Table of Contents
Executive Summary
-
- The market
- Chocolate confectionery sales grew 24% from 2008-13
-
- Figure 1: Total US retail sales and forecast of chocolate confectionery, at current prices, 2008-18
- Market segmentation
- Bars/bags/boxes 3.5 oz. or more segment lead sales and growth
-
- Figure 2: Total US retail sales of chocolate confectionery, by segment, at current prices, 2011 and 2013
- Innovation
- Kosher, seasonal claims see strong growth
-
- Figure 3: Chocolate confectionery launches, growth of top five claims (overall), 2010-14*
- Leading companies
- The Hershey Company comprises 43% of MULO sales of chocolate confectionery
-
- Figure 4: MULO sales of chocolate, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2012 and 2013
- The consumer
- 86% consumers purchase chocolate; 74% eat it
-
- Figure 5: Chocolate confectionery purchase (for anyone in household), by age, February 2014
- What we think
Issues and Insights
-
- What do we know about consumer views of product pricing?
- Issues
- Insight: Keeping products available at a range of price points will secure appeal
- How should leading companies approach premium offerings?
- Issues
- Insight: Premium offerings well positioned for permissibility
- Do consumers care about Fair Trade and ethical/environmental practices?
- Issue
- Insight: Stay ahead of the headlines
Trend Applications
-
- Trend: Experience is All
- Trend: Transumers
- Trend: Extend My Brand
Market Size and Forecast
-
- Key points
- Chocolate confectionery sales grew 24% from 2008-13
- Sales and forecast of chocolate confectionery
-
- Figure 6: Total US retail sales and forecast of chocolate confectionery, at current prices, 2008-18
- Figure 7: Total US retail sales and forecast of chocolate confectionery, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2008-18
- Fan chart forecast
-
- Figure 8: Total U.S. retail sales and forecast of chocolate confectionery, at current prices, 2008-18
Market Drivers
-
- Interest in chocolate keeps building
-
- Figure 9: Chocolate & other candy, July 2008-September 2013
- Taste for chocolate beyond confectionery keeps category exciting
- Popularity of snacking benefits chocolate confectionery
-
- Figure 10: Reese’s Minis, “Pop,” TV Ad, 2014
Competitive Context
-
- Encouraging responsible consumption can combat health concerns
-
- Figure 11: Attitudes toward chocolate confectionery, by age, February 2014
- Global demand for cocoa may impact product pricing
- Consumer interest in environmental responsibility may drive action
Segment Performance
-
- Key points
- Bars/bags/boxes 3.5 oz. or more segment leads sales and growth
-
- Figure 12: Total U.S. retail sales of chocolate confectionery, by segment, at current prices, 2011 and 2013
- Sales of bars/bags/boxes 3.5 oz. or more grew 28% from 2008-13
- US retail sales of bars/bags/boxes 3.5 oz. or more
-
- Figure 13: Total US retail sales and forecast of bars/bags/boxes 3.5 oz. or more, at current prices, 2008-18
- Seasonal chocolate sales grew 14% from 2008-13
-
- Figure 14: Dove chocolate, “More Than One Valentine,” TV Ad, 2014
- US retail sales of seasonal chocolate confectionery
-
- Figure 15: Total US retail sales and forecast of seasonal chocolate confectionery, at current prices, 2008-18
- Figure 16: Total US retail sales of seasonal chocolate confectionery, by occasion, at current prices, 2011 and 2013
- Sales of bars/bags/boxes less than 3.5 oz. grew 40% from 2008-13
- US retail sales of bars/bags/boxes less than 3.5 oz.
