-By Michelle Moran

Retail Perspective
The Gourmet Retailer Magazine sent out a survey to retailers asking how their sales of premium chocolates have been along with what they believe the trends are at retail. Here are their views:

Specialty Food Stores
Specialty food stores responding to the survey averaged 193 square feet of space dedicated to confections inventory, the majority of the products in their inventory being non-chocolate confections, chocolate bars and seasonal products. They carry an average of 16 non-confections lines, 26 chocolate bar lines and 44 seasonal lines.

Confections sales from September 2006 to 2007 were varied with 22.2% reporting sales between $10,001 and $25,000; 22.2% reporting sales between $100,001 and $250,000; and 22.2% between $250,001 and $500,000. And 54% of those sales occur during the holiday season. The portion of chocolate sold within those numbers averaged 22.2% for each of the following sales figures: $5,000 to $10,000; $10,001 to $25,000; $50,001 to $100,000; and $100,001 to $250,000. The majority of respondents place non-confections sales for the same period between $10,001 and $25,000.

Boxed chocolates didn't garner as much in consumer interest, according to retailers, as chocolate bars. Boxed chocolate sales from September 2006 to 2007 averaged less than $5,000. Most retailers suggest seasonal confections will increase in 2008 with the category of chocolate expected to increase over other confections categories. They expect customers to have increased interest in organic and single-origin chocolates.

Gift/Gourmet Stores
Gift/Gourmet stores responding to the survey averaged 581 square feet of space dedicated to their confections inventory, the majority of those products being non-chocolate confections, chocolate bars, novelty items and seasonal products. They carry an average of five non-confections lines, 4.5 chocolate bar lines, 5.2 novelty lines, 4.75 boxed chocolate lines and 11 seasonal lines.

The majority (47.8%) of retailers reported less than $5,000 in confections sales from September 2006 to 2007. And 51.7% of those sales occur during the holiday season. Chocolate sales averaged less than $5,000 for more than 45% of the retailers responding. More than 47% of respondents report less than $5,000 in sales for non-chocolate confections.

Most gift-gourmet retailers had high expectations for confections sales and predict increased sales in all categories for 2008 with the exception of bulk non-chocolate. All retailers said they expect chocolate confections to see the largest growth with imported chocolates, bulk chocolate and dark chocolate garnering high scores.
Hot chocolate and organic chocolate are categories these retailers are seeing their consumers asking about, and most retailers said they were interested in discovering new lines to stock.

Comments? mmoran@gourmetretailer.com