新冠疫情期间，人们最爱吃什么食物？
由于新冠疫情蔓延，美国经历了巨大的变化，人们工作、旅行、社交乃至购物方式都与以往不一样。
在这段特殊时期，人们被迫重新看待哪些事情重要，调整日常生活习惯，也改变了庆祝节日、特殊场合和日常时刻的方式。
过去两年里，我们都花了一些时间思考哪些事情最重要。越来越多的答案是社区。工作或家庭中如果关注社区，会有更多值得庆祝的事情。日常生活中乐趣更多。每个节日都值得庆祝，当然也需要巧克力和糖果让重要时刻更加甜蜜。
经历了动荡的2020年，我们经常与家人、朋友和邻居分离，2021年消费者对糖果重燃兴趣。虽然与亲朋好友交流还无法像新冠疫情爆发前一样，但现在我们知道，2021年人们庆祝节日和特殊日子时都很努力，都在认真抓住每次机会。
美国糖果协会（National Confectioners Association）最近发布的第三份年度“享受状态”报告显示，2021年巧克力和糖果销售额比2020年增长了11%，比2019年增长了15%以上，主要因为消费者越发关注节日庆祝、分享、礼物和情绪健康。2021年，糖果类总零售额达到369亿美元，预计到2026年将达到449亿美元。
当下的人们比以往更关注照顾自己和情绪健康。事实上，72%的消费者认为身体健康和情绪健康有关。消费者最近还发现了将巧克力和糖果融入重要时刻的新鲜玩法，正是因为甜品具有为体验提升乐趣的神奇力量。
尽管趋势出现种种变化，多年来有一点从未改变：人们都认为巧克力和糖果是款待亲朋必备佳品，而且接受其成为特殊的社交货币。为此，78%的成年人认为偶尔享用巧克力或糖果完全可以接受。
随着人们更重视家庭，更愿意通过新产品、新包装和新品牌寻找新的享受时刻，糖果公司及零售合作伙伴将迎来新机遇。从深受喜爱的经典产品到零糖和有机食品等新产品，巧克力和糖果公司也在满足消费者的需求。不管消费者是为在家庆祝购买糖果、挑选零食与朋友分享，还是走出商店的路上随口品尝，食品企业都努力提供更多关于产品内容的信息，为希望管理糖摄入量的消费者提供更多透明信息、更多选择和分量指导。
尽管过去两年中人们面临种种挑战，巧克力和糖果销量一直稳健，因为消费者希望重视自身情绪健康，也认真看待生活中享受美味甜食的重要性。毕竟很多家庭因通货膨胀、医疗支出乃至吃饭的成本都在不断上升之际，糖果仍然是简单实惠的享受。（财富中文网）
约翰·唐思（John Downs）是美国糖果协会（National Confectioners Association）的总裁及首席执行官。
译者：梁宇
审校：夏林
由于新冠疫情蔓延，美国经历了巨大的变化，人们工作、旅行、社交乃至购物方式都与以往不一样。
在这段特殊时期，人们被迫重新看待哪些事情重要，调整日常生活习惯，也改变了庆祝节日、特殊场合和日常时刻的方式。
过去两年里，我们都花了一些时间思考哪些事情最重要。越来越多的答案是社区。工作或家庭中如果关注社区，会有更多值得庆祝的事情。日常生活中乐趣更多。每个节日都值得庆祝，当然也需要巧克力和糖果让重要时刻更加甜蜜。
经历了动荡的2020年，我们经常与家人、朋友和邻居分离，2021年消费者对糖果重燃兴趣。虽然与亲朋好友交流还无法像新冠疫情爆发前一样，但现在我们知道，2021年人们庆祝节日和特殊日子时都很努力，都在认真抓住每次机会。
美国糖果协会（National Confectioners Association）最近发布的第三份年度“享受状态”报告显示，2021年巧克力和糖果销售额比2020年增长了11%，比2019年增长了15%以上，主要因为消费者越发关注节日庆祝、分享、礼物和情绪健康。2021年，糖果类总零售额达到369亿美元，预计到2026年将达到449亿美元。
当下的人们比以往更关注照顾自己和情绪健康。事实上，72%的消费者认为身体健康和情绪健康有关。消费者最近还发现了将巧克力和糖果融入重要时刻的新鲜玩法，正是因为甜品具有为体验提升乐趣的神奇力量。
尽管趋势出现种种变化，多年来有一点从未改变：人们都认为巧克力和糖果是款待亲朋必备佳品，而且接受其成为特殊的社交货币。为此，78%的成年人认为偶尔享用巧克力或糖果完全可以接受。
随着人们更重视家庭，更愿意通过新产品、新包装和新品牌寻找新的享受时刻，糖果公司及零售合作伙伴将迎来新机遇。从深受喜爱的经典产品到零糖和有机食品等新产品，巧克力和糖果公司也在满足消费者的需求。不管消费者是为在家庆祝购买糖果、挑选零食与朋友分享，还是走出商店的路上随口品尝，食品企业都努力提供更多关于产品内容的信息，为希望管理糖摄入量的消费者提供更多透明信息、更多选择和分量指导。
尽管过去两年中人们面临种种挑战，巧克力和糖果销量一直稳健，因为消费者希望重视自身情绪健康，也认真看待生活中享受美味甜食的重要性。毕竟很多家庭因通货膨胀、医疗支出乃至吃饭的成本都在不断上升之际，糖果仍然是简单实惠的享受。（财富中文网）
约翰·唐思（John Downs）是美国糖果协会（National Confectioners Association）的总裁及首席执行官。
译者：梁宇
审校：夏林
How Americans work, travel, socialize, and even shop will never be the same after the immense change the country has experienced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This unique period has pushed people to reevaluate what they find important and how they spend their time. It has also changed how they celebrate holidays, special occasions, and everyday moments.
We all spent some time the last two years thinking about what matters the most. Increasingly, the answer is community. When you’re focusing on community at work or home, you’re going to celebrate more. You’re going to find joy in everyday things. You are going to mark every single holiday–and you’re going to need chocolate and candy to make those important moments a little sweeter.