-
- Figure 17: Total US retail sales and forecast of bars/bags/boxes less than 3.5 oz., at current prices, 2008-18
- Sales of snack-size chocolate grew 24% from 2008-13
- US retail sales of snack-size chocolate confectionery
-
- Figure 18: Total US retail sales and forecast of snack-size chocolate confectionery, at current prices, 2008-18
- Sales of gift boxes dip in 2013
- US retail sales of gift boxes
-
- Figure 19: Total US retail sales and forecast of gift boxes, at current prices, 2008-18
- Sugar free continues to struggle
- US retail sales of sugar-free chocolate confectionery
-
- Figure 20: Total US retail sales and forecast of sugar-free chocolate confectionery, at current prices, 2008-18
Retail Channels
-
- “Other” channels dominate sales of chocolate confectionery
-
- Figure 21: Walgreens, “Good & Delish,” TV Ad, 2014
- Natural channel sales grew 53% from 2011-13, reach $91 billion
-
- Figure 22: Total US retail sales of chocolate confectionery, by channel, at current prices, 2011-13
- Supermarket sales of chocolate confectionery
-
- Figure 23: US supermarket sales of chocolate confectionery, at current prices, 2008-13
- Drug store sales of chocolate confectionery
-
- Figure 24: US drug store sales of chocolate confectionery, at current prices, 2008-13
- “Other” retail channel sales of chocolate confectionery
-
- Figure 25: US sales of chocolate confectionery, through other retail channels, at current prices, 2008-13
- Sales of chocolate confectionery in the natural channel
-
- Figure 26: Natural supermarket sales of chocolate confectionery, at current prices, 2011-13
Leading Companies and Brand Share
-
- Key points
- Premium chocolate sees rapid growth in the segment led by Hershey
- Lindt makes a move for third place
- MULO sales of chocolate confectionery
-
- Figure 27: MULO sales of chocolate, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2012 and 2013
- Chocolate bar/bag/box segment driven by product innovation
- Mars focuses on new formats
- MULO sales of bars/bags/boxes
-
- Figure 28: 2013 MULO sales of chocolate bars/bags/boxes, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2012 and 2013
- Hershey leads seasonal sales, Russell Stover wins Valentine’s Day
- MULO sales of seasonal chocolate
-
- Figure 29: MULO sales of seasonal chocolate, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2012 and 2013
- Snack-size segment sees slight growth led by Hershey, Mars
- MULO sales of snack-size chocolate
-
- Figure 30: sales of snack-size chocolate, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2012 and 2013
- Russell Stover losing ground to Ferrero in gift box segment
-
- Figure 31: Ferrero USA “25 Days Wrapped In Foil” sweepstakes, December 25, 2013
- MULO sales of gift box chocolate
-
- Figure 32: sales of gift box chocolate, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2012 and 2013
- Sugar-free chocolate segment continues to struggle
-
- Figure 2: Hershey Sugar Free Assortments, March 21, 2014
- MULO sales of sugar-free chocolate
-
- Figure 33: MULO sales of sugar-free chocolate, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2012 and 2013
Innovations and Innovators
-
- New product activity down
-
- Figure 34: Chocolate confectionery launches, by launch type, 2010-14*
-
- Figure 35: Attitudes toward chocolate confectionery (flavor), by age, February 2014
- Kosher, seasonal claims see strong growth
-
- Figure 36: Chocolate confectionery launches, by top 10 claims, 2010-14*
-
- Figure 37: Attitudes toward chocolate confectionery, by age, February 2014
- Unflavored/plain chocolate loses share
-
- Figure 38: Chocolate confectionery launches, by top 10 flavors, 2010-14*
Social Media
-
- Key points
- Market overview
- Key social media metrics
-
- Figure 39: Key social media metrics, March 2014
- Brand usage and awareness
-
- Figure 40: Brand usage and awareness for select chocolate confectionery brands, February 2014
- Interactions with chocolate confectionery brands
-
- Figure 41: Interaction with selected chocolate confectionery brands, February 2014
- Leading online campaigns
- Highlighting seasonal offerings
- Benefitting legacy brands
- Engaging with other brands
- What we think
- Online conversations
-
- Figure 42: Online mentions of select chocolate confectionery brands, by month, March 1, 2013-February 28, 2014
- Where are people talking about chocolate confectionery brands?
-
- Figure 43: Online mentions of select chocolate confectionery brands, by page type, March 1, 2013-February 28, 2014
- What are people talking about?
