Understanding Chocolate Motivations
03 Dec 2024 | AAK
The session will help to identify consumer and market relevant routes of innovation, by understanding the motivations, behaviors and preferences related to oils and fats of five distinct chocolate consumer segments. AAK will examine the core motivations for consuming chocolate, as well as attitudes towards sustainability, what ingredients drive the purchase decision, and the chocolate experiences consumers are looking for. This webinar provides valuable insights for targeted marketing and innovation strategies. AAK provides value-adding plant-based oil and fat solutions for the chocolate industry, enhancing production efficiency and product appeal through customer co-development and insight-driven innovation that meets targeted consumer needs. Don't miss this opportunity to gain actionable insights and enhance your marketing strategies.
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Hello and welcome to today's webinar brought to you by AAK.
I'm Anvisha Manjal, senior journalist at Food Ingredients First, and I'll be your moderator.
The title of today's webinar is Understanding Chocolate Motivations.
We'll explore findings from a global study conducted by AAK with 7500 consumers.
This research identifies 5 distinct chocolate consumer segments and provides insights into their behavior, motivations, and preferences.
Before we begin, I'd like to remind our audience that you can submit your questions at any time during the presentation using the Q&A tool.
Any questions that we don't have time to address during today's session will be answered via email after the presentation.
This webinar will be available on demand at food ingredientsfirst.com.
A link to view the webinar will be emailed to you after the presentation.
We're joined by two speakers today.
We will first hear from Laura Studente, marketing analyst at CNS Media.
She conducts market research and data analysis on the latest nutrition, food and beverage trends.
We'll also hear from Marie Kay Orton, head of insights and strategic marketing at AAK.
Marieke brings a global perspective to her work, having lived and worked in Asia, Europe, and Latin America.
She's passionate about understanding consumer behaviors and using those insights to drive innovation and create impactful marketing strategies.
Welcome, Marrique and Laura, and thank you for joining us.
There will also be a survey at the end of the session.
You can let us know what you think of the webinar by filling it out.
Now, let's begin the presentation.
Laura, the floor is yours.
Thank you Anvisa.
I'm delighted to be here today to talk about exciting opportunities in the chocolate market, so let's dive right in.
First, I would like to say that chocolate lounges are on the rise globally, and it is driven by consumers' growing appetite for novelty and variety.
And in fact, when asked, 32% of consumers worldwide have increased their chocolate consumption, and this is because there's more exciting and new chocolate sweets available on the market.
And this has also boosted the NPD because there's a 2% increase from October 2019 to September 2024.
And the top brands that were like the most leading in the market were Kit Kat, Lindt and Lindt Lindors, and they had the most launches in the last year.
So when it comes to why consumers choose chocolate, taste and mood definitely are the strongest factors, and here I have combined four pillars why consumers pick chocolate treats.
And first and foremost, of course, consumers love chocolate because it tastes good.
Texture and flavor in this case plays a very big important role.
But beyond the taste, chocolate is also a source of happiness, and it's a stress relief.
It's also a treat, how people treat themselves.
So you see how brands play with this and market this on their packaging.
For example, here's a chocolate that's good for sleep, that emphasizes mood benefits and promotes relaxation and happiness, and this impacts and shows how chocolate is connected to emotional wellbeing.
So another significant trend is growing focus on ingredients and healthy indulgence, and you can see, interesting fact, 26% of consumers globally have increased their chocolate consumption because it's healthy, and this shows an interesting shift of perception, right?
Because consumers don't see chocolate anymore only as a treat, it's also healthy.
And this is a very good thing for to play with for brands, because they can emphasize natural ingredients, they can emphasize sugar reduction, and this is what consumers seek the most now in chocolate.
But at the same time, indulgence also remains a key factor, so there is a balance between a help message and indulgent message.
And now if we look much more deeper on the indulgent, we can see how a touch of luxury in chocolate, which is this nice taste and texture, is often delivered through its fats and oils, which then creates this indulgent feel that consumers love.
And globally the most Lounge chocolate textures are crispy, crunchy and creamy, and we see this example with Kit Kat that emphasizes its crispy texture, but a new texture is rising and there are more lounges with crumbly texture claims.
And these textures are very central to chocolate innovation, they give this indulgent experience and also can boost out the mood that consumers are looking for.
And lastly, I would like to emphasize that for some time already, chocolate has been the frontrunner of plant-based innovation, so the plant-based claims for chocolate confectionery has grown for 44%.
And this is a result of consumers doing more plant-based diets, and then they don't want to compromise on their sweet treats, and chocolate, which also often contains dairy ingredients, is now replacing these ingredients and switching to more alternatives, and this is a very exciting and dynamic area for innovation, especially for texture ingredients, because there's an opportunity to explore more plant-based ingredients.
So this is all for now, and thank you, and I'm excited to hear more about the chocolate innovation.
