With the cooperation of the Association of Hungarian Confectionery Manufacturers, the owners of the Christmas Candy of the Year Contest project, Ádám Kovács and Gergely Kovács, announced the results on November 24, 2022: the list of winners can be found here: https://azevszaloncukra.hu/nyertesek/2022
The price of Christmas candy rose in 2022 to a lesser extent than the overall increase in food prices, and confectionery manufacturers expect that the average consumption of one kilo per household may decrease slightly. Experience shows that consumers have a hard time letting go of quality, which is why the Association is counting on a decrease in consumed quantity.
The raw materials used for Christmas candy have significantly become more expensive, but since Christmas candy is typically produced in the first half of the year, this does not yet fully affect the current season. The price of sugar, for example, was EUR 500-550 per tonne in September, and as a result of the unprecedented price increase in October, it rose to almost EUR 1,100. The price of glucose syrup, mainly used for jelly-filling Christmas candy, also doubled, but the price of other raw materials and packaging materials also increased significantly. Two-thirds of the Christmas candies on the market are the most popular jelly-filling types, the rest of the market is shared by coconut, caramel, marzipan, hazelnut cream and other specialty fillings. This year, the salted caramel flavor became particularly popular, but – as it can be seen from the Christmas Candy of the Year Contest – the specialties variants that offer a unique taste experience are also gaining popularity.
Organic, vegan and functional food Christmas candy products are also starting to have a more marked presence on the market too.