Chocolate market in Germany - statistics & facts
Germany is among the biggest chocolate producers in Europe, ahead of Italy, France and Belgium. Revenue from the European chocolate confectionery market reached over 50 billion euros in 2025, of which Germany's share was about 16%. That translates to around 8.2 billion euros of revenue, a steady growth of almost 1.5 billion euros since 2018. The revenue growth in the chocolate market reached 2.9 percent in 2025 and is projected to jump to as high as 4.7 percent in 2030.Â
Sweets production
Cocoa is a key component in the manufacture of confectionery products, along with sugar. In Germany, filled chocolate bars made up the bulk of domestic chocolate production with 381 thousand metric tons, which amounted to about 1.4 billion euros in 2024. The second most produced chocolate products were alcohol-free pralines at around 1.2 billion dollars and 150 metric tons. Some of the best-known chocolate products in the country include those produced specifically for certain national holidays. One of these is the chocolate Santa, and the other is the chocolate Easter Bunny, which is also popular abroad.Â
Choco trade
Europe’s most populous country is certainly catering to its sweet tooth. In recent years, the volume of cocoa beans processed in Europe has remained elevated. For Germany, keeping up with high chocolate production levels means relying on regular trade with such cocoa import partners as the Netherlands, Ivory Coast, or Belgium. German confectionery exports consistently outstripped importing sweets from other countries, including chocolate products. Chocolate export volume in 2025 reached 917 thousand metric tons, a slight dip compared to the previous year.
German consumers
Consumers turn to chocolate products with varying degrees of frequency, with choices ranging between chocolate bars, candy bars and other chocolate snacks. One thing is for sure: at least 8.7 million German consumers enjoyed chocolate in 2025, and Baby Boomers had the strongest sweet tooth, followed by Gen X. As for brands, the most consumed were Kinder, Duplo, and the originally Swiss, but Germany-produced Milka.Â
As the largest economy in the European Union, Germany also takes the lead when it comes to confectionery and chocolate production, trade, and sales. Iconic German brands such as Kinder and Ritter Sport remain popular both nationwide and abroad.Â
