So I've been at this whole "Candy Critic" thing for a few years now and I've put a whole lot into it. I've traveled around, harassed people that travel to buy me candy and eaten things I don't even want to talk about. One of my travels took me to the National Candy Expo in Chicago, don't even try and go because you have to be invited. But it does exist, a convention completelly dedicated to the love of candy, or so thought.
You see the candy industry is a billion dollar machine; these fun little snacks we eat are big money to people. Now I don't want to start by putting down all those in the candy industry, but I have to say that most of them are dull or even mean. To make it public I don't get paid for doing Candy Critic, sure I'm interested and I have some plans in the works, but I started this site because I love candy, not because I thought I'd be rich. So I'm not really a member of this great machine, well not yet.
What I came across at the National Candy Expo was a bunch of suits that wanted to know how giving me a sample would help their sales. Now I can't say I didn't expect people to not think about the bottom line in a trade show, but it's candy. Relax a little and remember that your bottom line is about how fun life can be, and maybe you should focus on fun a little more. Maybe I just want to believe in the world that Willy Wonka projected, or maybe I just like candy more than business.
Either way I welcome all candy companies to contact me and let me know what you're up to. Send me samples and I'll review them, tell me cool stories and I'll read them and maybe put them up on the site. I just can't promise that a review will increase your sales quota for the next quarter.
Chris Stewart
www.candycritic.org
chris@candycritic.org
