Barry Callebaut International Consumer Survey Finds: Americans' Love Affair With Chocolate Expanding to New Varieties

CHICAGO, March 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether it's a favorite milk chocolate bar that brings back childhood memories or a piece of delectable dark chocolate that helps melt away the stress of the day, Americans have long had a love affair with chocolate. And while regular milk, dark and white chocolate remains hugely popular in the United States, a recent international survey by Barry Callebaut -- the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate products -- finds that many consumers are experimenting with new chocolate varieties.

According to the survey, nearly four out of 10 Americans (38 percent) eat chocolate at least a few times per week, and about 59 percent of consumers are loyal to a particular brand of chocolate. But with a growing number of chocolate options hitting store shelves, Americans are increasingly treating their taste buds to new and different varieties.

Experimenting with premium chocolates

More than half of all Americans (53 percent) have tried single-origin chocolate -- chocolate made from cocoa beans from a specific region like Ghana, Ecuador or Indonesia instead of using a blend of beans from different origins -- up from about 42 percent in 2006. In addition, 15 percent of consumers reported eating single-origin chocolate at least a few times per month.

"Our direct sourcing activities in the world's principal cocoa-growing countries enabled us to develop the largest range of origin chocolates available on the market," says Hans Vriens, Chief Innovation Officer at Barry Callebaut. "Barry Callebaut has more than 40 different origins on offer whose unique taste is a real discovery for chocolate lovers across the globe. These finest-quality origin chocolates are made from rare cocoa beans grown on far-away, small plantations or even from vintage beans."

In addition to single-origin chocolates, organic chocolate is growing in popularity among Americans due in part to the growing trend in organic food in the United States. According to the Barry Callebaut survey, 38 percent of Americans have tried organic chocolate. The survey also found that 38 percent of U.S. adults have eaten fair trade chocolate -- chocolate that is produced using fair trade raw materials.

Indulging at home, at work and on the go

While more than half of Americans (52 percent) prefer to indulge in chocolate within the privacy of their home, the survey found that 15 percent enjoy chocolate at work and another 12 percent eat chocolate while on the go -- more than consumers in any other country surveyed. Seventeen percent of U.S. adults will indulge in a chocolate treat just about anyplace.

In addition, nearly seven out of 10 Americans (67 percent) say they don't need a special occasion to buy chocolate, but the survey found that holidays tend to be popular times for purchasing chocolate. The most popular holiday was Halloween (46 percent), followed by Christmas (45 percent), Valentine's Day (44 percent), and Easter (41 percent).

Standing by their brand

When it comes to perusing the chocolate and candy aisle, Americans pay attention to name brands. According to the survey, 59 percent of American consumers choose a particular chocolate because they like the brand and 40 percent said they bought a particular chocolate out of habit. Other factors that prompt Americans to buy a certain brand of chocolate:

    -- Tasted a sample in the store (31 percent)
    -- Price (31 percent)
    -- Newly available (25 percent)
    -- Sale or special promotion (20 percent)

Survey Methodology:

Overview: The consumer survey was conducted on behalf of Barry Callebaut by Ipsos Belgium N.V./S.A. in five European countries and the United States between January 7 and 28, 2008.

Countries surveyed: United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and the United States.

Number of persons surveyed: Approximately 1,000 consumers per country.

Survey method: Telephone interviews in Switzerland and the United States, and personal interviews in all other countries.

Further information about the consumer survey can be found on the Barry Callebaut Web site at http://www.barry-callebaut.com.

Barry Callebaut (http://www.barry-callebaut.com):

With annual sales of more than CHF 4 billion (approximately USD 3.6 billion) for fiscal year 2006/2007, Zurich-based Barry Callebaut is the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate -- from the cocoa bean to the finished product on the store shelf. Barry Callebaut is present in 24 countries, operates more than 40 production facilities and employs approximately 8,000 people. The company serves the entire food industry, from food manufacturers to professional users of chocolate (such as chocolatiers, pastry chefs or bakers), to global retailers. It also provides a comprehensive range of services in the fields of product development, processing, training and marketing.

                            Reasons for Indulging
                                 in Chocolate

According to the Barry Callebaut survey, Americans said they eat chocolate:

    -- Because they like it (54 percent)
    -- To satisfy a sweet tooth (14 percent)
    -- Because it tastes good (14 percent)
    -- To make themselves feel good (6 percent)
    -- For health reasons (4 percent)
    -- To reward themselves (3 percent)



                        Premium Chocolate Preferences

    Percentage of consumers (by country) who have tried the following
chocolate varieties:

                             Single
                             Origin            Organic          Fair trade

    U.S.A.                     53%               38%                38%
    Switzerland                52%               28%                46%
    Germany                    40%               13%                19%
    Belgium                    40%               20%                23%
    U.K.                       34%               31%                43%
    France                     34%               12%                26%