From chocolate snack food to specialty chocolate desserts, there’s endless potential in the chocolate industry. The chocolate industry is always evolving to keep up with consumer trends. Some of the biggest chocolate trends of 2024 include plant-based ingredients, unique flavors, and craft chocolate.
Whether you’re an expert in wholesale chocolate or just thinking about opening a business, it’s important to know the trends. Keep reading to learn more about 6 of the biggest chocolate trends happening in 2024.
1. Plant-Based Chocolate Trends
Across the food industry, current food trends and wholesale candy trends show a growing demand for plant-based options. Chocolate trends are no exception. Consumer interest in purchasing plant-based foods and desserts continues to grow.
People choose to purchase plant-based options, such as plant-based milks, for many reasons, including health and ethical concerns. Some people choose to eat a plant-based diet for their health. This type of diet can help people lose weight and prevent a wide range of illnesses. Others eat plant-based foods for ethical reasons related to the welfare of animals. Eating plant-based is also better for the environment because it reduces emissions and water usage.
Many types of chocolate cater to plant-based chocolate trends. Vegan and dairy-free chocolate options are available and growing in popularity. These cater to people who have plant-based or lactose free diets. Plant based milks and natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup are great options for plant-based chocolates.
There are many advantages to using plant-based ingredients in your chocolate. Offering plant-based chocolate options can help you cater to a large market interested in these chocolate trends. There’s also a reduced environmental impact when using plant-based ingredients.
Key Takeaway: Keeping up with recent chocolate trends can give your wholesale chocolate business an edge. Plant-based, sustainable, and craft options are a few chocolate trends that are becoming popular in 2024.
2. Sustainable Chocolate Trends
Another one of the biggest chocolate trends of 2024 is sustainability. Consumers are increasingly aware of the sustainability of products they buy.
Sustainable chocolate trends focus on the sustainability and food safety of the practices to create the chocolate. This includes sustainable cocoa bean harvesting and production.
Responsibly sourced beans are one of the best ways to make sure your chocolate is sustainable. Responsibly sourced cocoa beans benefit the farmers as well. Fairly sourced beans protect their livelihood for the future and improve their work conditions.
Sustainable chocolate trends also benefit the environment. Good practices can help slow deforestation and climate change caused by chocolate production. There are multiple environmental certifications for chocolate producers. Fair-trade and Forest Alliance are two of the biggest certification programs.
Wholesalers of bulk candy or chocolate can use certified producers in order to keep up with sustainable chocolate trends. Ethically sourced chocolate is not only good for the environment. It can also benefit your wholesale business. Consumers are increasingly more likely to seek sustainable chocolate options. This chocolate trend can help your wholesale business, improve the environment, and make a profit at the same time.
3. Unique Flavor Chocolate Trends
Unique chocolate flavors and combinations are another one of the biggest wholesale chocolate trends for 2024. Chocolate trends show that consumers seek out innovative flavors. Social media, food bloggers, and celebrity endorsements all contribute to the increased popularity of unique flavors in chocolate.
Many flavor combinations are popular in today’s chocolate trends. Some trending combinations are caramel and sea salt, white chocolate and matcha, and spicy seasoning with dark chocolate. Wholesalers can use these flavors and many more to set themselves apart and keep up with the most recent trends. This helps ensure the best customer experience.
Creative flavor combinations can help wholesalers benefit from chocolate trends. Using local flavors or ingredients in your wholesale chocolate is one way to utilize unique flavors in your products.
4. Healthy Chocolate Trends
Similar to the plant-based chocolate trend, healthy chocolate options are one of the top chocolate trends this year. Consumers want healthier options, including healthy desserts and healthy snack ideas. Wellness trends and the desire to indulge without eating something unhealthy contribute to this trend.
There are many ways to incorporate healthy practices into your wholesale chocolate business. Adding healthy ingredients like seeds or nuts can help make chocolate healthier. Another option is to replace unhealthy ingredients with better alternatives. An example of this is switching out regular sugar for a sugar alternative.
Healthy chocolate trends are already very popular, but there's still a lot of room for growth. There is a large potential market for healthy wholesale chocolate. Many customers prefer chocolates that have low sugar, locally sourced ingredients, or nutritional benefits like protein.
5. Personalized Chocolate Trends
Many industries use personalization and customization to improve sales. Chocolate trends show that the chocolate industry is no exception.
Having personalized or customized options for your wholesale chocolate can have many benefits. Consumers like being able to customize orders and products to their exact needs. Offering custom options can set your wholesale chocolate business ahead of the competition.
Many technologies support customization. Some techniques to use personalization are engraving, personalized packaging, and even 3-D printing. These customizations can improve the customer’s experience and help you capture a niche market.
Another benefit of personalized chocolate trends is the perceived value. Consumers view custom items as having a higher value. This also helps to set your wholesale chocolate business apart from the competition. Customers view custom chocolate as being more exclusive.
6. Craft Chocolate Trends
Another one of this year's top chocolate trends is craft chocolate. There is a market trend towards premium, high-quality chocolate. There are a few factors that make this one of the top chocolate trends to follow in 2024. These factors include an appreciation for craftsmanship and quality ingredients.
There is high consumer interest in artisanal and craft chocolates. Consumers appreciate the artistry and quality of craft chocolates. This includes single-origin chocolates, handcrafted chocolates, and bean-to-bar production.
Wholesale chocolate companies can take advantage of chocolate trends leaning towards craft chocolate. Wholesalers can partner with craft or artisan chocolate producers to sell and showcase their products. There are many benefits of supporting and working with small or niche chocolate brands. It can set you apart from competitors and give you ideas for your wholesale marketing strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2024 Chocolate Trends
Understanding this year’s most popular chocolate trends can help your wholesale chocolate business. Get answers to your most common questions about 2024 chocolate trends.
Are healthy chocolate options trending for wholesale chocolate?
Yes, healthy chocolate options are one of the biggest chocolate trends in 2024. Offering vegan, organic, or keto and gluten-free options can help you take advantage of this trend. Consumer trends show a desire for healthy options. Offering plant-based chocolate options can help improve your customer satisfaction. Plant-based chocolate is another one of the healthy chocolate trends taking over the industry.
How can I use personalization in my wholesale chocolate business?
You can personalize your wholesale chocolate products by using technologies like laser engraving, as well as offering custom options. There are many technologies available to help you add personalized elements to your business. This includes using 3-D printing to create custom chocolate shapes or designs.
Offering personalized packaging options is another way to personalize your business. Personalized and custom options are one of this year’s big chocolate trends.
How can I collaborate with craft chocolate producers as a wholesaler?
Wholesalers can collaborate with craft chocolate producers by featuring their products and highlighting their unique traits. Working with craft or artisan chocolate producers can be beneficial for both the wholesale business owner and the craft chocolate supplier.
Supporting local chocolate brands differentiates wholesalers from their competitors. It also gives a variety of unique, high-quality products to feature in your wholesale catalogs.