Here’s How These Four Companies are Celebrating Halloween This Year

The National Confectioners Association (NCA) reported that Halloween candy sales have increased in 2021 compared to 2020. Retailers have 27 percent more seasonal items this year than last year,  and 93 percent of consumers are looking forward to ways they are going to celebrate this day.

In fact, sales of chocolate and candy are up 48 percent compared to 2020, and nearly 60 percent since 2019.

“Chocolate and candy sales have come roaring back during the 2021 Halloween season as excitement continues to grow and consumers tell us they’re ready to celebrate. In addition, 82 percent of Americans say they plan to celebrate Halloween – including 93 percent of millennial parents. And retailers are going strong on Halloween displays this year, with iconic orange and black sets coming back in a big way,” said the President and CEO of NCA, John Downs.

Here’s how these four companies are celebrating this spooky season.

1. Tailored Pet

Tailed Pet, a direct-to-consumer dog food brand, announced that it is launching a new line of real-meat dog treats with unique benefits that cater to puppies, adults and senior dogs. This announcement came just in time for “Howloween.”

The company decided to make sure that the pups in the family were also a part of Halloween this year by introducing these new treats.

“Halloween is such a fun time for the whole family, and it’s always nice to include your furry family members in the festivities, too,” said Annina Silverman, the chief marketing officer at Tailored Pet, in a press release.  

“We know most traditional Halloween treats – like candy – are off-limits for dogs due to not-so-doggy-friendly ingredients, but this year, your pup doesn’t need to miss out,” Silverman continued.

The treats are made with Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to support puppy brain development and omega-6 fatty acids for healthy skin and shiny coats. Additionally, the senior dog recipe is packed with glucosamine and chondroitin for mobility support. Finally, the treats are heart-shaped, making them perfect for puppy training.

As part of the Halloween dog treat launch, the company is offering customers the chance to pick one of its  two special offers. When pet owners sign up for a subscription online, they can enter “TRICK” to receive 70 percent off their first order or “TREAT” to receive a free bag of new Tailored Treats. 

2. Chipotle Mexican Grill

For this year’s festivities, Chipotle plans to open a virtual restaurant on Roblox with $1 million in free burritos, or as the company calls them, Booritos, and serve up $5 digital entrees for burritos. In other words, fans can score points to win free Chipotle via the interactive Halloween experience. 

Chipotle is the first restaurant to open a virtual location on Roblox. This platform brings people together through a shared online experience where users can go to storefronts and play games. However, this is not to be confused with an actual video game; it’s a place to gather people and create a space to immerse yourself via 3D experiences.

The experience will go live on October 28th at 6:30 pm Eastern Standard Time as they continue to keep the Boorito tradition alive. Chipotle fans can also receive a $5 burrito, bowl, salad or taco from 5pm to close on Halloween with a digital promo code. 

The Boorito tradition has been around since the year 2000. It has brought fans together to celebrate Halloween in-restaurants, but the company went digital as a fun and new way to create unique experiences this year. 

“As a digital innovator, we are always experimenting on new platforms to meet our guests where they are,” said Chris Brandt, the chief marketing officer at Chipotle, in a press release. “Roblox’s popularity has boomed over the past year, and we know our fans will be excited to celebrate the next evolution of Boorito in the metaverse.”

3. Dunkin’

Dunkin’, like Chipotle, is giving consumers a chance to win $1000 or Dunkin’ prizes online. Additionally, it has the latest Halloween beverage available to consumers with its new Peanut Butter Cup Macchiato and a Spider Donut, to fit in with the festivities.

Dunkin’s specific chocolate and peanut butter flavors were chosen because they believe it is the perfect beverage as it combines Halloween’s favorite candy. This is also paired with Dunkin’s espresso, which makes a “frightfully enchanted new brew.”

Dunkin’ created an augmented reality where mobile users can enter a space and ring the bell. When the virtual door opens, they could instantly win $1000 or a Dunkin’ eGift that could be used to purchase the Peanut Butter Cup Macchiato or Halloween-themed Spider Donut.

“Halloween is always a fearfully fun holiday at Dunkin’. This year we are going all-in for the occasion, celebrating our Halloween enthusiasts with not only the sweetest new Peanut Butter Cup Macchiato but also a special scary sweepstake offering up to $1K per day through a virtual trick-or-treating experience,” said Anh-Dao Kefor, director of integrated marketing at Dunkin’ in a press release.

Related: How Reese’s Plans to Make Contactless Trick or Treating the New Normal

4. Klondike & Breyers

Halloween’s trick-or-treat tradition is popular among children, and parents are usually the ones trying to steal their candy. So, this year, Klondike and Breyers are teaming up to help parents stop stealing their kids’ Halloween candy by providing them with treats to hide in their own secret stash.

The new program allows parents to load up with Reese’s to satisfy their sweet tooth. All they need to do to purchase Klondike & Breyers Reese’s frozen treats is to confess to their past sweet swiping and claim a buy-one-get-one-free offer. This offer will be available throughout October and all you must do is text “Confess” to 64827 to claim the offer after following some instructions provided by the company.

“We know that Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are a Halloween hot commodity for the entire family,” says Russel Lilly, VP at Unilever Ice Cream USA, in a press release. “That’s why we’re stocking freezers with an adult stash of our loaded Reese’s products from Klondike & Breyers and offering this buy-one-get-one coupon for Klondike & Breyers Reese’s frozen treats all month long.”

This year, Halloween will be different for various people around the world as the pandemic begins to subside and life as we know it goes back to normal. Companies are also excited to be part of this journey and remind consumers of their favorite Halloween treats.