Global trends and developments in Cocoa ingredients (world)

Asia Pacific strongest performer…

Asia Pacific continues to be the strongest market for cocoa ingredients, with a forecast CAGR of 4.5% over 2015-2020 compared with 1.7% for the world as a whole. This growth has made it the second largest region by volume, ahead of North America.

…but Western markets still important

Despite the growth in Asia Pacific, the large chocolate confectionery category in Western Europe and North America means they remain very important to the cocoa industry. Growth is weak, but opportunities lie outside chocolate confectionery.

Consumers choosing healthier snacks over confectionery

In Western markets chocolate confectionery has been suffering from the health and wellness trend as consumers reduce chocolate consumption and move towards healthier snacks.

Other snacks growing in importance for cocoa ingredients

Consumers reducing chocolate consumption are still choosing other sweet snacks, and often chocolate is incorporated into products such as sweet biscuits, cakes, pastries and ice cream. These applications are therefore of growing importance to cocoa ingredients.

Premium and indulgent trend creates new avenues for cocoa ingredients

Trading up to premium and indulgent products may result in a reduction in volumes of cocoa ingredients, but value-added ingredients, such as origin-specific cocoa, are becoming more widely used.

Sustainability and certification important for future of cocoa

Sustainability in the cocoa industry continues to be of great importance. Without investment in sustainable production the future of the global cocoa industry is uncertain. The use of certification schemes builds consumer confidence in cocoa-related products.