Survey reveals chocolate is in high demand in countries across the Asia Pacific

October 2017

Survey reveals chocolate is in high demand in countries across the Asia Pacific: YouGov Australia asked over 5 million respondents across the Asia Pacific about their favourite chocolate brand.

According to the survey, 43% of respondents across the Asia Pacific (including countries such as Australia, the Philippines, China and Japan) ate less chocolate compared to last year, with 58% of respondents believing that calorific content is an important factor when deciding which type of chocolate to buy. 

In 2015 and 2016, the Chinese confectionery market declined, with many people limiting their chocolate intake to make healthier decisions. Of the 58% who believe that calorific content is an important factor when deciding which chocolate to buy, 60% admitted that they made a health-conscious decision when purchasing chocolate.

Currently in Asia, the cocoa market looks promising, as the demand for chocolate is estimated to increase by 3–4%.

Out of those surveyed, on average, the most favoured chocolate brands were:

• Cadbury – 25%
• Ferrero Rocher – 14%
• Nestlé – 12%
• Hershey – 12%
• Lindt – 9%

However, the survey showed this was not necessarily the same for every country, as the following countries rated their favourite brands:

• Vietnam – Nestlé (39%)
• Hong Kong – Godiva (23%)
• Philippines – Toblerone (16%)
• Indonesia – Toblerone (14%)

The survey also found that over three quarters (77%) from Indonesia are more likely to purchase chocolate with a Fairtrade certification. Furthermore, 70% of those surveyed from Thailand agree with this statement, while only 38% from Hong Kong believe this is important.

According to the president of Cargill’s cocoa and chocolate business, Harold Poelma, “[the] demand for chocolate [in Asia] has been going up and continues to go up.”

He adds:“Barring any major disruptions, we should have pretty decent growth this year.”

However, commenting on the survey’s results, YouGov believe that “the next frontier for chocolatiers will be to rise to the challenge of keeping the same taste while alleviating health concerns.”