Is non-chocolate candy as popular as chocolate?
Consider the words of Charlie Brown creator Charles Schulz: “All you need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”
For the latest 52 weeks ending April 29, chocolate candy recorded sales of $18.5 billion, up 9.9%, according to NielsenIQ. Sales of non-chocolate candy, on the other hand, totaled $9.99 billion, a gain of 14.3%.
Packaged Facts estimated total retail dollar sales of the U.S. chocolate candy market at $23.1 billion back in 2018, with sales projected to reach $26.1 billion in 2023.
“Non-chocolate candy sales are therefore half (47%) of those for chocolate, or a third (32%) of combined chocolate and non-chocolate candy sales,” noted Corinne Gangloff, marketing email/press release manager for The Freedonia Group, a division of MarketResearch.com.
Compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) over the past decade have been slightly higher for non-chocolate (3.2%) than for chocolate (2.6%), Gangloff pointed out, reflecting the greater maturity of the chocolate market and volatility in supply and pricing of cocoa.
Packaged Facts projected that by the end of 2023, the CAGRs for both classifications will be nearly identical.
Although chocolate sells more, many retailers are reporting a strong rise in non-chocolate popularity. Brands are able to experiment with flavors and textures, and so far confectionery innovation has shot up.
Of the non-chocolate options c-store customers can choose from, gummies seem to be a leading segment.
Holidays also provide opportunity for non-chocolate brands to experiment, similar to how chocolate brands have catered their packaging to different holiday seasons.
With different styles and formats available, c-store customers have more options than ever to choose from, and non-chocolate candy is feeling the growth.