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How That Creamy Chocolate Is Made

Current Trends in Chocolate

pink chocolate
Ruby chocolate, a pink chocolate with "berry" notes was introduced to the world in 2017. The one pictured has pistachios and almonds. Zacharie Grossen/Wikimedia/CC By-SA 4.0

Food product standards have skyrocketed in recent years, with many people turning to organic options to get their fix. The chocolate market is no exception, and as a result the premium chocolate category has consistently posted impressive growth, with an 11 percent uptick from 2018 to 2019. On a smaller scale, non-GMO chocolates and those that support fair trade agreements have also enjoyed growth [source: National Confectioners Association].

Here are some of the current trends in chocolate production:

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  • Sales of dark chocolate products have jumped 9 percent in recent years, as buyers are looking for a higher cocoa content, as well as the added health boost the confection is said to have. (Dark chocolate is rich in flavenols, which are believed to have heart-protecting properties, and is also packed with vitamins and minerals) [sources: Harvard; National Confectioners Association].
  • Hazelnut has experienced the biggest growth in flavors worldwide. Hazelnut product launches saw a 50 percent increase from 2012 to 2015, followed by coffee-flavored options, which saw a 40 percent launch growth. The current top five flavors of chocolate worldwide are: plain, hazelnut, caramel, almond and orange [source: Candy Industry].
  • Unconventional additions to chocolate (like jalapeno pepper, bacon and lavender) are popular with millennials.
  • Ruby chocolate, a pink-colored chocolate with "berry notes" was introduced to the world in 2017 and to the U.S. in 2019. It's the first new type of chocolate since white chocolate (which doesn't have any cocoa powder) was invented in the 1930s. The processing technique for ruby chocolate is a closely guarded secret.

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