AMC, fresh off the rollout of its AMC popcorn brand, has added its own line of candy to concession offerings.
CEO Adam Aron first flagged the candy push back in May, noting the cost savings in making products in-house, as well as the branding opportunities. The news today is that four kinds of Cinema Sweets chocolate candy are now available in U.S. theaters “at price points in line with other candy products,” the company said.
The initial offerings include: Milk Chocolate Covered Pretzels with a Dark Chocolate Drizzle; Milk Chocolate Covered Almonds; Milk Chocolate Covered Raisins; and Milk Chocolate Covered Peanuts. More varieties will roll out in 2024.
“We spent the last year in research and development ensuring that AMC Cinema Sweets, carrying the AMC name, are candies we are proud of, and just as important – really delicious snacks that our guests will enjoy and seek out when they come to the movies,” said Hank Green, VP of Food & Beverage for AMC. The nation’s largest exhibitor said the launch followed “more than a year of study and close collaboration with top confectioners.”
The company’s AMC Perfectly Popcorn, for sale in theaters, is on shelves at over 2,000 Walmart stores and expanding to other retailers.
The exhibitor has also launched an AMC-branded Visa card.
All are unusual moves in the industry spearheaded by CEO Adam Aron. The chief executive, now able to sell stock to raise cash, has been doing so aggressively in recent months to ensure the company has enough of a cash buffer heading into 2024. The box office may teeter a bit next year as films were pushed out due the Hollywood strikes.