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Despite the cost-of-living crisis squeezing consumer budgets and ‘chocflation’ leading to chocolate prices skyrocketing by 245% year-on-year, players in the confectionery space continue to rollout premium Easter products.
The allure of extravagant Easter confectionery remains strong, reflecting a willingness among consumers to invest in decadent experiences. FoodBev's Phoebe Fraser unpacks the latest innovations in the egg-citing Easter confectionery sector.
Venchi Italian-inspired egg duo
This Easter, Italian gourmet chocolate manufacturer Venchi unveiled its Cannolo egg (RRP £62), a seasonal take on one of Italy’s favourite desserts – Sicilian Cannoli. The egg features dark chocolate lathered with orange-flavoured ricotta cream, with gluten-free chopped biscuits on the inside, providing consumers with Mediterranean-inspired flavours.
Venchi also launched its new Chocoviar Stracciatella egg (RRP £53), its latest innovation that features a filling of stracciatella – an Italian-favourite gelato flavour – providing a creamy centre. Covered in cocoa nibs, named ‘Chocavier,’ the centre gives consumers a 'surprise crunch'. The white chocolate egg also combines micro pearls of milk chocolate with nuts, biscuits and vanilla, creating a delectable experience.
Läderach Almond Easter eggs
New for 2024, Swiss chocolate manufacturer Läderach’s head of innovation Elias Läderach designed a trio of new Easter eggs, named Almond Eggs (RRP £22), in blonde, milk and dark chocolate variants. The premium eggs consist of two halves: one made from fine Swiss chocolate and the other half made from a light almond praline paste with caramelised coarsely ground almonds.
Asda Cocoa Noir egg
Earlier this month UK supermarket chain Asda revealed its luxury Easter egg, Cocoa Noir (RRP £15). Formed of two layers, the blonde inner egg features a metallic bronze glaze, encased in an outer egg made from single-origin Peruvian dark chocolate and a layer of smooth hazelnut gianduja – a homogeneous blend of chocolate and hazelnut paste. The two-layered egg features lavish detailing and comes with a bar of Peruvian dark chocolate and blonde cream liqueur mini eggs.
Baileys and Guinness Easter eggs
This Easter, Irish chocolatier Lir Chocolates expanded its seasonal offering with the launch of three new alcohol-inspired eggs in partnership with Irish cream brand Baileys and Irish dry stout brand Guinness. Lir Chocolates unveiled the new Baileys Salted Caramel Easter Egg and Baileys Strawberries and Cream Easter Egg (both RRP £8), featuring a milk chocolate shell with crunchy caramel pieces and Baileys Salted Caramel Chocolate Truffles and a white chocolate shell with strawberry pieces and Strawberries and Cream Truffles, respectively.
The new Guinness-flavoured Easter egg (RRP £8) is shaped like a rugby ball and features a rich dark chocolate shell, alongside Guinness chocolate truffles that combine dark chocolate with a Guinness-flavoured centre.
Tony’s Chocolonely Chunky egg
Dutch confectionery company Tony’s Chocolonely introduced its new Chunky Egg (RRP £10), in a move away from the typical thin chocolate shells of most traditional Easter eggs. The thick-shelled eggs, made with 180g of chocolate, come in two flavour varieties – milk and milk caramel sea salt, and are made using responsibly sourced cocoa. The company also launched miniature chocolate eggs in a fun egg box design for those consumers looking for smaller and more convenient seasonal snacks.
Divine Flat Eggs and Hot Cross Bun bar
Divine Chocolate – the 'world’s only' farmer-owned Fairtrade chocolate maker – launched a variety of new seasonal treats. Retaining the same shape and size as a classic Easter Egg, but using 40% less packaging, the Flat Egg range (RRP £5) is available in two flavours, 70% dark chocolate with raspberry and smooth milk chocolate, caramel and crunch. Also new for Easter 2024 is Divine's limited-edition Joyful Hot Cross Bun Bar (RRP £4.50), which features creamy milk chocolate, studded with juicy raisins and spiced biscuit pieces, combining the classic flavours of Easter in one bar.
Nestlé Rowntree’s Randoms and Quality Street eggs
Nestlé Confectionery released two new eggs this Easter. The Quality Street Golden Collection Incredible Egg (RRP £12), features fudge and caramel pieces in a milk chocolate caramel-flavoured shell, accompanied by a pack of Quality Street caramel, fudge and toffees. In a first for the brand, the Rowntree’s Randoms egg (RRP £12) blends gummy confectionery with Nestlé chocolate, creating a shell containing marshmallow pieces and Rowntree’s fruit-flavoured sweets.
