Billions of business and our daily favorites
When we look at this global list, the first name that comes to mind is the American company Mars. Its annual sales are $ 24,000 million! Hearing this figure, many people feel dizzy, but what does Mars mean to us? For us, Mars is that ‘Snickers’ that becomes our support when we feel hungry. The fun of hiding with a friend while sitting on the last bench in a boring college lecture or the instant energy that the peanuts and caramel crunch in it give us when we are stressed about meeting a target in the office is worth more than these billions of dollars. Even today, when we eat the colorful pills of M&M’s, we become like children!
At number three is Mondelēz, whose name we may not mention every day, but its product ‘Cadbury Dairy Milk’ has become ingrained in the DNA of our Indians. For us, “something sweet goes” means Cadbury. Passing an exam, getting your first salary, getting a new car or having a guest in the house – every auspicious occasion starts with this chocolate. And in fourth place is Hershey. Remember, when mom used to drink milk, Hershey’s Syrup would be mixed in that plain milk and the milk would become nectar!
Premium Chocolates and the Connection of Emotions
The second number has been taken by the Italian company Ferrero. Ferrero Rocher… Aha! This is not just a chocolate, but it has become a ‘status symbol’ for us and the most beautiful way to express love. Be it Diwali, Raksha Bandhan or Valentine’s Day, this crunchy hazelnut chocolate wrapped in golden foil is considered the best gift to impress your loved one. Nutella from the same company is like a panacea for night hunger. The pleasure of licking Nutella with your fingers when no one is watching at home is unmatched by any five-star dessert in the world.
Switzerland’s Nestlé is at number six. “Have a break, have a KitKat”… This is not just an advertisement, but a mantra of our daily lives. When we are tired from continuous work, breaking off a piece of KitKat and putting it in our mouth refreshes our mind. And Lindt, which comes in number seven, is the queen of the chocolate world. When we are very happy or sometimes very sad, the smooth and rich taste of Lindor balls makes us feel like giving us a warm hug.
| Rank | Company | Sales | Country | Featured Brands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Mars | $24,000 M | USA | M&M’s, Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, Galaxy |
| #2 | Ferrero | $15,000 M | Italy | Ferrero Rocher, Kinder, Nutella |
| #3 | Mondelēz | $13,000 M | USA | Cadbury Dairy Milk, Milka, Côte d’Or, Toblerone |
| #4 | Hershey | $11,200 M | USA | Hershey’s, Reese’s, Kisses |
| #5 | Meiji | $10,000 M | Japan | Meiji Milk Chocolate, Macadamia, Meltykiss |
| #6 | Nestlé | $8,500 M | Switzerland | KitKat, Smarties, Crunch, Aero |
| #7 | Lindt | $5,800 M | Switzerland | Lindor, Excellence, Ghirardelli |
| #8 | Pladis | $5,200 M | UK / Turkey | Godiva, Ülker |
| #9 | Glico | $3,500 M | Japan | Pocky, Pejoy |
| #10 | Orion | $2,450 M | South Korea | Choco Pie |
| #11 | Lotte | $2,200 M | South Korea | Ghana, Crunky, Pepero |
| #12 | Storck | $2,000 M | Germany | Merci, Toffifee, Knoppers |
| #13 | Morinaga | $1,800 M | Japan | Dars, Chocoball |
| #14 | Arcor | $1,500 M | Argentina | Bon o Bon, Cofler, Tofi |
| #15 | Bourbon | $1,200 M | Japan | Alfort, Lumonde |
| #16 | Fujiya | $900 M | Japan | Look, Milky |
| #17 | Roshen | $800 M | Ukraine | Elegance, Shooters |
| #18 | Crown | $700 M | South Korea | Heim, Kicker |
| #19 | Fazer | $600 M | Finland | Karl Fazer, Geisha |
| #20 | Şölen | $500 M | Turkey | Biscolata Mood, Ozmo |
Source: Candy Industry Magazine’s Global Top 100 ranking, Statista, corporate financial statements.
The Rise of Asia: From Tiffin Boxes to Pocket Money
It is not just America or Europe that dominates this list, Asia is also far ahead! At number five is Japan’s Meiji and at number nine is Glico, whose Pocky sticks have become a huge craze among the youth these days.
But the most interesting thing is the Orion company of South Korea, which is at number 10. This is the same company that gave us our favorite ‘Choco Pie’! Remember your school days, when your mother would put Choco Pie in your tiffin, how your friends would fight to eat it during recess! That sponge cake and the marshmallow in between seemed like a piece of heaven. Even though we have grown up today, seeing Choco Pie in a shop somewhere, it always reminds us of those childhood recesses.
A True Therapy: A Companion from Laughter to Tears
This list of The World’s Biggest Chocolate Sellers may show big economic figures, but the economics of chocolate in our personal lives are completely different. When we fell off our bicycle as a child and scraped our knees, our grandfather or father would lovingly hand us a one-rupee dairy milk or pearl (or Milkybar) in our hands, and our crying would stop as if by magic. The power of that one-rupee chocolate was more than the turnover of crores of these companies.
When we get heartbroken (breakup) in our youth or when our boss knocks us down in the office, then closing the door of the room and sitting in a lonely place and eating dark chocolate while crying is also a kind of therapy. Science says that eating chocolate increases the hormones of happiness, but our heart says that chocolate is such a silent friend, which consoles us without words. Chocolate is also useful for saying ‘sorry’ when someone is angry.
Germany’s Storck (number 12) which makes ‘Merci’ chocolate, means ‘thank you’ in French. In fact, we should thank all these companies and every chocolate maker for adding so much sweetness to our lives.
Final words…
Be it Turkey’s Pladis or Argentina’s Arcor, Ukraine’s Roshen or Finland’s Fazer… Looking at this entire list, one thing becomes clear: chocolate knows no religion, caste, language or country. It is a universal language that speaks directly to the heart.
Whenever you open a packet of chocolate now, don’t just look at its brand or price, but remember that this is a piece that has made many bitter moments of your life sweet.