The history of chocolate can be traced back to around 1100 BC when cocoa was cultivated by the Maya, Toltec, and Aztec peoples for making ceremonial drinks. It was only in the Industrial Revolution, when chocolate production was modernised and developed through mechanisation, that significant advances in the chocolate-making process occurred. Today, people are consuming chocolates everywhere. The annual chocolate consumption in 2022 is projected at a staggering 7.5 million tons around the globe. 

The global chocolate market size was estimated at USD 113.16 billion in 2021 and is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.7% from 2022 to 2030. The United States is the leading world market for confectionery of any kind, with its cocoa and chocolate market estimated to be worth USD 19.4 billion. US consumers ate, on average, 7 kilograms more chocolate during the first year of the pandemic.

With the ever-expanding interest in chocolates, it’s not surprising that the industry is expanding into the food delivery sector. The growing internet penetration rate, ease of ordering from home, and great availability of different brands are the main factors driving the growth of online food delivery channels in the chocolate confectionery industry. By leveraging Dashmote’s Data Analytics SaaS platform, we analysed chocolate across major US food delivery platforms in Q3 2022. After reading this article, you will have a clear understanding of the performance of top chocolate brands and manufacturers on US food delivery in terms of market shares and market penetration rates.

Top chocolate confectionery brands on food delivery

Our data shows Oreo has the highest brand penetration rate in Q3, 2022. 14% of Digital Storefronts (DSFs) on the US food delivery platforms list an Oreo flavoured product. After Oreo, is M&M's with an 8.9%, and Mars with an 8.2% penetration rate. Reese's (8.1%) and Hershey's (7.4%) made it to the rest of the top 5 chocolate brands on US food delivery in terms of the product listing.

As the most listed chocolate confectionery brand, Oreo controls 15% chocolate confectionery market share on US food delivery. This is around 2 times more than Hershey’s (7.9%) and Fry’s (7.4%). The partnership with McDonald’s for the McFlurry, as well as the variety of Oreo sub-category products, such as Oreo milkshake and Oreo cheesecake, could have largely influenced the domination. This domination in market share has proven that by partnering with restaurants and delivery platforms, chocolate confectionery brands, such as Oreo, can deliver convenience and accessibility to people looking for a sugary treat after a meal, that ultimately drive long-term business growth.

Major manufacturers on food delivery

Mars, Incorporated dominates the category on the US food delivery platforms with a 35% manufacturer market share. They own strong brands such as M&Ms, Mars, Twix, Snickers and Milky Way. Hersey’s, with an 18% manufacturer market share, comes in 2nd place. Mondelez, who owns the most listed brand Oreo, ranks 3rd with a 16% manufacturer market share on US food delivery.

By analysing Dashmote’s data, we also found that Grubhub is falling short with its snack listings. There were in total 214k DSFs on Grubhub listing chocolate confectionery products. It was less than half of the 420k DSFs on DoorDash, and 548k DSFs on Uber Eats in Q3 2022. Specifically, there were only 1k DSFs on Grubhub selling Ghirardelli, whereas on Uber Eats the number is 20 times more. This could cause restaurants on Grubhub to generate fewer sales from snack sectors than their peers on other delivery platforms.

A number of factors, including the growing demand for organic and sugar-free snacks, are changing the viability of the sector. However, the demand for chocolate consumption never falls behind. With e-commerce and food delivery channels growing rapidly, there are still plenty of opportunities for chocolate confectionery brands to expand digitally and have their products reach a wider target market through food delivery online. By following trends across the food delivery market, global chocolate manufacturers can stay on top of the game.

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