Magazine: Real brands from real chocolate in the end-of-year season

In 2013 the end-of-year season brought a significant 7-percent sales growth (in terms of value) in the chocolate figure market. Although the cheapest category still has many buyers, consumer demand keeps shifting towards premium products.

More and more shoppers buy smaller and/or fewer but good quality branded products – both for themselves or as a present. Panna Miklós, senior brand manager with Nestlé Hungária told our magazine that the increasing demand for quality chocolate figures is also indicated by the shrinking market share of private label products. The market share of real milk chocolate products has reached 85 percent. Andrea Révfalvi, marketing manager with Bonbonetti Choco Kft. informed us that both shoppers and retailers received their new Nosztalgia Christmas fondant candy range positively. The product line even won the Hungarian leg of the Word Tour by Sial innovation competition. Nestlé only makes real milk chocolate products under its well-known brand names. This guarantees that consumers get quality products no matter what they choose from the Nestlé portfolio. The company prepares for the 2014 season with a SMARTIES Advent Calendar. Under the BOCI brand a BOCI AERO Santa Claus figure will appear on store shelves, with AERO chocolate balls inside. Those who like AFTER EIGHT will be happy to hear that the well-known Santa figure will come out in smaller version too. Good news for Hungary’s economy: all of these products are now manufactured in Nestlé’s Diósgyőr factory, the only one operated by the company that exclusively manufactures chocolate figures. Pre-packed displays will play a key role in calling attention to Nestlé products in-store this year. Wobblers will signal new products, while online presence will be ensured by BOCI’s Facebook page. In Bonbonetti’s Christmas fondant candy portfolio the Bonbonetti brand is the flagship in the medium and high categories, while in the premium category the company is present with Bonbonetti Nosztalgia, a product line with fondant candies made from dark chocolate; these are characterised by 60-percent cocoa content and special fillings such as plum pálinka chocolate cream. This year Tibi chocolate Santas will be put on the market with a new look. A new 70g Bonbonetti Advent Calendar will also be introduced to the market and a Disney Advent Calendar with 4 different new designs will also be launched. Nosztalgia Caramel Cream Christmas fondant candy and the Nosztalgia Selection Christmas fondant candy will debut this season, too. Tibi chocolate will surprise consumers with a seasonal variety: milk chocolate filled with honey cake cream.