Chocolate occupies a unique position in the consumer psyche, few FMCG products command such emotional attachment. Recent chocolate trends show how savvy social media strategies and precise targeting can elevate niche brands into mainstream popularity.

The Dubai chocolate phenomenon sent ripples through South Africa’s confectionery landscape. Featuring rich textures and premium ingredients like kunefe and pistachio paste, Dubai chocolate captured headlines with its astronomical R1,000 debut price point. While the price later settled at a slightly more accessible R400 at Dischem, the initial buzz had already achieved its purpose.

Local import and nostalgic candy store, Obsessions Cape Town not only stocks their handmade dupe of the chocolate but also stocks a dessert version, strawberries smothered in pistachio kunefe, topped with Belgian chocolate.

❝ At the end of 2024, Lindt & Sprüngli introduced its handmade Lindt Dubai Chocolate in a limited edition in its own retail stores.

At the end of 2024, Lindt & Sprüngli introduced its handmade Lindt Dubai Chocolate in a limited edition in its own retail stores. The overwhelming success of the flavour has prompted the Group to develop the Lindt Dubai Style Chocolate with a similar recipe for roll out in wholesale.

Purpose-Driven Disruption

Tony’s Chocolonely represents a masterclass in niche marketing through social justice positioning. This Dutch confectionery company has built its brand around ethical sourcing, fair trade practices, and social justice. Their chocolate bar is made up of odd, shaped squares which are a visual metaphor for wealth distribution imbalances in the chocolate industry.

This approach has created a passionate, loyal global following. In South Africa, Tony’s can be found in a variety of places, from farm stalls and delis to the Checkers Sixty60 app.

The South African chocolate landscape

Chocolate is widely consumed in South Africa, with more than half (52%) of adult South Africans having eaten some form of chocolate in the past month.  Although it’s safe to assume many more of them (5.2m in the past 7 days) choose a Bar-One (R14.99 on the Sixty60 app for a 52g bar) rather than premium alternatives like Tony’s Chocolonely, which costs 1.5 times more.

❝ The top five chocolate bars are Bar-One, Lunch Bar, Aero, Black Cat, and Kit Kat – each consumed by more than a million people weekly.

Demographics and preferences

According to quarterly MAPS data from the MRF (sample size: 20,000), the top five chocolate bars are Bar-One, Lunch Bar, Aero, Black Cat, and Kit Kat – each consumed by more than a million people weekly. Interestingly, Black Cat and Aero skew toward higher-income consumers, while Kit Kat and Lunch Bar appeal more broadly across income levels.

A third of our population eats a chocolate bar in any given week, and in terms of gender breakdown, female preferences lean toward Jungle Energy Bar, Aero, Kit Kat, and Crunchie, while men favour Nosh, Lunch Bar, Black Cat, and 5 Star.  In terms of generations, Gen Z consumers prefer Nosh, Lunch Bar, and Chomp, while Gen X gravitates toward Aero, Black Cat, and Flake.

“There’s a steady shift in how people approach chocolate, they want to know where ingredients come from, how products are made and they’re seeking more authentic, ethical experiences. At Honest Chocolate, we use single-origin Tanzanian cocoa beans that offer a unique, fruity flavour with bright acidity, which consumers really appreciate,” says Anthony Gird, Co-Founder at Honest Chocolate.

❝ Chocolate has experienced double-digit inflation in most years since 2020, significantly outpacing CPI, With Chocolate bars now 40% more expensive than they were in December 2021.

The inflation reality

On that note, if you’ve felt like chocolate bars are getting smaller and more expensive over the past 5 years, you aren’t wrong.  Chocolate has experienced double-digit inflation in most years since 2020, significantly outpacing CPI, With Chocolate bars now 40% more expensive than they were in December 2021. The 11.6% inflation rate in 2024 represents a particularly steep increase, making chocolate a notable casualty of global economic pressures, climate change and supply chain pressures.

“We’ve created a space in Woodstock where people can see the chocolate-making process first-hand and even make their own treats. With cocoa prices rising due to climate change affecting production in West Africa, quality dark chocolate is getting more expensive and that’s likely to continue for the next couple of years,” adds Gird.

While many might associate chocolate with Switzerland, Germany is by far the largest exporter of chocolate in the world at 16.3% of total exports.  Belgium, Poland, Italy and the Netherlands round out the top five that make up half of all global exports.  The global chocolate export market reached $43.8 billion in 2024, with the United States and United Kingdom importing nearly 20% of that production.

Africa is Ground Zero for chocolate in its raw form, cocoa beans, with 4 of the top 5 exporters Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon, responsible for 46% of all cocoa bean exports.

“Chocolate continues to be one of our most beloved guilty pleasures — a small indulgence that delivers big on satisfaction,” concludes Eighty20. “As we mark World Chocolate Day, it’s worth remembering that behind every bar is a fascinating intersection of consumer psychology, global economics and innovative marketing.”

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