Eleven trends identified by Packaged facts in the premium chocolate market
• Craft chocolate making, sometimes referred to as craft,
bean-to-bar or micro-batch chocolate.
• Savory-inspired flavors - everything from olive oil, bacon
and cheese to curry and chipotle into bonbons, bars and truffles.
• Exotic flavors: it’s about experiences, not just
consumption.
• Raw cacao products, a reaction to over-processed,
over-engineered foods
• Vegan chocolate. According to Packaged Facts, new vegan
labeled chocolate products have increased 52% per year (a 5-year CAGR) to a
forecasted 32 new products in 2010, or 1% of all new product reports.
• Wine-themed chocolate products: Chocolate without wine,
like a day without sunshine.
• Upscale chocolate candy bars: It’s not just indulgent,
it’s healthier and portion-controlled.
• Exotic delivery methods:Le Whif’sthe trailblazer.
• Beyond bars: Artisan chocolatiers are serving up “tasting
tiles” and disks as a means of differentiating their products.
• Extreme milk chocolate: Dark milk chocolate - above 40%
cocoa mass - combines silkiness with less sugar, more antioxidants.
• Use of alternative distribution channels: Think Tupperware
parties, aka Mars’ Dove Chocolate Discoveries.