured truffles. 

There really are far too many gorgeous items to name here. Please spend some time looking through our beautiful Spring Collection catalogue to see our full range. 

Please remember that to guarantee delivery in time for the start of the Spring merchandising season, the deadline for pre-orders is December 16. 

We can’t wait to help you make Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter even more special for your customers, so please place your orders soon.