Capitalising on growth in the chocolate category, Ritter’s new launch

March 5, 2023

Ritter Sport UK & IRE’s latest launch Delightfuls, is bringing an exciting new gift option to the chocolate category with lots of ‘delightful’ square chocolate cubes, as a mid-premium addition to the growing gifting category.

Drawing on the company’s UK-specific flavour set, which includes three chocolate flavours in the UK: Milk, Nut and Caramel, each gift box contains 22 pieces of Ritter Sport’s sustainably sourced chocolate in four individually wrapped Delightfuls flavours.

Choco-Crisp’s chunky cubes are crispy and crunchy bites, covered in Ritter Sport’s creamy milk chocolate. Caramel offers two sweet caramel layers in smooth and creamy milk chocolate. Whole Nut delivers whole, crunchy hazelnut wrapped in a milk chocolate cube, while Praline provides a smooth praline encased in milk chocolate.

The launch comes after eight years of value growth for the company’s bar formats, it has said, which continues to be a driving area of growth within the block chocolate category and the gifting/seasonal category. According to Mintel’s 2022 Chocolate Confectionery report, in 2022 total chocolate confectionery was worth an estimated US$3.87 billion, up from $3.73 billion in 2020.

Chocolate is the most popular food item to buy as a gift; 79% of consumers who bought food as a gift chose chocolate for this purpose in the 12 months up to April 2022.

The new Delightfuls come in a bright, blue square box focusing on 100% natural ingredients used in each cube, along with the milk chocolate that’s made with 100% certified sustainable cocoa. The 2020 Cargill survey demonstrates that across 10 European countries, 68% of consumers said they were willing to pay more for a chocolate product made with sustainable cocoa, and also indicated they were willing to pay a premium for chocolate products with sustainability claims.

“Delightfuls brings an exciting new offering for consumers, with an indulgent milk chocolate gifting product that tastes amazing and is perfect for gifting. Entering the market at an opportune moment for our consumers, given Mintel’s report showing chocolate’s continued importance in gifting, the launch marks the expansion of our portfolio in the UK with our Colourful Variety, Nut Selection, Towers ranges,” explained Benedict Daniels, Managing Director of Ritter Sport UK & IRE.

“Delightfuls gives a new group of consumers the chance to discover, try, and enjoy Ritter Sport’s quality milk, nut and caramel chocolate in individually wrapped pieces, and gives our existing consumers the opportunity to enjoy our chocolate and give it to others in an attractive new format,” he added.

Ritter Sport Delightfuls will be available nationwide in Asda from February, retailing at a price of UK£3.99.

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