There is value in chocolate figures

Last year’s improved consumer mood manifested in the sales data of Easter chocolate figures too. More and better quality products were purchased in 2014.

– Besides a 2-percent growth in volume sales there was also a 13.6 percent increase in value sales in comparison with the base period – Panna Miklós, brand manager with Nestlé Hungária Kft. informed us. Coating mass products basically disappeared from the market. Market leader Nestlé managed to reinforce its position with its top-quality, real chocolate products available under various brand names, which are made in the company’s Diósgyőr factory. Sales of chocolate figures smaller than 55g improved by 1.5 percent. Zsuzsa Fekete, brand manager of Gourmet International Food Trading (G.I.F.T.) Kft.: – Demand for premium quality products is slowly increasing. As for product size, smaller figures sell better and the HUF 1,000 price seems to be a ceiling in spending. In 2014 sales of LINDT Gold Bunny surged by 25 percent. Typically premium-category LINDT products are bought in hyper- and supermarkets. This year the company’s new product is Lindt Chic in 5x10g version. Milk chocolate products took over the role formerly played by coating mass products. Consequently, average prices augmented by 25 percent. Among retail channels discount stores improved their position; drugstores practically disappeared, while hypermarkets’ share decreased – although they still make up for almost half of category sales. Ms Miklós told that there is growing demand for products with a filling, and not only for those filled with cream but also for those with pralines, toy or chocolate drops inside