Hello, everyone.
Thank you for joining this webinar on chocolate motivations.
Just a little bit about AAK, what are we about?
We specialize in plant-based oils and fats, and these are the value-adding ingredients in many products that people love to consume.
The session about chocolate motivations, we'll dive into the motivations, behaviors, and preferences related to oils and fats of chocolate consumers, and we'll be offering actionable insights for marketers and product developers.
We have interviewed 7500 consumers across the globe.
40% of our sample are consumers from Europe, 43 are consumers from Asia and the Middle East, and 70% are consumers from the Americas.
In our study, 5 age groups are represented.
From left to the right, we have the Gen Z, we have young millennials, older millennials, Gen X, and seniors.
37 of our sample doesn't have children and 63% do.
We also have represented three income groups as you can see on the right, from lower income to middle income to higher income.
Let's have a look at the category drivers first.
Why do people actually buy chocolate?
What are the emotional drivers for that?
Our research shows that people buy chocolate because they want to experience a great taste.
They want to share a moments, they want to indulge, and they want to enhance their moods.
So, our data suggests that chocolate is all about sense of reality, it's about togetherness, and it's about mental -being.
Next to an emotional connection, sensory pleasure is what draws consumers to repurchase.
On this slide, you see the functional drivers of the chocolate category that together create a chocolate experience that consumers love to enjoy.
I think it's to no one's surprise that a great taste is the key purchase priority, and this is prioritized by 92% of consumers globally.
This is followed by mouth feel, that's the way chocolate feels in the mouth, freshness, which is about maintaining flavor and texture, how the chocolate melts in the mouth, the texture, which is a snap and bite sensation, and also the visual appeals.
So does a chocolate actually look great and appetizing?
Let's have a closer look at what makes a chocolate experience great for consumers.
We have clustered our findings into four areas texture and aftertaste, bite preference, shelf life, and other considerations.
I will highlight some of the data on texture.
A majority of respondents is expecting a creamy and smooth or a dense and rich texture of chocolates.
Respondents all agree that the aftertaste should be lingering and creamy.
The bite reference can be soft and smooth.
It can also be crunchy or firm, or even firm and snappy.
Regarding the shelf life, 89% of respondents have shared that they want their chocolate to remain fresh with a high quality, which means that flavor and texture should be maintained.
A majority is stating that they would stop buying chocolate when it's too hard, too grainy, or waxy.
And 41% of consumers share that when they see chocolate bloom, which is often referred to as the white coating that sometimes appears in chocolates, they actually believe that chocolate is old.
Some other considerations that came through our data is that respondents understand that cocoa butter substitutes are a more affordable alternative to cocoa butter.
That chocolate should have a glossy appearance and that affordability is an important aspect when buying chocolates.
We've also asked consumers what kind of chocolate innovation would be appealing to them.
And these are the top rankers, premium chocolates, clean ingredients, healthier indulgence, health boost, energy boost, and exciting textures.
You, you also know, of course, that sustainability is becoming a key factor in consumer decisions, and chocolate brands often face the challenge of balancing indulgence with environmental footprints.
Our research suggests that chocolate consumers appreciate sustainable practices and certifications, and we're happy to inform you that our portfolio can meet consumer demands on sustainability.
To help enable targeted strategies and innovations, we have developed 5 personas based on our consumer research.
Each persona represents a unique segment with distinct behaviors, preferences, and needs.
Personas help us to provide deeper understanding of motivations and challenges faced by different consumer groups.
These are the five personas.
We have the mindful indulger, the sharing shopaholic, the comfort craver, the occasional indulger, and the convenience seeker.
The mindful indulger represents 34% of consumers globally.
This consumer tends to be rather young.
You see that in the left bottom.
So this consumer can be Gen Z, younger millennials, they usually have higher income and no kids.
Mindful indulgers seek balanced natural nourishment and appreciate products that contribute to theirs and also the planet's wellness.
Mindful indulgers don't eat chocolate just for its great taste, but also for its ability to make them feel cared for, to boost their energy, to enhance their focus, and support their physical health.
They are drawn to high protein and rich in fiber options, but also clean and simple ingredients, and they like claims such as natural ingredients, handcrafted, and locally sourced.
They really value nutritional benefits.
So for example, chocolate being lower in fats, lower in calories, no trans fats, or sugar-free, and they appreciate it when the chocolate is aligned with their values around sustainability, and they're also willing to pay for it.
When it comes to the chocolate recipe, mindful indulgers are open to all kinds of kitchen ingredients.
So for example, cocoa mass or cocoa butter, and they're also open to different types of vegetable oils and fats, such as shea or sustainable palm oil, almond oil, sunflower oil, and rapeseed oil.
They are more than other consumer segments drawn to light and airy chocolate textures.
