Chocolate bar buyers pay attention to quality

Economic recession left its mark on the market of chocolate bars too, but to a lesser extent than in the countline chocolate or praline categories.

“One of the main reasons for this could be that in these hard times consumers indulge themselves a bit, and they are better off buying a bar of chocolate than buying countline chocolate or pralines” – says Lilla Soósné Nádaskay, Bonbonetti Kft.’s brand manager. Panna Miklós, Nestlé Hungária Kft.’s senior brand manager shares this opinion and added: – What is more, in 2010 the average price of countline chocolate and chocolate bars further distanced from each other. People plan what to buy in advance more often than before, which is bad for the countline category. As for the market’s structure, it did not change drastically. Despite soaring cocoa prices on the world market, the price of key chocolate bar brands did not grow significantly. As a result of this trend, cheaper products did not become more popular. In Hungary a layer of customers started focusing on living healthy and thanks to them dark chocolate was the only one in the chocolate bar category that kept growing in the past two years – in terms of both value and volume. In general we can also say that people buy less chocolate but they prefer quality products. Last year private label products lost from their market share, while branded product sales augmented in each retail channel. In the past couple of years large brands have been trying to be present in several categories by creating umbrella brands, which enhance the innovative character and colourful nature of the brand in consumers’ mind. In Hungary all the major brands tried to win new buyers with innovation and with spending more on communication. Lilla Soósné Nádaskay told our magazine that for tibi the most important thing is constant renewal as generations have grown up since the first tibi chocolate appeared in shops. As part of this renewal they came out with whole nut and puffed rice versions of the tibi bar, the Prémium tibi family and countline versions in 3 flavours. This year tibi celebrates its 70th birthday with unique products and promotions. Last year BOCI was completely reborn and celebrated its 80th birthday with a new recipe (with a higher cocoa content) and a promotion campaign for all the categories. Panna Miklós told us that after last year’s apple pie and floating islands BOCI chocolates this year they would also introduce many new products: BOCI dark chocolate in Blackcurrant and peer versions came out already at the beginning of the year. A new type of in-store presence will support the brand this year. Kraft Foods Hungária Kft. also finds it important to back up their focus brands. Senior brand manager Mónika Tóth says: – Our Milka brand was no exception. Chocolate is an impulse product, therefore its image and message must be strengthened all the time. In their portfolio we find 100g, 300g, 200g and 250g chocolate bars and each year they come out with several limited edition flavours: in 2011 100g vanilla, plum and almond versions hit the shops. Senior trade marketing coordinator Mónika Makra added that in modern retail channels the company started using coupon promotions (through coupon dispensers and hostesses) with their 100g and 300g Milka products and in the praline category.