4 December 2018, for centuries, Hungarians have decorated their Christmas trees by hanging so-called szaloncukor (‘salon candy’), a traditionally fondant-based candy coated in chocolate that is wrapped in shiny, colourful foil, on their trees. While the flavours and wrappings of the festive candy have changed and followed certain trends over the years, it remains to be a staple and important accessory of Christmas in Hungarian households.

Sandor Santa, president of HUNBISCO, the Association of Hungarian Confectionary Manufacturers said, “The sales of this festive candy skyrocket before Christmas and according to the survey 86% of Hungarian consumers plan to purchase salon candies this year”.

In the flavour contest the classic citrus jelly is the absolute favourite with two thirds of consumers choosing it as their preferred variety. Runners-up include coconut and caramel, but many people also like the more refined, and expensive, marzipan and hazelnut cream fillings. In the past few decades the supreme reign of the classic sugar fondant szaloncukor has slipped and it has gradually become one of the least popular varieties while the products made using high quality chocolate and fillings have become increasingly widespread.

Despite the Christmas candy not being a Hungarian invention, it was Hungarian confectioners who first started making them in the first third of the 1800’s, and it has been exclusively produced by Hungarians ever since. True, the ancestor of all festive candies, the fondant sugar originates from France and the tradition of erecting Christmas trees has German roots.

However this unique marriage of the German Christmas tree and the French sugar dessert, via the decoration of the tree with candy only evolved in Hungary. Initially only the wealthy families could afford to erect Christmas trees and buy sweets. The noble families placed the trees in the salons of their apartments or houses, hence the szaloncukor or ‘salon candy’ name.

Today, this festive candy is much more widespread and accessible.

On average consumers spend around HUF 2,000 on the sweets. They first decide the flavour and the second consideration is the price. Since the price is important, 50% of consumers will shop around after Christmas for special deals and pick up discounted candy too.

Finally the survey also answered a major debate that keeps families excited during the festive season. Some people have the habit of sneaking the candy from the wrapping and leaving the shiny but empty foil hanging on the tree, thus leaving the next candy hunter to grab nothing but the empty wrapping. So how many people do this? As it turns out: almost everyone! The survey revealed that almost three-quarters of families have faced this mischief. Therefore, it is hardly worth trying to find sinners, because almost everyone has committed this ‘sweet offense’. And if they haven’t yet, there’s a good chance they will, sooner or later.

 

Members of the Association of Hungarian Confectionery Manufacturers who produce the festive candy:

Choccogarden Kft.

Haribo Hungária Kft.

Lissé Kft.

Mondeléz Hungária Kft.

Nestlé Hungária Kft.

Szerencsi Bonbon Kft.

The candy market is on the rise again, and after a few years, more and more domestic buyers will indulge in some sweet delights. In accordance with consumer trends, novelties have emerged in the fruit gum and licorice markets as well, such as gluten-free or vegetarian gummy candies. Candy production today is thriving globally: the world’s candy market in 2016 exceeded USD 85 billion (Mordor Intelligence), which accounts for more than half of the global USD 180 billion global confectionery market. Demand for candy is expected to continue to grow steadily as the middle class is widening worldwide.

The origin of candies is derived from ancient Egyptians who combined fruits and nuts with honey at least 1,500 years B.C., but ancient Greeks, Romans and Chinese also made various sweets using honey. Around the 4-6 century B.C. with Persian and Greek mediation sugar set off from its native India, and became more widely known in distant lands.

The first modern candies were made in Europe in the 16th century.  Blended with herbs they were primarily sold as digestive tablets. In those times the consumption of inadequately handled, rotten food was frequent, and a strong, herbal candy could help digestion.

Because the price of sugar remained extremely high until the last century, confectionery as a luxury product was the privilege of the richest people. They could indulge themselves with candy canes which were already available in the 1600s. The canes were bent by a conductor in 1970 in Nürnberg to remind the members of the children’s choir of the good shepherd’s symbol: the crosier before Christmas. In the same period in Paris, in the court of the Sun King, the first bonbons were made.

Two hundred years later not only kings and the privileged can chew candies and bonbons. In the 19th century, parallel with the emergence of industrial mass production, candy became more and more widely available and the little sweets particularly became the favorites of the working class.

In Hungary at the time, the growing demand for candy was initially satisfied by the Austrian and Czech confectionery industry. Hungarian candy production was only started after the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, with a rudimentary mechanization. Frigyes Stühmer who emigrated from Hamburg established a candy factory in Budapest in 1868, while József Weisz  founded one in Sopron. In addition, handcraft confectioners produced confectionery with rather primitive methods, until Stühmer modernized candy production in 1909. (Chemonet)

Later, iconic brands such as Negro, Francia Drazsé, or Dunakavics were born. The candy market has continued to grow and new product forms have emerged, which have already had great success in other countries and have become major players in the markets such as gummy candy. At present, besides domestic products, there are also imported products with different types of taste, texture and shape.

In addition to the Hungarian-developed brands – Fundy and Flórián – since the early 2000s, the globally popular Haribo gummy candies have been manufactured in Nemesvámos, Hungary too. Since then, the product range has expanded considerably, and in addition to single-layer gummy candies, foamed, double-layered, sugared, sour and coated products are also being produced in Hungary both for the local and export markets, thus contributing to the performance of the Hungarian economy.

According to a recent survey commissioned by the Association of Hungarian Confectionery Manufacturers most types of sweets are typically consumed at home, but the smaller the confectionery, the more likely it is to be eaten at work or on the go. Candies and gummies are primarily the favorites of children and youths, and when adults also get a taste, these types of sweets are consumed in family circles most of the time.

The presentation on the following link provides a brief overview of candy consumption habits: https://bit.ly/2lPUwsY

You can download the illustrations of the Hungarian Museum of Trade and Tourism for the material at the following link: https://bit.ly/2KI79ViT

CAOBISCO, the Association of European Confectionery manufacturers held its Annual General Assembly on 14-15 June 2018. The Association of Hungarian Confectionery Manufacturers (HUNBISCO), with an observer status, was represented by the vice-president and the secretary.

Reports

The General Assembly accepted the reports and the budget.

President

The General Assembly elected Mary Barnard (Mondeléz Intl.) as President of CAOBISCO for two years. Former President Alessandro Cagli (Ferrero) continues his CAOBISCO activities  as Vice-President and supports the new chairman in the next two years.

Moderate membership fee associations

The Hungarian, Spanish and Polish associations have so far paid moderate membership fees in exchange for no voting rights. The Polish and Spanish federations will pay the full membership fee from next year and will receive their voting rights. The position of HUNBISCO continues to be with the moderate membership fee, for us information flow is the key.

Mindful eating framework

The initiatives of the Australian ‘be treatwise’ or the Italian Merendine programs are recommended to the national associations but there is no common CAOBISCO approach in this respect. The Hungarian association has started this work very early through the voluntary commitments of ÉFOSZ, the National Association of Food Industrialists.

Child labour

CAOBISCO and ILO take a stand together against child labour.

Palm oil

CAOBISCO cooperates with the competent EU bodies to reduce palm oil use.

Intensive sweeteners

CAOBISCO initiates a permissive EU regulation for the use of intensive sweeteners in fine bakery products.

Sugar alcohols

CAOBISCO initiates a permissive EU regulation for the most extensive use of sugar alcohols in confectionery products in order to reduce energy consumption.