-
- Figure 44: Mentions by topic of conversations, select chocolate confectionery brands, March 1, 2013-February 28, 2014
Chocolate Confectionery Purchase and Consumption
-
- Key points
- 86% consumers purchase chocolate; 74% eat it
-
- Figure 45: Chocolate confectionery purchase, by age, February 2014
- Adults eat candy twice a week
-
- Figure 46: Chocolate & other candy, July 2012-September 2013
- Men like bars. Smaller formats appeal to women
-
- Figure 47: Chocolate & other candy, by gender and age, July 2012-September 2013
- Figure 48: Hershey’s bliss chocolates, “One Square Inch,” TV Ad, 2013
Chocolate Confectionery Spend
-
- Key points
- Average spend on individual candy bars exceeds other segments
- Men spend more than women on chocolate
-
- Figure 49: Hershey’s TV spot for York Peppermint Patty, 2014
- Figure 50: Price level, by gender, February 2014
-
- Figure 51: Attitudes toward chocolate confectionery (price), by gender, February 2014
- 25-34s can sustain higher price points
-
- Figure 52: Price level, by age, February 2014
- …but are also open to affordable offerings
-
- Figure 53: Attitudes toward chocolate confectionery (price), by age, February 2014
- Higher-price point products can find interest among higher-income earners
-
- Figure 54: Attitudes toward chocolate confectionery (price), by household income, February 2014
- Highest percentage of consumers would swallow a 25% price increase
-
- Figure 55: Purchase behavior if 25% price increase, February 2014
- Young shoppers engaged, but have spending limits
-
- Figure 56: Purchase behavior if 25% price increase, by age, February 2014
Consumption Occasion
-
- Key points
- Snack positioning rules in chocolate confectionery
- Dessert chocolate finds strong target in women
-
- Figure 57: Consumption occasion, by gender, February 2014
- Chocolate snacks may attract older shoppers
-
- Figure 58: Hershey’s, “S’mores,” TV Ad, 2013
-
- Figure 59: Consumption occasion, by age, February 2014
- Functional chocolate can find a place among young shoppers
-
- Figure 60: Reasons for eating, by age, February 2014
- Lower-income earning households turn to category for snacking
-
- Figure 61: Ghirardelli squares, “Rendezvous,” TV Ad, 2014
- Figure 62: Consumption occasion, by household income, February 2014
Purchase Decision
-
- Key points
- Chocolate buyers open to new products
- Importance of Fair Trade low, will allow products to stand out down the line
- Familiarity important among older consumers
-
- Figure 63: Purchase decision, by age, February 2014
- Higher-income households interested in variety
-
- Figure 64: Purchase decision, by household income, February 2014
Custom Consumer Group – Households with Children
-
- Key points
- HHs with children significantly more likely to purchase chocolate
-
- Figure 65: Chocolate confectionery purchase, by presence of children in household, February 2014
- Nearly three quarters of parents buy chocolate for their kids
-
- Figure 66: Chocolate confectionery purchase, February 2014
- Non-individually wrapped chocolate pieces popular among parents
-
- Figure 67: Chocolate confectionery purchase, by any spent on chocolate confectionery spend, February 2014
- Fun-size candy particularly popular among HHs with children
-
- Figure 68: types of chocolate & other candy eaten, by presence of children in household, July 2012-September 2013
- King-size bars attract teen boys 12-14
-
- Figure 69: Chocolate & other candy eaten, by gender and age, May 2012-June 2013
- Nearly one quarter of HHs with children look for natural ingredients
-
- Figure 70: Purchase decision, by presence of children in household, February 2014
-
- Figure 71: Purchase decision, by gender and parents with children in household, February 2014
- Pester power likely influences purchase decision
-
- Figure 72: Attitudes toward chocolate confectionery by any agree, by presence of children in household, February 2014
Impact of Race and Hispanic Origin
-
- Key points
- Asian consumers good target for chocolate purchase
-
- Figure 73: Chocolate confectionery purchase, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2014
- Functional chocolate may appeal to Hispanics
-
- Figure 74: Reasons for eating, by Hispanic origin, February 2014
- Asians open to trying new products, Hispanics drawn to natural
-
- Figure 75: Purchase decision, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2014
- Dark chocolate offerings should appeal to Asian shoppers
-
- Figure 76: Attitudes toward chocolate confectionery by any agree, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2014
Appendix – Other Useful Consumer Tables
-
- Chocolate confectionery purchase
-
- Figure 77: Chocolate confectionery purchase, by gender and age, February 2014
-
- Figure 78: Chocolate confectionery purchase, by household income, February 2014
-
- Figure 79: Chocolate confectionery purchase, by gender and parents with children in household, February 2014
-
- Figure 80: Chocolate and other candy, by moms with children in household, July 2012-September 2013
-
- Figure 81: Food, April 2008-June 2013
-
- Figure 82: Bars and other candy, April 2008-June 2013
-
- Figure 83: Food and drink in school, April 2008-June 2013
- Chocolate confectionery spend
-
- Figure 84: Chocolate confectionery spend, February 2014
-
- Figure 85: Price level, by gender and age, February 2014
-
- Figure 86: Price level, by household income, February 2014
-
- Figure 87: Price level, by presence of children in household, February 2014
-
- Figure 88: Price level, by gender and parents with children in household, February 2014
-
- Figure 89: Purchase behavior if 25% price increase, by Hispanic origin, February 2014
-
- Figure 90: Purchase behavior if 25% price increase, by gender, February 2014
-
- Figure 91: Purchase behavior if 25% price increase, by gender and age, February 2014
-
- Figure 92: Purchase behavior if 25% price increase, by household income, February 2014
-
- Figure 93: Purchase behavior if 25% price increase, by presence of children in household, February 2014
-
- Figure 94: Purchase behavior if 25% price increase, by gender and parents with children in household, February 2014
-
- Figure 95: Purchase behavior if 25% price increase, by any spent on chocolate confectionery spend, February 2014
- Consumption occasion
-
- Figure 96: Consumption occasion, by gender and age, February 2014