In 2021, consumers re-engaged with the confectionery category after a tumultuous 2020 in which we were often physically separated from family, friends, and neighbors. While still not quite back to where we were pre-pandemic in terms of those engagements with our loved ones, we now know that those who celebrated the seasons and special occasions in 2021 went all in and celebrated big.
In 2021, chocolate and candy sales increased by 11% compared to 2020 and by more than 15% compared to 2019, as consumers increasingly focused on seasonal celebrations, sharing, gifting, and emotional well-being, according to the third annual “State of Treating” report recently published by the National Confectioners Association. The total confectionery category hit $36.9 billion in retail sales in 2021 and is projected to reach $44.9 billion in sales by 2026.
Now more than ever, people are focused on self-care and emotional well-being. In fact, 72 % of consumers believe that physical health and emotional wellbeing are connected. Because of this, consumers have recently found even more creative ways to incorporate chocolate and candy into important moments because of their uncanny ability to bring a little fun to those experiences.
With all of the changing trends, there is one thing that has remained constant over the years: people understand that chocolate and candy are treats and embrace them as a special social currency. To that end, 78% of all adults believe it is totally acceptable to occasionally enjoy a treat of chocolate or candy.
The shift to home-centricity has meant new opportunities for confectionery companies and their retail partners as consumers seek new treating moments with new items, new pack sizes, and new brands. From beloved classics to new offerings like zero sugar and organic, chocolate and candy companies are meeting consumers where they want to be met. The companies are providing more information about what’s in their products and bringing more transparency, choice, and portion guidance options to consumers seeking to manage their sugar intake–whether that’s buying candy for family celebrations at home, picking up a treat to share with friends, or treating yourself on the way out of the store.
With all the challenges we’ve faced these past two years, chocolate and candy have remained resilient as consumers looked to prioritize their emotional well-being and created a special place for these treats in their lives. In contrast to rising costs for families related to inflation, healthcare, and simply putting food on the table, candy remains a simple, affordable treat.
John Downs is the president and CEO of the National Confectioners Association.
