Sales of premium chocolate increased 129 percent from 2001 to 2006, when it reached $2.05 billion, about 13 percent of the total chocolate market according to research by Mintel
International Group Ltd.
The gourmet end of the global
$42.2 billion chocolate industry is growing. The niche market for
artisan gourmet chocolates has grown 20% since 2001 according to Packaged
Facts, a consumer goods research company.
According to a report on the market by Packaged Facts, overall US chocolate sales are forecast to reach $18bn (€13.2bn) by 2011, up from $16bn (€11.7bn) in 2006, driven in part by premium chocolate.
Premium chocolate will account for 25 per cent of the market, mainly due to the reported health benefits of dark chocolate, according to Packaged Facts.
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