Why blonde chocolate is having a moment

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ONE USE 2DEYEJ6

Chocolate is having something of a blonde moment. It all started with the launch of Mondelez’s Australian Caramilk brand into the UK in June 2021.

In just three months, Caramilk pulled in £8.5m. By the end of the year, sales had reached £17.1m [NielsenIQ].

“Caramilk was our biggest launch of last year and our best-ever confectionery launch,” said Cadbury brand manager Nancy Galvin, when announcing the launch of spinoff Caramilk Buttons into retailers in April.

Its success has sparked a surge in imitators making use of blonde chocolate, and its distinctive nutty, biscuity flavour.

Sainsbury’s launched two blonde eggs: White & Blonde Chocolate Marble Egg and Blonde Chocolate Drizzle Egg.

Aldi, meanwhile, unveiled a Blonde Chocolate Geometric Egg under its posh Moser Roth brand, and Waitrose’s seasonal range also features blonde chocolate apples and eggs.

After launching Golden Blond Chocolate Spread last year, M&S’s 2022 Easter lineup featured Golden Blond Chocolate & Salted Caramel Hot Cross Buns.

“Blonde chocolate has dramatically increased in popularity in the past year, growing by 597%,” said Gina Head, brand director for Galaxy, on announcing the launch of a Galaxy Fusions Blonde Chocolate Egg in time for Easter.

Blonde chocolate over-indexes with all age groups between 28 and 64, according to Kantar Worldpanel data.

This makes it “a must-stock for retailers who are looking to boost chocolate confectionery sales, particularly at key sales occasions through the year, such as Easter”, says Head.

Whether blonde will still be in fashion by Easter next year remains to be seen. After all, the ruby chocolate moment appears to have passed – the ruby Kit Kat launched by Nestlé in 2018 is no longer on sale.

So by next year, the blonde bombshells may all have been deactivated.