As many as 80 per cent of chocolate summit consumers globally would like to try non-dairy ‘milk’ chocolate. Thirty-one per cent consider a ‘high protein’ claim to be important when buying chocolate, and 40 per cent admit that they eat sweet chocolate and nut spreads with a spoon from the jar.

These are just a few of the findings gathered by AAK in a recent survey of chocolate consumers in 12 countries. AAK will showcase this expertise at the new Chocolate Summit, which takes place in London on September 5-6, 2019.

The event will be highly interactive, with an opportunity for attendees to take part in a ‘Chocolate Safari’ on the streets of London, visiting independent boutiques, larger businesses, department stores, and restaurants. There will be creative roundtable discussions and a chance to taste the newest innovations in chocolate, developed to align with the latest emerging trends, including formulations that are high protein, plant-based/vegan, and very low in sugar.

The Chocolate Summit is targeting B2C brand and marketing professionals from the chocolate industry all over the world, Sessions will focus on topics such as brand strategy, overcoming barriers for growth, consumer drivers and online experiential marketing.

The Chocolate Summit will be facilitated by Peter Wennström, president of The Healthy Marketing Team, who said, “This event will be an excellent opportunity to understand the motivations of today’s chocolate consumers.

“How is greater interest in raw material sourcing practices affecting purchasing decisions?

“In what way is concern about sugar impacting on how people shop the chocolate category?”

The Chocolate Summit in London will bring together marketing and brand experts from across the chocolate supply chain to explore how businesses can interpret these emerging trends, to create products aligned with the needs and preferences of modern consumers.