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Godiva taps single origin chocolate sector with G by Godiva

19-Sep-2016 - Last updated on 20-Sep-2016 at 11:31 GMT

Godiva says US chocolate consumers are increasingly interested in origin of ingredients

Pladis-owned Godiva Chocolatier has introduced a Mexican single origin range to its boutiques and select retail partners in North America.

G by Godiva will be part of Godiva’s core portfolio, Godiva’s head of marketing and product development Nagisa Manabe told ConfectioneryNews.

“With Pladis, Godiva is looking to bring the Godiva experience to a broader consumer audience through wider distribution,” she said.

Targeting boutique consumers

G by Godiva is available in six flavors, including dark chocolate, milk chocolate, blonde slated caramel, dark chocolate with orange and ginger, dark chocolate with toasted coconut, and milk chocolate hazelnut crisp. Each 75 g bar retails for $7, and is geared towards consumers seeking higher-end chocolate products with sustainable cocoa sources.

“G by Godiva is available exclusively as a retail exclusive to satisfy our boutique consumer,” Manabe said.

Single-origin cocoa beans from Mexico

The cocoa beans used in the G by Godiva collection are single origin from Mexico, Manabe added.

“Mexico is the truth birthplace of chocolate, and its beans are known for their purity of origin, smoothness, and depth of flavor,” she said.

“We know that consumers are constantly looking for new experiences, especially when it comes to taste. They are looking for multi-sensorial experiences: Foods that taste, smell, and feel unique. They are also more globally conscious, and interested in the origins of ingredients.”

Booming Latin American cocoa market

Hardman Agribusiness, a London-based capital markets advisory services firm, published a report earlier this year, predicting that at least $1bn will be invested in Latin American cocoa in the next 10 years to meet future demand, as it described the West African cocoa market as “structurally blighted”.

Chocolate businesses in North America, such as MarieBelle(Honduras cocoa beans), Hagensborg Chocolates (Dominican Republic cocoa beans), and Tuanis Chocolate (Costa Rica cocoa beans), are also capitalizing on growingLatin American cocoa market by using single-origin cocoa beans from the region.

Terms, such as single-source and bean-to-bar, have become a sign of premium chocolate in the US. This site previously reported the surging single-origin chocolate market has partially benefited from the economic recovery in the country.

Godiva is part of newly created global business Pladis. Turkish food conglomerate, Yildiz Holding, consolidated its subsidiaries, including United Biscuits, Godiva, Ulker and DeMet’s Candy, into a $5.2bn global company Pladis in June this year. The newly formed food giant recently reported a 28% sales uplift with McVitie’s impulse trials.