1. Consumer and Innovation
Trends in Chocolate 2013
Boxed chocolate, countlines, straightlines, molded bars,
novelties, and other chocolate
Category Series. Published December 2013
Consumer Insight

2. Contents
1. Introduction
1. Definition and scope
2. TrendSights framework
2. Sensory & Indulgence
1. Novelty
2. Flavor
3. Experience economy
3. Health & Wellness
1. "Natural"
2. Weight management
3. Fat Content
4. Functional chocolate
5. Clean label
4. Individualism & Expression
1. Allergies & Intolerances
2. Personalization
3. Customization
5. Easy & Affordable
1. Private label
2. Value
3. Simplicity
4. Convenience
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6. Comfort & Uncertainty
1. Trust and transparency
2. Bean to Bar
3. Nostalgia
7. Sustainability & Ethics
1. Fair-trade
2. Sustainable packaging
8. Evolving Landscapes
1. Aging population
2. Emerging markets
9. Smart & Connected
1. Online engagement
2. Smart engagement
10. Conclusion
11. Appendix
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3. Sensory & Indulgence
Potential for new product innovations is spurred by consumers' willingness to try new foods
Foreign cultures drive diversity in food innovation
Exposure to other cultures heavily influences consumers' taste in
food. Highlighting this, over four in 10 consumers (43%) globally
expressed this view in 2011, compared to only 20% who did not
believe that their taste had changed due to exposure to other
cultures. With consumers worldwide expressing a willingness to
experiment with new cuisines, chocolate manufacturers would
benefit from this shrinking-world scenario by marketing local
ingredients from one region as a premium product in a different
part of the world, where the same ingredients would be
considered "exotic."
Consumers are open to experimentation
Globally, two thirds of consumers express an active interest in
trying out different foods or making new things to eat. In
particular, people in emerging economies are keen to experiment
with unusual food types, as evidenced by over two thirds of
consumers in the top five countries who moderately or extremely
like making new things to eat or trying different foods. This
provides manufacturers with a green light to explore new and
unique chocolate formulations, especially for consumers in
emerging economic regions.
Source: Datamonitor's Consumer Survey May/June 20113
Selected countries: consumers who moderately or
extremely like making new things to eat/trying different
foods, 2011
Brazil 72%
France 69%
Global 66%
US 65%
Netherlands
63%
South Africa 76%
Global: consumers who agree with the statement: "My
taste in food has changed as a result of exposure to foods
from other cultures," 2011
Agree
Neither agree
nor disagree
Disagree
43%
37%
20%
Overview Novelty Flavor Experience economy

4. Health & Wellness
There is clear demand for "natural" products in the chocolate space
Chocolate is increasingly being promoted with "natural"
claims
Processed foods are often perceived in a negative light by
consumers, who associate them with poor quality ingredients
and a high content of artificial additives. Chocolate brands are
increasingly promoting the healthiness of their products, thereby
trying to convince people that these products can be a healthy
foodstuff even if they are processed. In light of this, "natural"
attributes have been a key focus of NPD in the chocolate
category recently. Among the leading health claims for new
chocolate launches in 2012 were "no artificial color," "no
preservatives," and "no preservatives."
Source: Datamonitor's Product Launch Analytics
4
Global: top 10 claims for chocolate product launches,
2012
Private label Licensed
No artificial color Kids
No artificial flavor No preservatives
Organic Fair trade
Vegetarian No gluten
Marks & Spencer mint whip
chocolates
UK
"Free from artificial color
and flavor"
Brown & Haley cashew roca
Russia
"All natural"
David's Valentine Collection
candy
US
"No artificial flavors,
colors or preservatives "
Valor dark chocolate with
almonds
US
"All natural"
Overview "Natural" Weight management Fat content Functional chocolate Clean label

5. Individualism & Expression
Chocolate manufacturers are offering targeted products that align with specific purposes
Personalization benefits in CPG exists on different levels
Personalizing chocolates involves catering to more distinct
consumer lifestyles and situations/occasions, as well as making
chocolate appealing to specific users. For example, with an
increasing number of consumers having allergy or intolerance
concerns, gluten-free chocolates are highly sought-after.
Demographic specificity (such as chocolates targeted at kids) is
also important.
Personalized offerings appeal to consumers
Recognizing what consumers want, and understanding how this
differs by demographic, is crucial in successfully developing and
marketing products. It is especially important in the chocolate
category, since it is frequently triggered by point-of-purchase
influences. Individualistic consumers value products with
targeted benefits. Personalized features are even more desirable
when it comes to nutrition. Indeed, around a third of consumers
would definitely buy a product that uses information about their
genetic make-up to provide nutritional advice, while a further
50% of consumers are open to the concept and would consider
buying such a product. Opportunities thus exist for chocolate
brands to target a specific age, gender, lifestyle, or health issue.
Source: Datamonitor's Consumer Survey May/June 20135
Four facets of more personalized chocolate
Occasion
specificity
Demographic
specificity
Need
specificity
Attitude
specificity
Aligning products with specific
day-part moments or
consumption scenarios.
Making a targeted appeal to a
specific consumer group, usually
age, gender, or ethnic specificity.
Targeted product benefits often
catering to specific health/dietary
goals or necessities (e.g. gluten-free).
Developing brands that consumers
can relate to and with which they feel
proud to be associated.
Overview Allergies and Intolerances Personalization Customization
Global: consumers' response to the question "Would you
buy a food or drink product that uses information about
your genetic make-up to provide you with targeted
nutritional advice?", 2013

6. Smart & Connected
Mobile gaming offers a new way to reach consumers in a hyper-crowded media environment
Source: [1] Forbes, September 2011; [2] PR Newswire, December 2012 [3] Digiday, September 2013
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Mobile games as a marketing medium
• Mobile games have become a major entertainment
vehicle, and a new way to reach CPG purchasers.
• Up to 80% of all mobile downloads are games.¹
Ideally suited for "anytime" downtime, games are a
new way to reach a fragmented consumer
audience.
WHAT?
"Gamification" enhances consumer engagement
WHY?
TAKE-
OUT
• Consumers are hard to reach – they are spending
less time on traditional media like magazines,
newspapers, and television. Ad-skipping
technologies are another issue.
• So-called "gamification" can not only capture
consumer attention and ramp up engagement, it
can also make routine and boring activities fun.
Mobile gaming is surging towards critical mass
• It is estimated that 80 million people in the US
alone play mobile games, and one third of those
do so every day.
• Tablets are exploding as game-playing devices.
Amazon recently launched a subscription service
for kids' games, videos, and books called Kindle
Free Time Unlimited.
The M&M's Brand Chocolate Factory gaming app
was launched on iTunes in 2012². Users help the
M&M characters save M&M-branded candies from
melting by using different tools like rubber bands and
conveyor belts to divert the candies from falling into
hot milk chocolate.
In order to effectively target teens, Israeli chocolate
brand Klik created a "Simon Says"-style game called
Klik Says exclusively on Whatsapp, a free chat app
available on all smartphones³. The game helped to
increase brand engagement by 51% on Facebook.
Overview Online engagement Smart engagement