More to chocolates than meets the eye

Press, 26 December 1987, Page 10

More to chocolates than meets the eye

Launching a new line of chocolates is a complicated affair, JULIA SPAIN reports.

We eat more chocolate at Christmas than at any other time of the year. Market research shows Europeans are the biggest consumers. Britain takes the lead, with the chocolate lovers getting through 300 grams each, a week. Close runners up are the French, Germans and Swiss. For the manufacturers, launching a new line of assorted chocolates is a complicated affair taking at least two years. Hundreds of people are

involved, from psychologists, engineers, and marketing consultants, to designers and packaging experts. They may debate for weeks before deciding on a new name for a product. Even the positioning of each chocolate in the box is worked out with military precision. Leading manufacturers have “popularity parades” in which different chocolates are checked for popularity of flavour, shape, whether plain or

milk chocolate, and positioning in the box. New chocolates are introduced cautiously. When one leading firm launched a new line, they decided the selection should include six established chocolates and six new ones. “It took our experimental confectioners more than six months to come up with new recipes of

popular appeal that would sell,” said the firm’s marketing spokesman. “It took another six or so months for these to be tested before we were perfectly satisfied.” The long established best sellers don’t change much at all. Internationally known Black Magic, for example, introduced 12 flavours back in 1933,

and only one has changed. The American choco- ' late firm, Hershey, found ; their sales greatly in- ; creased after the Second . World War. Servicemen shared their Hershey Bars j with the children of the ( countries in which they were stationed, and so spread the confectionery gospel.

However good the contents, the final arbiter of choice is the cover of the chocolate box. Sales psychologists confirm that a cover featuring a pretty girl will not sell well. They say that since most sales are made with a woman in mind, the man who makes the purchase doesn’t want another girl to intrude on the relationship. Unconsciously, the women who get the chocs don’t wish to feel the man

bought them because he was attracted by the pretty face on the cover. Animals are good sales pullers. A small friendly dog, or a prancing puppy, are always favourites. Cats, and kittens playfully entangled in balls of wool, come next. Babies and views are also popular, followed by flowers, especially roses and chrysanthemums. —Copyright Duo