U.S. Chocolate Sales Forecast to Reach $18 Billion by 2011

According to Packaged Facts, the United States market for chocolate is forcasted to reach an overwhelming $18 billion by the year 2011.

It is quite amazing how much chocolate the citizens of the United States actually eat. But can you blame them? Walking into a grocery store, one can not help to miss the candy aisle, and if perhaps they fight the urge and walk by it, they are once again caught looking at all the chocolates at the checkout lanes waiting to be bought and eaten. And there is such a variety. Peanut Butter cups, Twix, Butter Fingers, Kit Kat's, Hershey's Chocolates, Godiva, Kinder, Take 5, and so many more. According to the U.S. Market for Chocolate, sales of chocolate soared to a record $16 billion in 2006 though sales will still increase much more as the demand will increase.

So isn't chocolate unhealthy? Not all of it. The increased sales in chocolate are actually driven by newer studies showing that dark chocolate actually has many health benefits. Many consumers are also continuing to buy organic and fair trade chocolates in a fairly new and heart friendly trend. These organic chocolates are also slowly taking over the market. This premium chocolate that accounted for 13% of chocolate sales in 2003, covered for more than 17% in 2006, and the demand will continue rapidly. By 2011, premium organic chocolates will make up one quarter, or 25% of the chocolate industry in the United States. Money wise, it will generate a breath taking $4.5 billion in sales.

Based on statistics from Packaged Foods, the chocolate industry is making much more money and they are not even selling more candy then before. Why? This industry has begun selling healthier candies for more money since there is a greater demand for these products, Amazingly, these organic chocolates are even killing the sales of gift candies and diet/sugar-free chocolates.

"We expect that the trend towards high-end products, especially those touting wellness benefits, will be the life force in this market for the next several years," noted Tatjana Meerman, the publisher of Packaged Facts.

So will America finally be willing to pay more to eat healthy? It actually seems to be a much different market today than back ten years ago. America is now willing to eat less, eat healthy, and overall pay more for less. Will this spark a change for other industries as well? Will the fast food industry begin to serve healthier food by realizing that they don't need to make money by serving more unhealthy food for less money? Who knows what is next for this ever so fast changing America.

SOURCE

Packaged Facts

Prnewswire