Pet and fruit shaped chocolates attract customers on Valentine's Day

Each box of handmade chocolates shaped like pets and fruits costs 100,000-300,000 VND, 10-15% cheaper than the same period last year.

Valentine's Day (February 14) falls on January 5 of the Lunar New Year. Therefore, many establishments have been selling handmade chocolates before Tet to close early orders. Unlike previous years, this year's Valentine's Day, handmade chocolates shaped like pets, fruits, and engraved with names are popular.

Records in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi show that this type is sold quite commonly in stores and on social networks. They are usually divided into boxes of 6, 9, 16 or 24 pills per box. Each box costs from 100,000 VND to 300,000 VND, depending on the number of pills and material, down 10-15% compared to the same period last year.

Pham Phuong Thao - Tan Binh district in Ho Chi Minh City said she started receiving chocolate orders since the end of January with about 150 orders, the closer it gets to Valentine's Day the number could double.

Pet-shaped chocolate costs 270,000 VND. Photo: Phan Linh

"Every year I launch a new chocolate model that better suits customers' tastes. I use imported wine, pure chocolate, reduce sugar and mold it into the shape customers like," said Ms. Thao.

According to Ms. Thao, chocolates shaped like strawberries, oranges and animals are the most popular.

Closing more than 500 orders before Tet, Phan Linh - owner of a bakery in Nam Tu Liem (Hanoi) said that shaped chocolate is the most popular. In addition to this type, chocolate truffles, nama, and bonbon are also popular with customers.

According to business owners, making shaped chocolate boxes requires the craftsman to be skillful and choose the right ingredients.

Phan Linh said that her facility uses the ingredients of the Grand Place pure chocolate bars for the gift boxes. For nama and bonbon, this facility uses 54% pure products from Puratos.

Flower and bear shaped chocolate boxes are also popular with many customers. Photo: Phan Linh

According to manufacturers, the shaped line is aimed at customers under 25 years old, so they like it sweeter and less bitter. The bonbon line is suitable for mid-range customers, who like it more bitter due to the high percentage of cocoa. The nama and truffle lines use whipping cream and unsalted butter, so they are soft and melt quickly in the mouth when used.

In addition to the above products, this year, chocolates in the shape of roses, hearts, 8-petal flowers, 9-petal flowers are priced at 100,000-200,000 VND per box, down 10% compared to last year. The prices of "edible flowers" this year are also cheaper than last year.

According to business owners, the low prices of Valentine’s gifts this year are due to reduced purchasing power and continued high inflationary pressure. In addition, the prices of raw materials in the last months of the year have also cooled down compared to before. The difficult economy has negatively affected many consumers in terms of jobs and income.

Kantar Vietnam's survey shows that 28% of households faced financial difficulties in the past year, an increase of about 7% compared to the new normal period after Covid-19.

Currently, people with good incomes are also balancing the cost of flowers and gifts for Valentine's Day this year. A high-end flower shop on Hai Ba Trung Street (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City) said that the average value of flower orders for February 14 this year has decreased by 20% compared to last year. This year, the shop only expects revenue to be the same as last year.

Hong Chau

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