HARIBO of America has opened its first-ever U.S. retail store at Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in Central Valley, New York, with a second location at Wrentham Village Premium Outlets in Massachusetts set to follow in early August — a direct-to-consumer channel push that coincides with the appointment of Jon Hughes as the company's new President & CEO.
The dual moves signal a deliberate step-change in how HARIBO intends to compete in the U.S. confectionery market, which remains dominated by mass-retail placement and impulse purchasing at the point of sale. By establishing owned retail destinations at high-traffic premium outlets, the company is betting that immersive brand environments can build loyalty and command incremental spend beyond the grocery aisle.
The Store Format
Both locations are built around a Pick-and-Mix wall concept — an interactive format long established in HARIBO's European retail footprint — where shoppers assemble customizable candy blends by the bag. The stores will also carry exclusive merchandise, seasonal and limited-time offerings, and branded experiential elements. The format mirrors a broader industrywide move by confectionery and snack manufacturers toward DTC retail flagships designed to deepen consumer engagement and generate brand discovery that feeds back into broader retail velocity.
Hughes Takes the Helm
Hughes steps into the top U.S. role after serving as Managing Director for HARIBO U.K. & Ireland, giving him direct experience scaling the brand's retail store model in a mature market. His international operating background is relevant context: HARIBO's European concept stores have functioned as both revenue generators and marketing assets, and the company appears to be applying that playbook stateside. "As we enter this next chapter of growth, we're investing in new ways for fans to experience the Happy World of HARIBO, from innovative new treats to immersive retail destinations that bring the brand to life," Hughes said.
Why It Matters for Operators
For foodservice and specialty retail operators, the HARIBO store launch is a bellwether for how heritage CPG brands are beginning to treat physical retail as a brand-building channel rather than purely a distribution point. The Pick-and-Mix format in particular has implications for bulk-candy operators and entertainment-venue concessionaires tracking consumer appetite for customizable confectionery experiences. The premium-outlet location strategy — high dwell times, tourist-heavy traffic, above-average basket sizes — is a deliberate hedge against the risk inherent in early-stage DTC retail.
The launch arrives as the broader U.S. confectionery segment navigates input-cost pressure and shifting consumer preferences toward novelty formats and permissible indulgence. HARIBO, with nearly 8,500 employees globally and 15 production sites across 11 countries, has the manufacturing depth to support SKU expansion and LTO velocity. Whether the outlet-center format scales beyond these two initial units — or serves primarily as a proof-of-concept ahead of mall or street-level expansion — will be a key indicator to watch in the months ahead.
For more context on how confectionery brands are reshaping their retail channel strategies, see our coverage of specialty food retail trends and consumer packaged goods expansion into foodservice.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
