Wedding candy market in China

Status quo of the market

As one of the most important ceremonies for Chinese, wedding has also created a big market for wine, tourism and so on. Here, I would like to talk about the market for candy makers.
According to Ministry of Civil Affairs, there are over 13.02 million couples married in 2011. If each couple spends only 80 USD (the average expense on wedding candy in 2006) on wedding candies, it will support a 104 million-USD wedding candy market.

In fact, on average, couples from Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian spend over $160 on candies for their wedding. What’s more, the wedding candies are also used for other ceremonies for other festivals, or even completion of a house.

Characters of the market

1. High season in summer

Data from Shang’pu shows: unlike other candies, wedding candies sell well in July, August and September. In these three seasons, other types of candies will experience a low season while wedding candies sell well in these three months.

2. Special selling point

The research on China wedding candies from 2010-2013 released by Shang’pu also shows that the best selling point of wedding candies for Chinese customers is its image, not the quality or flavor.

special designed wedding candy package

3. Special consumption habit

Usually one person buys wedding candies only once for his wedding in his life, but the only time he buys candies, he will spend a lot on them.

4. Foreign brands sell better

Most top brand wedding candies are sold as imported food products from European countries such as France, Belgium and Italy.
For example, Dan’lu chain stores put chocolate from France, Belgium and Italy on their best positions. As introduced by their manager, Mrs Liu, their performance this year tripled that last year. Other candy stores like Wu’shang, Zhong’bai, Zhong’shang all promote their foreign brand candies as wedding candies.

dove wedding candy

5. Regional difference

People from different regions of China have huge difference in the taste of wedding candies. For example, wedding candy culture is so popular in east part of China that half the wedding candies sold in China are there. As shown by China food, in Shanghai and Zhejiang, wedding candy cost a new couple at least $1,000 while in the north, wedding candies are usually put in to small package with 6-8 of them.

6. No company specialized in wedding candies

As mentioned before, Chinese customers can be crazy about your wedding candy only for brand. However, there are hundreds of brands of candies in the market, but none of them are specialized in wedding candies. Foreign brands like Dove and Alpenlibe have already built a good reputation and popularity. Some local brands like Yake and Wowo are also well-known to Chinese customers. However, they all take wedding candies as a small niche of market and only promote them during the high season for wedding.
As the market now is ready and quite big enough, it is foreseeable that the competition here will become fiercer.

How can Chinese like your wedding candy?

To answer this question, you have to get clear that what kind of wedding candy Chinese like. In today’s China, more and more people feel that wedding candies are becoming a kind of symbol. They care more and more about face (read more about face consumption
), brand, package while even the quality and taste are not so important. This has already caused some problems about IRP. For example, some big brands like Alpenliebe have been copied by some illegal candy makers. However, there are still many people buying them for nothing but the brand.

real and fake ALPENLIEBE candies

As a kind of face consumption occasions, wedding is a perfect reason for Chinese customers to spend a lot of money. In such important occasions like wedding ceremonies, business meetings, where Chinese people would like to spend money generously, that’s why some people would even like to buy fake candies only for the brand. How to build a luxury, high class wedding candy brand?

Price

In China, wedding candies are usually given away to guests during the banquets. Most people would like to choose famous brand that most people know. It is a shame to let guests know that you offer cheap candies to them. As introduced by Wuhan Shangri-La, most people feel ashamed to buy gifts with low prices. But the listed price is still too high for them. So the seller will usually offer them discounts which will greatly increase the chance of it being purchased.

High-class filling or candy making process

High class filling or manufacturing process is a very effective way to increase the price of these luxury food items. As those big brands like CONFETTI introduce themselves, made by the hands of the chef from top hotels; almonds inside are the best from Sicily. The making process is also described as delicate and top class. The almonds are put into a big copper pot. When the pot is turning, syrup will be into the pot and coat the almond along a long tube. Four days later, those pure white candies are ready which contains countless sincere blessings and price of course.

ferrero rocher wedding candy branding

Special design

Another very important factor is how candy adapted to the propitious wedding atmosphere. The most important factor of a Chinese wedding is propitious atmosphere. Everything in the wedding is designed and prepared around this keyword. And package is the best way to help candy spread this message. According to the survey done by “Feng’xiang Jewery” and “Ju’xi’fang”, young Chinese are taking more decision in choosing wedding candies and most of them want to show their individuality via the design of wedding candies.

Some special package like “Hua’jiao” (Chinese bride’s sedan) shape package sells very well because it relates to the propitious atmosphere.

What’s the positioning of  your candy? What makreting tools can be suitable for you?

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About the author

Philip
Philip passionated about Marketing and Web, I like to share with my foreign friends my knowledge. I am a citizen of the world and my dream is to dicover the world. I really appreciate people who interact with my article, exchange different point of view.

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5 Comments for China Wedding Candy Market- A market Candy Maker Cannot Neglect

Alicia

Hola, me gustaria saber donde puedo comprar caramelos chinos para una boda.

Gracias

Reply

Eagle

Hi, I read in chapter §4 “Foreign brands sell better” about a store named “Dan’lu” does anyone knows the Chinese name of this chain, or share the store’s url ? Thanks

Reply