It’s an experience to venture out of the world of stuff that’s good for you and jump right into a circus of pure indulgence … in this case, the All Candy Expo here in Chicago, where more than 2,000 new products were introduced.

There’ve been lots of news reports about this recession-proof industry, with nostalgia-craving adults seeking the sweets that satisfied them as kids. So after finding some Pixy Stix (a Wonka brand) and donning a pair of wax lips, I was off to see (rather, taste) for myself.

Well, the odd-ball mixing of flavors is now big in the candy biz, with hit-and-miss results. Some of the best were from a little company, Das Foods, with its line of interesting lollipops, like Man Bait (bacon and maple syrup) and Fab-O-Pom (pomegranate and citrus).

Another of my favorites was Crackheads, a line of chocolate-covered espresso beans. “Try this!” came an excited command from John Osmanski, owner of the company. “These 5 beans equal 2 cups of coffee.” Gotta admit, they were quite the pick-me-up. With another recent study confirming that coffee is “good for” the liver, I felt especially virtuous.

Which got me to wondering if there were any healthy candies being showcased. Sure enough … well, at least candy with “healthful” flavors such as acai, pomegranate and green tea. And a few wholesome and/or organic snack mixes.

But then this caught my attention: BrightSpot Brands (great name, isn’t it?), The World’s First Nutritionally Enhanced Candy Company. Its Gimme line of bite-sized candies delivers a substantial dose of calcium, omega-3 and probiotics. The company is owned and operated by Tim O’Connor, who, after a great career marketing fruit snacks with General Mills and launching Tropicana’s Pure Premium Plus OJ, decided to be an entrepreneur with a mission. That is, to use candy as a delivery vehicle for health and nutrition.

Definitely breaking some old candy molds, he’s of the mindset that every food manufacturer should be doing more to boost the nutrition value of the products it sells. And while making decent progress at retail, he’s constantly up against buyers who are both afraid of something “this new” that costs a bit more. Sound familiar?

He told me when he talks with ingredient companies (he raved about Glanbia), they love that they’re not beaten up on price, which often sacrifices quality. I’ve tried some calcium-enhanced “chocolates” (marketed as dietary supplements) and they were disappointing. I know enhanced foods can taste great, but are the cost-cutters ruining it for all of us by turning consumers off to the category? It’s likely you’re living those cost justification nightmares every day. We need more Tim O’Connors—Tim, we’re pulling for you!