WASHINGTON -- Nearly 80% of American parents will be “helping” the Easter Bunny this year by creating and sharing seasonal baskets with their children, according to a recent national survey by the National Confectioners Association (NCA)—90% of those baskets will feature chocolate, candy, gum or mints.
NCA projects that retail sales of Easter candy in 2016 will be nearly $2.4 billion (up 1.4% from 2015).
Candy makers will produce more than 100 million chocolate bunnies for Easter 2016, along with millions of chocolate eggs. NCA’s survey found that when it comes to those eggs, Americans prefer them filled with ingredients such as chocolate ganache, peanut butter or caramel (52%), as compared to solid (32%) or hollow eggs (16%).
In addition to sharing Easter baskets, Americans have embraced dozens of other traditions to celebrate the Easter holiday from hunting for hard-boiled eggs or plastic eggs filled with treats and surprises (71% of households with children) to dyeing and decorating eggs (79%). As many as 10% of households with children even set up and decorate an Easter tree.
Sweets & Snack Expo Sold Out
Meanwhile, NCA’s 2016 Sweets & Snacks Expo has sold out, the group said.
The 2016 Expo—May 24-26 at Chicago’s McCormick Place—will set an all-time record in volume of confectionery and snack products with more than 720 companies showcasing nearly 4 acres of product innovation.
The show floor expanded into a second hall, the new Skyline Hall, to accommodate the growing exhibitor base and plans to welcome more than 16,000 industry professionals from nearly 90 countries. It will feature not only more companies, but also the latest emerging industry trends, including the expanded “Innovation Avenue.”
In addition, the new hall will contain a second knowledge center specializing in tracks on snacking, specialty trends and the newest consumer and shopping trends.
The Most Innovative New Product Awards showcase and ceremony will be also located in the new hall, where visitors can view the top 45 new items deemed to become best sellers by the Expo’s expert Taste Panel.
The National Confectioners Association is the trade organization representing the $35-billion U.S. confections industry.
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