Candy Trends

• 1,401 new confectionery products were introduced in 2002. Here is the break-out:
  • Chocolate items: 639
  • Non-chocolate: 640
  • Gum: 72
  • Other: 50
• Diet candy experienced strong growth in 2002, gaining nearly 23 percent over the previous year. (Information Resources Inc., known as IRI)
• Novelty/interactive candies growth slowed in 2002 after a nearly 70 percent growth rate over the previous five years. (IRI data)
• The growth in gum sales was led by sugar-free varieties, which gained 3.4 percent in sales in 2002 over the previous year. (IRI data)
• Caramels and taffy experienced a nearly 10 percent growth spurt over 2001. (IRI data)
• Every day candy sales increased slightly last year while holiday sales dipped slightly. (IRI data)
• The biggest “candy holiday” is Halloween/Back-to-School, followed by Easter, the winter holidays (Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanza) and Valentine’s Day. (National Confectioners Association)
• The leading chocolate makers are Hershey, Masterfoods USA (M&M Mars) and Nestle, in that order based on sales. (IRI data)
• The leading non-chocolate candy makers are (in order based on sales) Hershey, Kraft Foods and Masterfoods USA (M&M Mars). (IRI data)