KEMEROVO CHOCOLATE MARKET: CONSUMER PREFERENCES

Currently, chocolate and chocolate products remain quite popular among various consumer groups. According to experts, the average Russian consumes 4.7 kg of chocolate and chocolate products per year. The Russian chocolate market is 91% Russian-made. The market offers a wide range of products for various market segments. The high level of competition among the major domestic producers stimulates them to systematically study consumer preferences and adapt to them. In contrast with the central part of Russia, such market novelties as chocolate with salt, pepper, and other specific additives take root quite slowly in the non-metropolitan areas. The present research features the Kemerovo market of chocolate products and the preferences of Kemerovo residents. The main research method was questioning. The study revealed that the main target audience is the economically active female population aged 18–39. The greatest preference is given to milk chocolate in the middle price segment. As for the most preferred chocolate packaging, most respondents singled out plastic and paper packaging. As a rule, chocolate is purchased at a supermarket. Consumers are positive about new products but prefer to buy their favorite types of chocolate. The data obtained allowed the authors to formulate recommendations for chocolate producers taking into account the requirements of the main target audience, their preferences in taste, packaging, and the place of purchase.