They prefer a quick and clean aftertaste, and they would like a firm and snappy bite into the chocolate.
The next consumer segment, the chocoholic, the sharing chocoholic.
These present 25% of consumers globally.
This consumer tends to be slightly older, so Gen X and seniors, they have a middle income and they have kids.
These people are really fond of chocolates.
They enjoy the pleasure of indulging in chocolate with the people they love, so they want to share their moments.
They love to eat and they love to share chocolate with others.
They're very taste and indulgence focused.
They frequently buy chocolate and often share it with family and use it to treat loved ones.
They're not sensitive to claims at all.
They are drawn to dense and rich chocolate textures, a lingering and creamy aftertaste sensation, and a soft and smooth bite into the chocolates.
When the chocolate is too hard or too grainy or waxy, they will stop buying it.
Cocoa butter and cocoa powder are appealing to them, and they love chocolate containing nuts and fruit flavors.
Then the comfort craver, this represents 14% of consumers globally.
This consumer tends to represent older millennials, Gen Z, middle and high income, and they tend to have no kids.
These consumers, the comfort cravers, they consume chocolate to regulate their mood and energy levels.
They turn to chocolate to reduce stress and to feel relaxed, cared for, and they use it as a pick me up when they are feeling low.
But also to eat, they also eat it to feel less tired and when they need to focus.
They don't mind spending a bit of money on chocolates, and they love to buy chocolate for special occasions, such as Christmas or New Year's Eve.
They are more than other consumers, drawn to white chocolates next to milk and dark.
They are aware that chocolates may contain milk powder, cocoa solids, and coconut oil.
When it comes to the chocolate recipe, they're open to cocoa ingredients.
So for example, cocoa powder, cocoa butter, and cocoa fats.
They really like comforting and nourishing chocolate textures, so this can be creamy and smooth, dense and rich, or even thick and velvety.
When they bite into the chocolate, they would like to have a soft and smooth bite and a lingering and creamy aftertaste sensation.
There are also the type of consumers that are open to try chocolate with functional ingredients, such as vitamins, omega-3, probiotics, and collagen.
And they're interested in calming ingredients to help them feel relaxed.
They're into comforting flavors such as vanilla and coffee, and they even have an interest in alcohol-inspired flavors.
Our fourth segment is the occasional indulger.
They represent 16% of consumers globally.
This consumer tends to be a little bit older, Gen X and seniors.
They tend to have lower income and they tend to have children.
They really see chocolate as a special treat, savoring it for its taste and pleasure.
They are the ones that appreciate less sugar, so healthier recipes, can also be less fats, less calories, and they eat chocolate infrequently because they have a preference for healthy products, and they have budget constraints.
Chocolate for them is really seen as a special treat.
They mainly enjoy chocolate for its taste and the pleasure in the moments, but they don't consume it as much as the other consumer segments, partly because chocolate is not healthy enough for them and their family, and partly for monetary reasons.
We saw in our data that they tend to be overrepresented in China, India and France.
When it comes to the chocolate recipe, they're drawn to chocolate with clean, simple and natural ingredients that they can easily recognize and trust.
The occasional indulger prefers a creamy and smooth chocolate chocolate texture, a soft and smooth bite into the chocolates, and a lingering and creamy aftertaste sensation.
They are more worried about shelf life or the freshness of the chocolates than about the visual appeal of the chocolates, and they have a sweet tooth for caramel flavors.
Our 5th and last consumer segment is the convenience seeker.
They represent 11% of consumers globally.
This consumer segment tends to be slightly older Gen X and seniors, lower income and no kids.
They consume chocolate for its taste, and they indulge in a moment and buy chocolate for themselves.
They tend to stick to what they know, so they tend to stick to familiar brands.
They either buy the same products.
And brand of chocolate they appreciate for its great taste, or they can also buy whatever is on sale.
Taste, affordability, and convenience are their main motivations.
So they are not very concerned with names on the label, claims on the label, or which ingredients are used, regardless of their impacts on the, on their health and on the planet.
They really enjoy discovering new products.
These are usually of the brands that they already by, and they're interested in chocolate that stimulates their senses.
When it comes to the chocolate recipe, they're indifferent about which ingredients appear on the label because they don't read the labels.
The chocolate experience or the texture, the mouthfeel, the melting sensation is more important to them than shelf life.
They do like creamy and smooth chocolate textures, a soft and smooth bite into the chocolate, but not chewy, and a lingering and creamy aftertaste sensation.
They are mostly drawn to caramel, nuts, and vanilla flavors, and they also love biscuits and cookies inclusions.
So now that I've shared these 5 consumer segments, try to think for yourself, which consumer segment do I belong to?
And is it true what they say about me?
So, thank you so much for tuning in.
And at AK we'd really love to get in touch with you to learn more about regional and generational consumer preferences and hopefully to co-develop together experiences in chocolate that consumers love.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for that insightful presentation, Marike.
