Consumer Preference for Chocolate and Candy in the United States - Essay Example

The highest rate of consumption is registered during the festive seasons such as Easter and Christmas. Notably, Valentine’s day also marks a remarkable consumption rate of chocolate and candy. This is because of the gift culture in the United States, whereby many people prefer buying chocolates for those they love and treasure ("Hot Chocolates" 182). Many of those buying gifts are usually consumers themselves. Without a doubt, chocolate and candy have a ready market more than in any other country across the globe.

As highlighted above, the United States registers the highest consumption of chocolate and candy. However, it is worth noting that some brands of chocolate consumed by many Americans have lasted for the last 50 years. They have established chocolate and candy brands with unique tastes and quality (Research and Markets). They are given reverence as premium chocolates because of their outstanding taste and quality over the years. Companies such as Hershey and Mars have the maximum percentage of the market share and are the main suppliers of chocolate and candy in the United States.

Although chocolate is a preferred snack in the United States, this does not mean that businesses operating in this industry do not have to indulge in rigorous research. Notably, the American consumer is particular with taste regarding snacks and chocolate (Kim, Lopetcharat, and Drake 4850). Moreover, there is a varied preference for either dark chocolate or milk chocolate. These are some of the factors that companies with the leading market share have often considered in a bid to maintain their market position. There is evidence that the packing of the chocolate has the potential to evoke different feelings in the consumer. This gives manufacturers of candy and chocolates a new task of ensuring that the packaging of the chocolate evokes emotions such as desire, satisfaction, joy, and pride. Chocolate packs evoking such emotions are likely to have a higher chance compared to others in the market (Johnson).

Moreover, the health benefits of chocolate such as the anti-oxidant content of chocolate are one of the motivators for people to buy chocolate. There is a salient need for emerging businesses in this market to introduce new flavors, which have unique tastes if they are to compete successfully with the leaders in this industry. Although the American population is a leading consumer of candy and chocolate, it does not present a higher probability for market growth because of the potential saturation. Experts in this industry emphasize the need to develop new flavors of candy and chocolate with additional health benefits as the American population is becoming more concerned with healthy eating (Johnson).