Chocolates at the starting line

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2025/8-9.

Interestingly, while the market for chocolate figures didn’t grow, the segment of chocolate bars – which had a much more favourable price per kilogram – produced double-digit growth in December, well above the annual average.

Panna Miklós
business manager of
confectionery
Nestlé Hungária

“In contrast to Christmas, value sales before Easter 2025 grew by double digits. Although this was largely due to pricing, it still gives cause for some optimism for this Christmas”,

says Panna Miklós, business manager of confectionery at Nestlé.

Innovations can have a significant share is growth

A mixed picture

Pál Molnár
commercial director
Szerencsi Bonbon

Pál Molnár, commercial director of Szerencsi Bonbon Kft.:

“Some chains realised excellent sales nationwide, while elsewhere the picture varied greatly from region to region. Along the western and southern borders some of the confectionery sales are realised on the other side of the border”.

According to Szerencsi Bonbon’s partner forecasts, a mixed season is expected at the end of 2025.

Zsolt Farkas
head of sales and
marketing
Szamos Marcipán

Due to further increases in raw material prices this year, Zsolt Farkas, head of sales and marketing at Szamos Marcipán Kft. forecasts more moderate demand for both figures and chocolate bars at the end of the year.

“Regardless of the sharp rise in raw material prices, which forced us to increase product prices, there was growing demand for Szamos Marcipán’s seasonal products last year”,

he adds.

Attila Szende
marketing director
Stühmer

Attila Szende, marketing director of Stühmer Kft.:

 “At Stühmer we are trying to cut costs, primarily in logistics and packaging, but we won’t compromise on quality, as we have never done so before”.

 

Christmas candies: tradition and innovation go hand in hand

Data from last year’s Christmas season and this year’s Easter period show that premiumisation is gaining momentum again, according to Klaudia Demeter, managing director of Demeter Chocolate Kft. She says that consumers continue to look for well-known, traditional flavours among Christmas candies, but are also open to new products and special flavour combinations.

“The two opposing market factors – the easing of inflation and the increase in the world market price of raw materials, especially cocoa beans – was a big challenge, but we managed to adjust our pricing policy and product portfolio so that this didn’t significantly affect purchasing behaviour”,

she explains.

Erzsébet Szilvágyi
commercial director
Lissé Édességgyár

Lissé Édességgyár Kft. forecasts moderate but stable growth for its branded products in 2025.

“Among Christmas candies classic flavours (rum and cocoa, jelly, coconut) will continue to dominate, but special varieties, including those with alcoholic fillings or without certain ingredients (e.g., sugar-free, vegan), are also increasingly popular”,

says commercial director Erzsébet Szilvágyi.

From cottage to box

This year Nestlé is expanding its largest brand, Balaton in the figure segment. Plus they are launching a cute, cheerful Christmas bauble under the SMARTIES brand. Under the KITKAT brand the company is are introducing a real speciality, a set that can be used to build Santa’s cottage. The product range will be expanded with a number of in-out products: Halloween and Christmas JOJO candies and a NESQUIK gift box made up of standard products. With the KITKAT brand they are also preparing a selection of small chocolate bars. Szerencsi Bonbon also has seasonal novelties in store for 2025. Bogyó&Babóca Christmas candy will be revamped and an Advent calendar and a box containing milk chocolate called “cottage fantasy” will come out in this sub-brand range. Together with the Santa Claus package and the 20g milk chocolate bars available as a permanent item in all chains, the Bogyó&Babóca range now has five products. The ZERO brand is now complete with an Advent calendar.

Some chains saw outstanding nationwide sales, while others had very region-specific performancde

Flavours in 29 versions

In 2025 Szamos is offering Christmas candy in 29 flavours. Their new variants are Szamos Lemon-Ginger Praline Christmas Candy, Szamos Coffee Cream Praline Christmas Candy and Szamos Gianduja Praline Christmas Candy. Another new product is Szamos Erős Pista Christmas Candy, which will be available in stores in cooperation with Univer Product Zrt. In addition to these, the well-known Szamos bejglis and Szamos festive marzipan figures will also be part of the assortment this year.

Stühmer Kft. will introduce a wide range of innovations in 2025, with the Stühmer brand presenting an exciting portfolio of Christmas candies. The new products will include a really exclusive flavour with a special story that will be talked about a lot. This year the company has already completed the development of its “space chocolate” (Tibor Kapu took the Stühmer Pillanat Korfu product into space with him) and successfully launched the Stühmer Pillanat product line.

From the basic to the extraordinary

Lissé Édességgyár is also taking a bolder approach to innovation, with new flavour variations and redesigned packaging for the season. Their top products such as rum and cocoa or classic jelly Christmas candies form a stable foundation, but the company is also offering more and more products that cater to special needs, such as pistachio, vegan or no-added-sugar variants. Proven, popular products also serve as a stable basis for Demeter Chocolate Kft.’s seasonal portfolio. At the same time, the company plans to launch several new products with special flavours and shapes this year. Their objective is to surprise customers and give them experiences every season, while maintaining consistent quality.