We've had some great questions come in from our audience, so let's move into our Q&A session.
One of our attendees asks, what makes chocolate a great experience for consumers?
Oh, that's a nice question, Visa.
Thank you so much.
Yeah, what we've seen in our research is chocolate is really a sensory delight, but it's also in an emotional connection for consumers.
So, a great chocolate experience is all about indulging, it's about sensory pleasure.
It's about sharing a moment and enhancing moods.
Our research shows that chocolate is often associated with comfort and with joy, with celebration and stress relief.
From my presentation just now, you, you may have seen that our research reveals 5 distinct consumer segments, and they all have their own motivations and behaviors and expectations related to oils and fats in chocolates, which in turn is influencing purchase decisions.
So, by diving deeper into these consumer segments, we will be able to, together with you, target strategies and innovations, tailored to these segments.
I hope that's answering the question a little bit.
I think it does.
Another listener has sent in a question about the consumer segments which you covered in your presentation.
They ask, which segment would you recommend your customers to place their bets on?
Oh, that's a great question.
And I didn't really share that yet in a, in a presentation, of course, but if I look at, the purchase frequency, the money spent, and also the segment size of our five segments, the mindful indulgers, the sharing shopaholics, and the comfort cravers have, the biggest potential.
In addition, it may be good to know that the occasional indulger is a good segment to focus on for China, for France, India, but even also for Spain and Indonesia, whereas the convenience seeker has potential in the US, Denmark, and Argentina.
So it depends a bit on, , yeah, what countries to focus on for especially the occasional indulger and a convenience seeker, but the other segments have potential across all the markets.
Super interesting.
Thanks for sharing, Marrike.
A 3rd listener would like to know how oils and fats influence the desired sensory experiences in chocolate.
Another good question , yeah, so, at AAK we co-develop for better chocolate experiences together with our customers.
So, we, we believe that industry partnerships are really important in exploring regional insights further, and generational differences, country differences, and to really co-develop sensory experiences that delight the senses.
Are also fat solutions.
They can help you to create chocolate experiences that consumers love.
So we can work together on a great and memorable taste, on texture, for example, a creamy or crunchy texture, but also on a great melting sensations that consumers desire.
So this can be either a slow melting sensation.
And a quick, melting sensation, and also the bite sensation that consumers love, for example, a smooth or crunchy or even firm.
So many opportunities to, to go develop products that consumers love.
Again, very interesting.
Thanks for sharing.
We've got a really interesting question about a viewer.
We've got a really interesting question from a viewer about sustainability.
Growing awareness of sustainability and ethical sourcing influences consumer choices.
How important are sustainable practices and certifications to chocolate consumers?
I would say definitely important because our research shows that more than 60% of consumers globally seek certified sustainable products that are either sustainably and or ethically sourced and are offering in also effects meet those consumer demands on sustainability.
Great, thanks again.
We have one last question from another listener for you, Marike.
What are the most appealing types of chocolate innovation to consumers?
Oh, that's another great question.
So, yeah, if we look into the market, we see a rise of products and categories targeting specific trends and consumer needs.
And we see plenty of opportunities to innovate in chocolates.
From our research, we see that at a global level, Consumers resonate the most with premium chocolates.
So this can be a creamy texture, with high quality ingredients, and also clean ingredient labels.
So, clean, simple ingredients that people can easily recognize and trust.
So this can be natural ingredients, but also no preservatives, no artificial colors, no artificial flavors, for example.
The runners up would be healthier indulgence.
So, chocolate using healthier ingredients that, that, that don't leave people feel guilty after eating chocolates.
But it can also be a chocolate with a health boost.
So you're adding something that is healthier.
So, for example, you're, you're adding proteins, or you're adding functional ingredients, or you're using vegetable fats, or you're reducing sugar.
But also we've seen that, consumers resonate with chocolate that provides an energy boost, for example, and chocolate that offers exciting textures, for example, with crunchy inclusions made from seeds and nuts.
So, I think what I'm trying to say is that we have detailed data on which opportunity, innovation opportunities appeal to which consumer segments and to which geographies, to which age groups and to which income groups.
So, we are very happy to deep dive together with you in this, into these preferences and to co-develop those chocolate experience that consumers truly love.
Thanks for sharing your insights with us today, Marieke, and thank you to our listeners for their very compelling questions.
That's all we have time for today.
A big thank you to Marieke for sharing her expertise and to all of you for joining us.
Once again, thank you for being with us today.
We look forward to seeing you at our next webinar.
Goodbye.
Senior Journalist
Marketing Analyst
Head of Insights Strategic Marketing
Anvisha Manral
Senior Journalist
Laura Studente
Marketing Analyst
Marieke Otten
Head of Insights Strategic Marketing