-
- Figure 97: Reasons for eating, by gender, February 2014
-
- Figure 98: Reasons for eating, by gender and age, February 2014
-
- Figure 99: Reasons for eating, by household income, February 2014
-
- Figure 100: Consumption occasion, by presence of children in household, February 2014
-
- Figure 101: Consumption occasion, by gender and parents with children in household, February 2014
-
- Figure 102: Reasons for eating, by gender and presence of children in household, February 2014
- Purchase decision
-
- Figure 103: Purchase decision, by gender, February 2014
-
- Figure 104: Purchase decision, by gender and age, February 2014
-
- Figure 105: Purchase decision, by any spent on chocolate confectionery spend, February 2014
-
- Figure 106: Purchase decision, by Hispanic origin and household income, February 2014
- Attitudes toward chocolate confectionery
-
- Figure 107: Attitudes toward chocolate confectionery, February 2014
-
- Figure 108: Attitudes toward chocolate confectionery by any agree, by gender and age, February 2014
-
- Figure 109: Attitudes toward chocolate confectionery by any agree, by Hispanic origin and household income, February 2014
-
- Figure 110: Attitudes toward chocolate confectionery by any agree, by any spent on chocolate confectionery spend, February 2014
-
- Figure 111: Attitudes toward chocolate confectionery, by gender, February 2014
-
- Figure 112: Attitudes toward chocolate confectionery, by gender and parents with children in household, February 2014
Appendix – Social Media
-
- Brand usage or awareness
-
- Figure 113: Brand usage or awareness, February 2014
- Figure 114: M&M’s usage or awareness, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 115: Snickers usage or awareness, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 116: Kit Kat usage or awareness, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 117: Reese’s usage or awareness, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 118: Lindt usage or awareness, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 119: Ghirardelli usage or awareness, by demographics, February 2014
- Activities done
-
- Figure 120: Activities done, February 2014
- Figure 121: M&M’s – Activities done – I have looked up/talked about this brand online on social media, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 122: M&M’s – Activities done – I have contacted/interacted with the brand online on social media to, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 123: M&M’s – Activities done – I follow/like the brand on social media because, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 124: M&M’s – Activities done – I have researched the brand on social media to, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 125: Snickers – Activities done – I have looked up/talked about this brand online on social media, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 126: Snickers – Activities done – I have contacted/interacted with the brand online on social media to, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 127: Snickers – Activities done – I follow/like the brand on social media because, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 128: Snickers – Activities done – I have researched the brand on social media to, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 129: Kit Kat – Activities done, by demographics – I have looked up/talked about this brand online on social media, February 2014
-
- Figure 130: Kit Kat – Activities done, by demographics – I have contacted/interacted with the brand online on social media to, February 2014
-
- Figure 131: Kit Kat – Activities done, by demographics – I follow/like the brand on social media because, February 2014
-
- Figure 132: Kit Kat – Activities done, by demographics – I have researched the brand on social media to, February 2014
-
- Figure 133: Reese’s – Activities done – I have looked up/talked about this brand online on social media, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 134: Reese’s – Activities done – I have contacted/interacted with the brand online on social media to, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 135: Reese’s – Activities done – I follow/like the brand on social media because, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 136: Reese’s – Activities done – I have researched the brand on social media to, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 137: Lindt – Activities done – I have looked up/talked about this brand online on social media, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 138: Lindt – Activities done – I have contacted/interacted with the brand online on social media to, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 139: Lindt – Activities done – I follow/like the brand on social media because, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 140: Lindt – Activities done – I have researched the brand on social media to, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 141: Ghirardelli – Activities done – I have looked up/talked about this brand online on social media, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 142: Ghirardelli – Activities done – I have contacted/interacted with the brand online on social media to, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 143: Ghirardelli – Activities done – I follow/like the brand on social media because, by demographics, February 2014
-
- Figure 144: Ghirardelli – Activities done – I have researched the brand on social media to, by demographics, February 2014
- Key social media metrics
-
- Figure 145: Social media metrics – Kit Kat, February 2014
- Figure 146: Social media metrics – Snickers, February 2014
- Figure 147: Social media metrics – M&M’s, February 2014
- Figure 148: Social media metrics – Reese’s, February 2014
- Figure 149: Social media metrics – Lindt, February 2014
-
- Figure 150: Social media metrics – Ghirardelli, February 2014
- Online conversations
-
- Figure 151: Online mentions of select chocolate confectionery brands, by month, March 1, 2013-February 28, 2014
- Figure 152: Online mentions of select chocolate confectionery brands, by page type, March 1, 2013-February 28, 2014
- Figure 153: Mentions, by topic of conversations, select chocolate confectionery brands, March 1, 2013-February 28, 2014
Appendix – Trade Associations
Back to top