H!P Chocolate vegan egg duo
As plant-based and flexitarian diets gain traction, oat milk chocolate brand H!P revamped its vegan eggs for Easter 2024. Its two egg variants – Salted Caramel and Cookies No Cream (both RRP £10) – have been updated so that they are 50% bigger and now accompanied by smooth oat milk chocolate buttons. H!P offers a creamy alternative to dairy milk chocolate, blending sustainably sourced single-origin Colombian cocoa with oat milk to recreate the same sweet and milky taste.
Moo Free dessert-inspired eggs
Free-from chocolate brand Moo Free has unveiled two new products in time for Easter celebrations. Firstly, it launched a Strawberry Sundae Easter egg (RRP £4.50), made from Moo Free’s creamy white chocolate with a splash of its new strawberry-flavoured chocolate, topped with fluffy marshmallows. The second plant-based egg in its line-up is its Rocky Road Easter egg (RRP £4.50), a combination of Moo Free’s ‘milk’ chocolate and white chocolate, which is then loaded with the Moofreesas biscuit rice balls, juicy raisins, marshmallows and cinder toffee pieces.
It is clear that the allure of Easter-themed snacking moments is not slowing down. With today’s consumers placing an increased emphasis on moderation and mindful eating, we are seeing a rise in Easter snacks that depart from traditional hollow eggs. This year, a cohort of Easter snacks has been unveiled, embracing smaller portions that provide a guilt-free solution for satisfying cravings without overindulging. Moreover, convenience reigns supreme, catering to the demands of modern, fast-paced lifestyles where on-the-go snacks are favoured companions.
Mars Easter Sundae M&M's
This month (March), confectionery giant Mars launched its new Easter Sundae-themed M&M’s. The treats were crafted to give families a new way to enjoy the popular dessert, “capturing the essence of a real sundae” by blending white chocolate M&M's with the flavours of vanilla ice cream and cherry and finished with a dark chocolate fudge coating.
Kinder Chocolate Mini Friends
Italian confectionery company Ferrero has expanded its offerings under its Kinder brand, with the launch of new Kinder Chocolate Mini Friends. The new product features Kinder’s signature smooth milk chocolate with a creamy milky filling and crispy cookie bits, each individually wrapped in seasonal graphics. The brand also unveiled its new Kinder Bueno Eggs, combining the Bueno’s classic smooth milk chocolate and crispy wafers filled with creamy hazelnut filling.
Stuffed Puffs Jolly Rancher marshmallows
Filled marshmallow brand Stuffed Puffs has introduced new egg-shaped marshmallows with a sour candy filling, under a licensing agreement with The Hershey Company and featuring flavours from the Jolly Rancher brand. Available in two varieties, Sour Blue Raspberry and Sour Watermelon, the new marshmallows mark Stuffed Puffs’ first foray into sour candy.
Frankford Candy Easter treats
Frankford Candy has released a cohort of new snacks to the confectionery aisle this Easter – its new Kellogg's Rice Krispies Strawberry Bunny features a strawberry-flavoured candy bunny made with Rice Krispies cereal pieces for an added crunch. The company also unveiled new Dunkin' Assorted Donut-Flavor-Filled Chocolate Eggs – each bag contains foiled chocolate eggs in three Dunkin' Donut-inspired flavours: Jelly Donut, a white chocolate shell with layers of raspberry-flavoured crème and jelly filling; Brownie Batter, a milk chocolate shell with brownie batter-flavoured creme filling; and Coconut, a dark chocolate shell with coconut-flavoured creme filling and coconut flakes
Limited-edition Easter brunch-flavoured jellybeans
Jellybean brand Brach’s unveiled new limited-edition Easter Brunch Jelly Beans. Reminiscent of classic brunch items, Brach's Easter Brunch jellybeans feature six limited-edition flavours: Blueberry Maple Pancake, Chocolate Glazed Donut, Mimosa, Caramel Cold Brew, Cinnamon Roll and Berry Smoothie. The brand also introduced new Springtime Soft Jellies to its candy portfolio – with a soft, chewy texture, the soft jellies come in five flavour varieties: Blue Raspberry, Fruit Punch, Watermelon, Green Apple and Lemonade.
Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Eggs
For those consumers looking for more permissible indulgence this Easter, Welch’s released a new line of chewy, bite-sized snacks with a centre made from real fruit, surrounded by creamy yogurt. The brand also introduced Welch’s Fruit Snacks Easter Edition, including snacks made from real fruit in Easter shapes, such as bunnies, chicks, eggs and flowers.
Joe & Seph’s Hot Cross Bun popcorn
Stepping away from typical Easter offerings of chocolate and confectionery, craft popcorn brand Joe & Seph’s unveiled its new Hot Cross Bun popcorn. The snack, crafted in its London, UK, kitchens, features extra-large popcorn pieces coated in caramel infused with warm spices and the aroma of traditional hot cross buns and is vegetarian and gluten-free.
