Confectionery market in Poland

Thursday, 24 January, 2019 Food From Poland 34/2019
The current situation of the confectionery industry is stable, the value of the confectionery market in Poland is estimated at more than PLN 12 billion; including salty snacks and ice cream, it exceeds PLN 16 billion, due to which we can also count on growth of the order by 1-2% annually.
According to data by Nielsen, the value of retail sales of the confectionery and snack market grew by 5.8% in comparison with the previous year.

The diagram below shows the annual value of confectionery and snack sales in retail stores. The statistics show that October 2018 saw a 4.0% growth in production of chocolate and chocolate products to 45.2 thousand tons in comparison with October 2017, whereas on a monthly basis, the production of chocolate and chocolate products in October 2018 grew by 8.9% compared with September 2018. Between January and October 2018, the production of chocolate and chocolate products increased by 9.0% in comparison with the analogous period of 2017, amounting in total to 353 thousand tons. Products of the so-called premium segment are the most appreciated ones, the consumption of pralines has increased as well (growth by approx. 8%), cookies remain the leading category. Poland occupies the 22nd place on the global market in terms of chocolate consumption; approx. 5 kg of chocolate per capita is consumed annually, although Switzerland and Germany both record an amount twice larger.

Concerning exports, the chocolate and confectionery industry is one of the most dynamically developing industries of the food sector in Poland. The value of exports of chocolate and confectionery products amounts to approx. € 1.5 billion, while imports reach approx. € 1billion. For instance, chocolate, a confectionery standard, reaches 111 countries, including, above all, Germany.

Chocolate is a worldwide bestseller. However, as the time passes, chocolate manufacturers have to think how to attract and maintain new purchasers. For several years, health-improving trends are favourable, contributing to a significant increase in consumer interest in products with reduced energy value, reduced sugar content, as well as addition of vitamins and a high magnesium content. Therefore, our producers meet the consumer expectations, offering alternatives of classic sweets and candy bars with improved recipes and clean labels.  There are also many avant-garde ideas in the future development of the offer. As early as several years ago, the first products combining caramel with salt appeared, along with attempts at combining such tastes as e.g. bacon and chocolate. The popularity of unusual tastes, predominantly in the chocolate segment, is on the rise in many countries. Chocolate combined with such additives as bacon, wasabi, salt or herbs is gaining a growing number of enthusiasts, especially in the USA. It cannot be ruled out that in a longer time perspective, the tastes of Polish consumers will change too and exotic tastes will become strong competition for more traditional confectionery. Because the Poles are increasingly open to new tastes and recipes, one should conclude that the portfolio of innovative confectionery will continue to reach new horizons.

Marek Przeździak,
President of the Board, POLBISCO



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