Seasonal Chocolate Confectionery - US

How do you define seasonal?

Americans’ interest in eating better may represent an emerging opportunity for the decidedly unhealthy seasonal chocolate market. Some 16% of holiday chocolate buyers indicate they are buying healthier treats more often instead of seasonal chocolate as compared to the previous year. The figure grows to 21% of holiday chocolate buyers who are buying healthier treats more often for their children instead of seasonal chocolate (see Shifts in Purchases in Last Year section). Due to the extensive media coverage of the country’s weight problem, it appears that interest in better-for-you (BFY) products will only increase. Consequently, seasonal chocolate manufacturers may want to consider developing their own lines of BFY products. Ideally, this strategy would blunt defections from the market by consumers who currently perceive these products as unhealthy. At the same time, BFY products may generate increased revenue by attracting consumers who previously have never considered seasonal chocolate products because of concerns regarding nutritional content.

Manufacturers looking to improve the nutritional profile of their products need look no further than dark chocolate. For years, health experts have been promoting the positive properties of dark chocolate. A study conducted by the Hershey Company that appeared in the February 2011 Chemistry Central Journal reported that dark chocolate and cocoa have more antioxidant capacity than fruit juice (New York Daily News, Feb. 7, 2011). Moreover, the study said that chocolate products also have more heart-healthy flavanols and polyphenols. As part of the research, cocoa powder was compared to powder from blueberries, cranberries, and pomegranates. In every case, chocolate had more antioxidants than the fruit-based powders, though the differences between pomegranate juice and dark chocolate were not significant. That said, dark chocolate’s pleasantly bitter taste is typically more appealing to adults than children, so manufacturers should focus their marketing efforts on an older audience.