What are the factors that are influencing the increasing acceptance of Mexican confectionery by consumers in the United States?
In the United States, it is exciting to see how Mexican products have managed to penetrate and establish a strong and growing position within the minds of all consumers.
Thousands of families from all cultures in every corner of the country crave one of their favorite dishes of the week, “Taco Tuesday.” The Super Bowl and guacamole from Mexico are virtually synonymous during football season.
According to the Bloomberg agency, the week ending January 19 was the best week of all time for avocado exporters, as more than 75 million pounds (37,500 tons) of the fruit were sent across the border.
We’ve mentioned tacos and guacamole. But what about the success of tortillas, Mexican sauces, beer, and tequila within the U.S. market? There are more products with excellent trajectories, but now there is another Mexican segment with a lot of tradition that is arousing interest and achieving market penetration: Mexican confectionery.
These Sweets Are a Growing Trend!
Like chocolate and peanut butter, fashion and sweets have always been interlinked. The big confectionery companies follow the trends and create new and fun variations to sell more sweets. So what is the trend we are seeing?
We see the following outcomes: Sales of spicy sweets and spicy candies increased by 16% in 2017 and 25% in the last 52 weeks.
Related Article: U.S. Hispanics & Confectionery: Facts, Stats & More
“Sales of spicy and sweet non-chocolate products with the spicy characteristics are growing eight times faster than non-chocolate products in general, at a rate of 25%,” said Larry Levin, executive vice president of marketing of consumers of the market research firm IRI.
A unique factor contributing to this trend is the growing popularity of traditional Mexican sweets, which offer the spiciest and salty flavors popular in Mexico.
Examining CandyStore.com sales data, traditional Mexican candy sales in the U.S. increased by about 31% in the last 18 months; 35% in the previous 24 months.
Mexican Confectionery is Growing!
Just like Mexico’s diverse cuisine, Mexican confectionery also offers a great variety.
In the U.S, Mexican sweets are known more for the incredible fusion of spices and sweets and tropical fruit flavors. However, another segment of Mexican sweets is growing.
This candy segment encompasses all those Mexican confectionery products whose main ingredient is Dulce de Leche or Cajeta. A few products in this new category are wafers, wafers, lollipops, and cones.
According to information from Nielsen, in 2019, there was notable growth in the leading Latin American squares (Los Angeles + 20.6%, Houston + 30.6%, Chicago + 35.9%).
Marcelo Rueda, National Sales Director of Las Sevillanas USA, one of the leading brands in the segment, said that “our products are now available both in large Hispanic chains in the country and at Walmart.” This signals a significant market penetration in this category.
The continued expansion of the Hispanic population in the U.S., and the interest and new preferences of Millennials and Generation Z for trying new and different flavors make the future of traditional Mexican sweets in the U.S. very attractive.
And as the saying goes, “nobody is bitter about candy.”