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The votes are in — chocolate has been crowned America’s leading confection. While we don’t see its fan following fizzling out anytime soon, the best way for chocolate to maintain its position in confectionery royalty, and you to keep racking up the chocolate sales, is by keeping it fresh (in more ways than one). The best way to keep it fresh — incorporating the latest trending flavors and ingredients.

When it comes to confections, chocolate is king.

Chocolate sales totaled 16.7 billion in 2021 — the highest of any confectionery category (National Confectioner’s Association)! Milk Chocolate even has a national day dedicated in its honor (this year that’s July 28)! It’s true —we all love chocolate. But are you familiar with the major terms in chocolate making? Having a better understanding of how chocolate is made can help you to better direct customers to their chocolate favorites, while also serving up reasons to try new items, too.

Time to mold your mind – read on for the top terms to know related to chocolate making.

2020 was the year of chocolate, with sales reaching record highs. Up there with chocolate, was wine, both making national supermarket chain Kroger’s list of top purchased items for 2020. For 2021, expect to see these trends continue. Also sticking around for 2021 according to PopSugar, is the at-home foodie, with home cooking and tasting kits providing culinary entertainment in a box. Good things come in pairs. Now’s the time to pair customers’ love of chocolate and their zeal for wine with their inner foodie. Introduce them to chocolate pairings.

Chocolate and food pairings elevate chocolate from everyday snacking to a gourmet experience. Perfect for customers looking for a new way to entertain at home. Great for you as it creates the perfect upsell opportunity.

When it comes to pairs go beyond the typical peanuts and caramel. We asked our chocolate experts to help guide us to view chocolate and food pairings with a fresh pair of eyes. Here are some

Organic has made its way from a must for produce to a growing must for chocolate. Predictions have the organic chocolate market totaling $1.39 billion by 2028 (Candy Industry). The positive upswing stems from customers wanting to indulge while still striving towards a healthy lifestyle (Candy Industry). While Supermarkets and hypermarkets may be where customers are reporting purchasing organic chocolate, all retailers can benefit from adding organic chocolates to their selection (Candy Industry).

Want to know the brands that will get the oohs and aahs? Here are some of our favorites.

No doubt, chocolate is a bestseller, but even a candy superstar can benefit from a little merchandising. Customers want more from their in-store retail experience and are willing to pay more for it. With a little planning and thoughtful grouping of products you can help boost your chocolate sales.

You don’t need a design or marketing degree to create a stellar merchandising program. Here are a few easy ways to leverage the star power of chocolate into better sales.

Winter is coming, and so are customers’ cravings for a customary hot beverage. Their top choice might not be what you think. Market research firm Datassential, found that 81% of consumers love hot chocolate, while only 16.4% of US menus offer this chocolatey elixir. Give customers what they’re thirsty for while creating a fun seasonal environment — host a self-serve hot chocolate bar.