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Unleash Your Inner Child 1

Offering a humorous escape from everyday life ever since it was founded in
2006, IT’SUGAR has become one of the largest specialty candy “retailtainers”
in the world. In this interview, RLI catches up with CEO Jarett Levan to learn
all about the company and how it continues to innovate.

ore than just a candy store, IT’SUGAR American Dream,
Mis an experience! Known for their New Jersey, USA
spectacular sugar innovations that celebrate
light-hearted rebellion, IT’SUGAR aspires to a
future where everyone has access to the pure
joy that comes from indulging in a world with
fewer rules and more sugar.
Launched 18 years ago, IT’SUGAR’s first
store opened in Atlantic City, New Jersey on
the boardwalk. Today the business operates
120 locations across 29 states and two
countries and its mission remains the same, to
offer a sweet and humorous escape from the
norm and give customers the opportunity to
choose the experience they want.
Their stores range in size from 1,000sq ft to 1,2: West Edmonton Mall, Canada
30,000sq ft and everything in-between, offering
the opportunity to indulge, laugh out loud and While the company is not currently looking candy that is attributed to the brand,” Levan 2
be in a place where no judgement is given. It for expansion outside of the US and Canada, comments.
truly is a place to unleash your inner child. Levan does highlight that there is plenty of A major element of retail today is brand
The company’s store portfolio consists white space for growth in its home market experience and offering an experience unlike
mainly of mall and outlet locations, followed by as well as Canada, which they have recently any other goes a long way in ensuring repeat
resort destinations and finally high street stores. launched into with a store in the Western part visits and customer loyalty. One of IT’SUGAR’s
This is reflected in their recent store openings, of the country. key experiences is their bulk bins of candy, of
as they recently opened in North Park, Dallas, As we move onto discussing the development which they have around 20,000 across their
Texas a 3,000sq ft store in a very busy mall with and evolution of new products and initiatives store portfolio. Called ‘Chews Your Mix’,
a strong catchment that caters to families and within IT’SUGAR, it offers customers can scoop and
households in the suburban market. the CEO a chance to highlight choose their mix of candy
They also launched a new store on Michigan how things have altered in-store. All customers on
Avenue in Chicago, which Levan classes as a in recent years. Instead of entry are offered a sample
high street location which spans 6,000sq ft brainstorming in meetings like IT’SUGAR ASPIRES and on exit they have
and is well-positioned amongst a lot of well- they have in the past, much of TO A FUTURE WHERE the chance to purchase
known retailers. Finally, they have opened their the business’s ideation comes EVERYONE HAS ACCESS a charity pop, a lollipop
largest store-to-date, a 30,000sq ft branded from TikTok, social media and TO THE PURE JOY where the proceeds from
department store at Fisherman’s Wharf in current trends, one of which is THAT COMES FROM the purchase go to the
INDULGING IN A
San Francisco, California. This store is a haven retro products. WORLD WITH FEWER Make-A-Wish Foundation.
for candy lovers across three floors that An example of this is RULES AND MORE Also they have different
features 300 bulk candy bins, a whole host of retro sours, a product SUGAR.” activations at different
candy-themed activations and candy-adjacent that was discontinued by stores. “For example, at The beginning of this article stated that
products. Featuring a lollipop garden on entry, Altoids around 14 years ago. Jarett Levan our 24,000sq ft store at the brand is more than a candy store and its
CEO of IT’SUGAR
the site offers guests a unique candy-themed IT’SUGAR negotiated an the American Dream mall partnerships with the likes of Netflix on the
experience. exclusive deal to bring it back in New Jersey, there is the final season of Stranger Things and with Mattel
“In terms of new store openings, we have in three flavours and it has been back on their first and only OREO Café, which is an exclusive on the upcoming Hot Wheels film that is
eight new sites in the pipeline between now shelves for the past few weeks… Levan says on the third floor of the store. We continue coming out next year highlight this.
and February. We have several opening in the they are struggling to keep it there; such is the to do different things in different markets, all “Today about 30 per cent of what sell in
New England region, including our first store in product’s popularity. with the goal of offering unique and humorous stores is not candy, but candy adjacent and this
New Hampshire that will mark our 30th state,” “We also have great relationships with experiences for all our guests,” Levan highlights. idea of being more than candy is what drives
explains Jarett Levan, CEO of IT’SUGAR. “In the brands. We work with companies such As it nears the end of its second decade us and motivates us. As we look to the future,
addition, there are several more stores opening as Haribo, OREO, Sour Patch Kids, Swedish of operation, the company has found that by staying on trend will be vital for us so we will
in the Texas market, a store launching in St. Fish, M&M’s, Mars and Nerds to name a sticking to its core mission of offering humour continue to identify upcoming trends so that
Louis, Missouri, two openings in upstate New few, on things such as exclusive flavours or and creativity to its guests, it has seen ongoing we can offer products to our customers that
York and our overall plan is to open eight to ten products that are non-edible, such as candles, success and they are looking to continue this are timely, but also remain fun and humorous,”
stores a year.” sweatshirts, t-shirts, boxers or even oversized pattern moving forward. concludes Levan.

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