Global Market Overview

The confectionery and snacks market are a large subsector of the food industry that covers confectionery, or sweets, (foods with a bunch of sugar & carbs), and snacks (small foods meant to be eaten between meals). This market can be split into a series of categories such as chocolate, sugar confectionery, snack bars, frozen snacks, savory snacks, fruit snacks, etc. Confectionery products may include chocolate, candy, chewing gum, and mints. Snack products may include potato chips, cookies, nuts, pretzels, pastries etc.

The global confectionery & snacks market is currently valued at an estimate of $1.77 trillion in 2024 and is predicted to grow at an annual rate of 5.83% (CAGR 2024 – 2028). According to Statista, the top 5 countries that generate the most revenue from confectionery and snack foods are the United States ($313 USD), Japan ($261 USD), China ($137B USD), India ($123B USD), and Nigeria ($61B USD).

Key Trends

The confectionery and snack foods market are being affected by several economic, environmental, and sociocultural related trends. To start, rising awareness of health issues related to food consumption (i.e. diabetes and obesity) has led to an increased demand for sweets and snacks that are low-sugar, sugar-free, plant-based, organic, high in protein, fiber, and probiotics, and lack artificial flavoring, chemicals, and colors. Additionally, to cater to consumers with specific dietary needs, allergen-free, nut-free, gluten-free, and vegan products are becoming more popular. Also, for those with busy lifestyles, constantly going from point A to point B, more snacks are being used as energy boosters, meal replacements, and are being conveniently packaged and promoted as on-the-go and/or ready-to-eat snacks. Finally, companies at the demand of eco-conscious consumers, are taking steps to reduce waste by packaging their products in sustainable, biodegradable materials, using less plastic, etc. They are also sourcing their ingredients from countries who don’t use child labor and making partnerships with charities and organizations to give back to relevant communities in need. These trends are driving the massive growth in this market.

Top Importers & Exporters

According to IndexBox, the top 10 import markets for confectionery products in 2022, in $ billion USD, was the United States ($8B), Germany ($4.5B), United Kingdom ($3.8B), France ($3.7B), Netherlands ($3.2B), Belgium ($2.3B), Canada ($2.1B), Poland ($1.9B), Italy ($1.4B), and Russia ($1.3B). According to Tridge, the top 10 import markets for “other snacks” in 2022, in $ billion USD, was the United States ($8.1B), China ($4.7B), South Korea ($2.3B), Germany ($2.2B), Netherlands ($1.9B), Canada ($1.8B), United Kingdom ($1.8B), Australia ($1.7B), France ($1.5B), and Hong Kong ($1.2B).

To gain a better perspective, this analysis of confectionery exports will be split into segments. The top 10 exporters of chocolate and cocoa products in 2022 were Germany, Belgium, Italy, Poland, Netherlands, Canada, United States, United Kingdon, Switzerland, and Mexico.

According to World’s Top Exports, the top 10 exporters of confectionery sugar products in 2022, in U.S. dollars, were Germany ($1,724M), China ($1,299M), Mexico ($986M), Spain ($779.6M), Belgium ($775.1M), Turkey ($736.6M), Netherlands ($704.6M), United States ($610.5M), Poland ($537.5M), and Canada ($515.7M).

According to Tridge, the top 10 exporters of gum in 2022, in millions of US dollars, were China ($92.8), Canada ($75), Turkey ($59.1), Mexico ($39.9), Spain ($37.2), Netherlands ($33.7), United States ($32.2), Philippines ($27.9), Egypt ($25.7), and the United Kingdom ($25).

Finally, the top 10 exporters for “other snacks” in 2022, in billions of USD, are Singapore ($6.8), United States ($6), Germany ($4.7), Netherlands ($3.7), China ($2.9), France ($1.9), Italy ($1.8), Poland ($1.7), United Kingdom ($1.5), and Canada ($1.4).

US Market Overview

The United States is the largest importer of confectionery products. In the US, the market is valued at $313B USD in 2024 and is expected to grow annually at a rate of 3.10% (CAGR 2024 – 2028). According to Statista, the average U.S. citizen is expected to consume about 87.2kg (192.2 pounds) of confectionery foods and snacks in 2024. According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, retail sales in the 2024 US confectionery market will be made up of $27.06B USD in the chocolate segment, $17.62B USD in the sugar confectionery segment, and $3.53B USD in gum. This organization also predicts that retails sales in the 2027 US snack market will consist of $88.2B USD in savory snacks, $59B USD in confectionery, $33.6B USD in sweet biscuits/snack bars/fruit snacks, and $22.6B USD in ice cream. Chocolate is the leading segment at 56% of US sales in the 2024 confectionery market and savory snacks are the leading segment at 43% of sales in the 2027 US snack market. Ultimately, this information demonstrates the significant revenue growth opportunities for all global confectionary and snack producers.