Focus On Confectionery: 28 September

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chocolate

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Focus on Confectionery

Download the synopsis here

Publishing: 28 September

Submission deadline: see individual features below

Advertising deadline: 20 September

Part 1 The dark side by Daniel Selwood

Submissions deadline: 13 September

Things are getting dark in Britain. No, we’re not talking Brexit, or even this summer’s grey skies. We’re talking chocolate. Dark chocolate has emerged a standout success this year with rocketing value and volume sales. Premium brands have generally led the quest for high cocoa content, but now mass market players are getting involved. So what is behind the boom in dark chocolate? How much further can this grow? And how are other areas of the market faring?

Main themes

Dark versus milk: How is dark chocolate faring versus less cocoa-heavy variants? Are consumers switching from milk to dark?

Sugar content: To what extent is the appetite for dark chocolate fuelled by sugar concerns? And what does that mean for reduced sugar innovations?

NPD: How have innovations boosted the dark chocolate market? And are there any standout innovations elsewhere in the category?

Vegan: To what extent is dark chocolate capitalising on the vegan boom?

Formats: How are countlines, blocks and gifting formats performing?

Kantar data: the rise/fall of the different sub-categories within chocolate confectionery

Nielsen data: the rise/fall of the top 10 chocolate confectionery brands.

Shopper Intelligence: How consumers shop chocolate confectionery

Innovations: We identify eight new products or product ranges that have not appeared in The Grocer before including launch date, RSP, and a hi-res picture of each

Children’s chocolate: Mondelez has announced a 100-calorie cap on all children’s treats. Is this the future of chocolate for kids?

Part 2 Sweetening the deal by Rob Brown and Natalie Brown

Submissions deadline: 5 September

When the going gets tough, Brits take action. Well, if you count gorging on sweets as action. As the threat of a no-deal Brexit looms, it seems consumers are turning to sugar to sweeten the situation. Almost every area of the sweet confectionery market – from fruity candy to mints and toffees – is in growth. Kantar puts this down to the ‘lipstick effect’ last seen in the 2008 recession. So just how much sugary confectionery is going through the tills? Which lines are benefiting? And can this last beyond Brexit uncertainty?

Main themes

Brands: Which brands are capitalising most on this boom? Who is most successfully positioning themselves as a treat?

Premium: To what extent are Brits splashing out on pricier confectionery to numb the pain?

Promotions: Promotions are down. Is this because consumers are prepared to buy sweets without discounts and deals?

Fruits, toffee and mints: Which areas of sugary confectionery are growing fastest and why?

Formats: Sharing bags are in growth. Which other formats are doing well?

Reduced sugar: How is this faring in the era of the treat?

Kantar data: The rise/fall of the different sub-categories within sugar confectionery

Nielsen data: The rise/fall of the top 10 sweet confectionery brands.

Vegan sweets: What is the potential for this market?

Innovations: We identify eight new products or product ranges that have not appeared in The Grocer before including launch date, RSP, and a hi-res picture of each

Part 3 The British chocolate boom by Emma Weinbren

Submissions deadline: 9 September

There used to be an element of snobbery around British chocolate. It was deemed too sugary, lacking in cocoa content and a poor second to Continental offerings. That’s all changing. Led by quality producers, British chocolate is turning around perceptions to do a roaring export trade. According to FDF figures, the value of chocolate exports has more than doubled since 2000 to reach £724m in 2018. So what has been the driving force behind this growth? Who is benefiting? And how can this market continue to grow, especially given the political turmoil?