The Future of Candy
Places that will sell you custom wrapped candy are common and, of course, custom decorated cakes are nothing new. The point of the M&M evolution is the change from a product that used to be a commodity into one with both a wide variety of “standard options” and that for a little more money can be highly customized (as has been happening with other products like cars) for a wealthier society that both wants and can afford to have more more individualized products. No doubt the next step in sweet treats is for everyone to get their own customized flavors. That would extend the lean and just-in-time mfg. even further, where the product is made right where and when it is sold. What would such a store look like? Like a cocktail bar for children. This is not to say that mass production was a wrong turn. In the 1950’s there probably wasn’t the technology nor the widespread wealth to make custom M&M candies profitable. I’d rather have standard brown M&M’s than suck on a rock because I couldn’t afford the high priced custom candy. Standardized products still have a place but increasingly customized ones will return, not because we’ve forgotten how to lower cost with mass production but because we can afford not to use it when we feel like having something special.
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