A study by the National Confectioners Association found that 86% of Americans plan to gift chocolate or other candy this Valentine’s Day. And it appears the love of chocolate has not been slowed by the pandemic, either.
Phil DeConto, vice president of category management and shopper insights for Parsippany-based Ferrero U.S.A., said chocolate sales are booming. DeConto said the company’s sales for the four-week period ending in January were up 20% from 2020. That, of course, was pre-pandemic.
“Generally, sales of treats have been steady throughout the pandemic, as people look for some normalcy and joy, and that continues in the lead-up to Valentine’s Day,” he said.
This includes sales of some of company’s most familiar brands, including Butterfinger, Baby Ruth, 100 Grand and Crunch.
Sales of the premium brands — Ferrero Rocher, Golden Gallery Signature and Fannie May — are up even more.
“About 37%,” DeConto said.
The NCA survey revealed two other fun facts about Valentine’s Day giving:
In a box of Valentine’s Day chocolate, people say they look for:
- Caramel (32%);
- Chocolate-covered nuts (24%);
- Chocolate-filled (21%);
- Cream-filled (11%);
- Coconut (9%);
- Other (3%).
How we figure out which is which, also was determined:
- Use a “map” to determine varieties (50%);
- Randomly select (31%);
- Bite the corner and check (13%);
- Poke the bottom (6%).
