Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Definition
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Modest, mostly steady growth for chocolate confectionery
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- Figure 1: Total US retail sales and fan chart forecast of chocolate confectionery, at current prices, 2012-2022
- Overall purchase of chocolate nearly universal
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- Figure 2: Chocolate purchases, February 2018
- Purchasers tend to stay with familiar types
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- Figure 3: Chocolate behaviors, February 2018
- The opportunities
- Younger purchasers more likely to buy on impulse, look for new types
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- Figure 4: Chocolate behaviors, by age, February 2018
- Mini-size form draws interest, could encourage munching, sharing
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- Figure 5: Interest in chocolate concepts, February 2018
- Younger adults like the same types of chocolate they did as kids
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- Figure 6: Attitudes toward chocolate, by age, February 2018
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Modest, mostly steady growth for chocolate confectionery
- Boxes, bags, and bars account for two thirds of chocolate sales
Market Size and Forecast
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- Modest, mostly steady growth for chocolate confectionery
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- Figure 7: Total US retail sales and fan chart forecast of chocolate confectionery, at current prices, 2012-2022
- Figure 8: Total US sales and forecast of chocolate confectionery, at current prices, 2012-22
Market Breakdown
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- Boxes, bags, and bars account for two thirds of chocolate sales
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- Figure 9: Share of chocolate confectionery, by segment, 2017
- Seasonal chocolate small but gaining share
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- Figure 10: Sales of chocolate confectionery, by segment, 2012-17
Market Perspective
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- Other sweet, indulgent categories generate modest growth
- Cookies
- Ice cream
Market Factors
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- Obesity epidemic may dampen chocolate consumption
- Snacking continues to grow more prevalent
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- Figure 11: Snacking frequency, March 2017
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Seasonal themes, especially Halloween, continue to drive growth
- M&M’s accelerates growth with new varieties
- Small premium bars from small companies a growing part of category
- To re-energize segment, sugar-free chocolate leader reformulates with stevia
- Reducing sugar through sugar innovation
Company Sales of Chocolate Confectionery
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- Hershey maintains lead in chocolate, launches indulgent new treats
- Ferrero moves into top four with Nestlé confectionery acquisition
- Company sales of chocolate confectionery
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- Figure 12: Multi-outlet sales of chocolate confectionery, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
What’s Working?
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- Seasonal themes, especially Halloween, continue to drive growth
- M&M’s accelerates growth with new varieties
- M&M’s Caramel Chocolate
- Hershey’s Cookie Layer Crunch combines familiar tastes and textures
- Small premium bars from small companies a growing part of category
What’s Struggling?
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- To re-energize segment, sugar-free chocolate leader reformulates with stevia
What’s Next?
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- Reducing sugar through sugar innovation
- Functional chocolate confectionery
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Overall purchase of chocolate nearly universal
- Familiarity guides most chocolate purchases
- Snacking most common of a variety of occasions
- Purchasers tend to stay with familiar types, but often buy on impulse
- Mini-size form draws interest, could encourage munching, sharing
- Most okay with occasional indulgence
Chocolate Purchases
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- Overall purchase of chocolate nearly universal
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- Figure 13: Chocolate purchases, February 2018
- Younger adults more likely to purchase most forms of chocolate
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- Figure 14: Chocolate purchases, by age, February 2018
- Hispanic consumers more likely to purchase boxed chocolate
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- Figure 15: Chocolate purchases, by race/Hispanic origin, February 2018
- Holiday themes especially motivating to Hispanic consumers
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- Figure 16: Chocolate packaging/branding/types purchased, by age, February 2018
Purchase Factors
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- Familiarity guides most chocolate purchases
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- Figure 17: Chocolate purchase factors, February 2018
- Younger adults more likely to look for interesting, indulgent flavors
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- Figure 18: Chocolate purchase factors, by age, February 2018
Chocolate Occasions
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- Snacking most common of a variety of occasions
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- Figure 19: Chocolate occasions, February 2018
- Younger adults more likely to give chocolate as a gift
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- Figure 20: Chocolate occasions, by age, February 2018
Chocolate Behaviors
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- Purchasers tend to stay with familiar types, but often buy on impulse
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- Figure 21: Chocolate behaviors, February 2018
- Younger purchasers more likely to buy on impulse, look for new types
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- Figure 22: Chocolate behaviors, by age, February 2018
Interest in Chocolate Concepts
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- Mini-size form draws interest, could encourage munching, sharing
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- Figure 23: Interest in chocolate concepts, February 2018
- Young adults more likely to report interest in flavor, ingredient concepts
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- Figure 24: Interest in chocolate concepts, by age, February 2018
Attitudes toward Chocolate
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- Most okay with occasional indulgence
- Most see value in premium quality chocolate
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- Figure 25: Attitudes toward chocolate, February 2018
- Younger adults like the same types of chocolate they did as kids
- Older adults more likely to be concerned about sugar
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- Figure 26: Attitudes toward chocolate, by age, February 2018
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 27: Total US retail sales and forecast of chocolate confectionery, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2012-22
- Figure 28: Total US retail sales and forecast of box/bag/bar <3.5oz, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 29: Total US retail sales and forecast of box/bag/bar >3.5oz, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 30: Total US retail sales and forecast of snack size, at current prices, 2012-22
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- Figure 31: Total US retail sales and forecast of gift box, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 32: Total US retail sales and forecast of seasonal chocolate, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 33: Total US retail sales and forecast of sugar-free chocolate, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 34: Multi-outlet sales of seasonal chocolate confectionery, by season, 2012-17
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- Figure 35: Total US retail sales of chocolate confectionery, by channel, at current prices, 2012-17
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Appendix – Key Players
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- Figure 36: Multi-outlet sales of chocolate bars/bags/boxes <3.5oz, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Figure 37: Multi-outlet sales of chocolate bars/bags/boxes >3.5oz, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
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- Figure 38: Multi-outlet sales of snack size chocolate, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Figure 39: Multi-outlet sales of gift box chocolate, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
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- Figure 40: Multi-outlet sales of seasonal chocolate, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Figure 41: Multi-outlet sales of sugar-free chocolate, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
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- Figure 42: Chocolate launches, by leading claims, 2012-17
- Figure 43: Chocolate launches, by launch type, 2012-17
- Figure 44: Chocolate launches, by leading flavor components, 2012-17
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