Eleven trends identified by Packaged facts in the premium chocolate market

• Craft chocolate making, sometimes referred to as craft, bean-to-bar or micro-batch chocolate.
• Savory-inspired flavors - everything from olive oil, bacon and cheese to curry and chipotle into bonbons, bars and truffles.
 • Exotic flavors: it’s about experiences, not just consumption.
• Raw cacao products, a reaction to over-processed, over-engineered foods
• Vegan chocolate. According to Packaged Facts, new vegan labeled chocolate products have increased 52% per year (a 5-year CAGR) to a forecasted 32 new products in 2010, or 1% of all new product reports.
• Wine-themed chocolate products: Chocolate without wine, like a day without sunshine.
• Upscale chocolate candy bars: It’s not just indulgent, it’s healthier and portion-controlled.
• Exotic delivery methods:Le Whif’sthe trailblazer.
• Beyond bars: Artisan chocolatiers are serving up “tasting tiles” and disks as a means of differentiating their products.
 • Extreme milk chocolate: Dark milk chocolate - above 40% cocoa mass - combines silkiness with less sugar, more antioxidants.
 • Use of alternative distribution channels: Think Tupperware parties, aka Mars’ Dove Chocolate Discoveries.