IRI monitor: revenues and sales volume clearly up

According to the latest IRI confectionery monitor, revenues rose for the year through April by 4.4% up to € 4.342 bn (without chewing gum and without seasonal articles). Sales volume increased by 3.8% up to 586,484 tonnes (basis: food retailers + drug stores + hard discounters + gas station shops).
The salty snacks product group again achieved above-average rates of increase. Revenues rose by 7.9% up to € 1.117 bn with sales volume of 140,082 tonnes (+ 6.0%). The strongest revenues category, chocolate products (without seasonal articles), increased earnings by 3.3% up to € 1.800 bn, while sales quantity increased by 3.5% up to 179,876 tonnes. Strong growth was achieved here with pralines (revenues + 6.8%; sales volume + 9.4%) and bars (+ 5.2%; + 3.2%).
Suppliers of sweet baked goods and cakes experienced increased revenues of 4.1% up to € 760.9 m with sales volume of 142,984 tonnes (+ 1.3%). After sugar confectionery had underperformed at the start of this year compared to the previous year, by the end of April 2019 their accumulated revenues had increased by 2.1% up to € 663.6 m, with a sales volume increase of 5.0% up to 123,542 tonnes.
IRI registered a mild revenue decline in the chewing gum segment of 0.2% down to € 159.7 m, with a sales volume increase of 1.2% up to 111.5 million pieces. The Easter seasonal business (February - April 2018/19) witnessed a revenue decline of 2.1% down to € 463.1 m and a fall in sales volume of 2.9% down to 30,548 tonnes.