Magazine: Demand keeps growing for dark chocolate

The chocolate bar market is characterised by increased demand for branded products with a good price-value ratio, while the market share of private label products keeps shrinking. Korinna Kozma, marketing specialist with Nestlé Hungária Kft. told our magazine that the increase in ingredient prices had the biggest influence on the chocolate bar segment, where the average price per kilogram rose 7.8 percent in 2015.

Consumers like dark chocolate more and more: its market share has increased by 2.2 percent. In this segment BOCI is the market leader, having produced a 10-percent sales increase in both value and volume last year. After examining the performance of retail channels, Nestlé Hungária found that small shops play a more important role in sales – in part because of the mandatory Sunday closing of bigger shops. At the same time the weight of discount stores keeps growing, therefore BOCI increases its distribution in this channel.

Ms Kozma added that instead of putting seasonal products on the market, their strategy is widening the permanent selection with new products. In autumn 2015 BOCI Coffee and Milk and BOCI White Chocolate Espresso appeared on store shelves. In the first quarter of 2016 BOCI NASI products are launched: these products aren’t only special because of their 180g size, but also because of the very high, 36-percent of walnut, raisin and jelly these chocolate bars contain. Their look is also unique as BOCI NASI products are packaged in paper.