Magazinr: Real progress in the category of winter holiday sweets

At the end of last year volume sales in the chocolate figure market were about the same as in previous years, but in values sales a considerable growth occurred. Sales of lower quality products are reducing year after year: last Christmas these chocolate figures only represented 6.7 percent of total sales – informed Korinna Kozma, brand manager of Nestlé Hungária. Sándor Sánta, managing director of Chocco Garden Kft. forecasts a good end-of-the-year season. He told that in product size smaller figures have become popular: while 2-3 years ago 150g and bigger chocolate figures were the most popular, last year 40-60g products were selling much better, and 10-18g plastic tube products were successful too.

Milk chocolate products realise 86 percent of chocolate figure sales, but demand is growing for dark chocolate products too. Santa Claus figures are responsible for 63 percent of value sales. In the category of other figures SMARTIES products have a 28-percent share. The steadily growing demand for them shows that shoppers aren’t only looking for quality, but also for special characteristics.

This Christmas a SMARTIES Bear in the Bear product will appear in shops. The chocolate Rudolf the Reindeer will be available in 21g size too. What is more, Nestlé will also put a Christmas house filled with various exciting sweets on the market, in SMARTIES, KitKat, and After Eight versions. The BOCI dark chocolate Santa Claus will be sold in 100g and 40g sizes. This product can be a great present for adults too! What is the state of play in the Christmas fondant candy market? Demand is on the rise for quality products here as well, and this manifests in the appearance of products made from real chocolate. Viktor Nyitrai, commercial director of LISSÉ Édességgyár Kft. talked to our magazine about how some retail chains have come to realise: they can start going in the direction of chocolate Christmas fondant products in the private label category too.

As for the different flavours, Hungarians are rather conservative when it comes to buying Christmas fondant candy, as the ones filled with jelly are purchased most frequently by 50 percent of consumers. At the same time it must be mentioned that in the premium category consumers are more willing to try new products. LISSÉ Édességgyár Kft. never ceases to innovate, for instance they have come out with a product line made without added sugar. Another development direction for them was making gluten- and lactose-free LISSÉ Christmas fondant and gummy candies.

This year they also put new products on the market, such as LISSÉ dark chocolate candies with pálinka, which will be available in three versions from September. LISSÉ dark chocolate candies with vodka will be launched in mint and lemon versions. The company’s dessert products – LISSÉ marzipan hearts and LISSÉ chocolate discs – will hit the shops again in the autumn. In the Christmas period Hungarian Product Grand Prize winner LISSÉ Christmas fondant candies will be launched in caramel-milk chocolate and gummy candy versions.

Chocco Garden is also going in the direction of higher-quality Christmas fondant candies. Jelly-filled products were made with real fruit juice already last year and this year peach, orange, apple and sour cherry are added to the selection (these will also be available in mixed packaging). Instead of the required 20-percent cocoa content chocolate, their products are made from chocolate 25 percent of which is cocoa. This year’s special product will be Chocco Garden banana mousse Christmas fondant candy. /