On the occasion of the upcoming Easter season, the Hungarian Confectionery Manufacturers’ Association has provided an overview of last year’s developments and expectations for the year ahead, based on feedback from its member companies and the data available.
Consumer choices are becoming increasingly cost-conscious due to rising prices, while at the same time there is little willingness to compromise on quality. Two main directions can be observed. On the one hand, there is strong nostalgia for classic flavours and traditions: an iconic product in this regard is zselés szaloncukor (jelly-filled Christmas fondant), which has been the leading product in the category since the 1980s. The szaloncukor category consistently reaches a stable annual volume of 3,000–3,500 tonnes.
Successful candy manufacturers are responding to the fluctuations of the sugar market by developing innovative, export-winning products, as was revealed at a roundtable discussion in Budapest, to which the Association of Hungarian Confectionery Manufacturers and the Committee of European Sugar Users invited members of the press in early October. Trade organizations representing producers and processors are also proposing new measures to lawmakers that would increase the competitiveness of our region.