Hames Chocolates hails era of ‘mindful indulgence’ with latest chocolate series

With 2025 proving a significant year for chocolate trends, one of the most significant has been in mindful indulgence category, as consumers become ever more savvy regarding their product choices, writes Neill Barston.

One such company seeking to meet this demand is British-based business Hames Chocolates, which last year claimed a product of the year accolade at our World Confectionery Awards in 2024, amid a strong focus on enhancing its overall portfolio.

As managing director Carol Oldbury explains speaking to Confectionery Production, there’s no room for complacency in driving the sector forward, which has required considerable forethought into meeting key challenges that have included heightened costs of cocoa and other core ingredients.

According to the experienced confectioner (pictured receiving her award last year), “Chocolate should always feel special, but in 2025, the meaning of “special” is being rewritten by a new type of consumer,” namely those who are seeking treats that do not feel excessive, as well as offering sustainable, transparent sourcing.

Significantly, as she has observed, retailers and food service segments have already noted a shift in consumer behaviour, with the customers favouring a ‘mindful indulgence’ approach that is shaping the company’s engagement with the full spectrum of its customers.  

In response to recent research indicated a greater number of shoppers are minded to eschew nights out in favour of some occasional indulgent treats at home, the company has created its latest ‘munch pouch’ series.

This includes Milk Chocolate Coated Honeycomb, Milk Chocolate Truffles, Milk Chocolate Coated Fudge flavours. Each 100g portion is resealable, making it a convenient sweet treat that delivers a flavour hit it hopes will appeal to a wide audience, from casual snackers to chocolate connoisseurs.

Speaking to Confectionery Production, Carol explained: “Mindful indulgence starts with portion control. At Hames, we’ve been working with customers to reengineer typical product sizes, to reduce both weight and calories. For retailers, these changes means confectionery has a place to play in calorie cap meal deals and HFSS ‘restricted zones’, without diluting category identify; for operators in travel or leisure, it unlocks a premium impulse treat that fits today’s health-conscious consumer.

“Crucially, smaller format does not mean smaller margin. Our trials show that shoppers are willing to pay a higher price per kilo for portion precision, driving stronger profit per facing.

“Portion control is only half the story. Consumers also want the freedom to ‘dip in’, share and reseal – a trend we’ve tapped into, by investing into development of our new ‘Munch Pouches’ range, which includes products such as Orange Segments, Coated Honeycomb, Munch Bag, Coated Fudge and more. Customers can dip in, enjoy and save for later.

This new format means our ‘Munch Pouches’ can move seamlessly from a Friday night film night, to a Tuesday afternoon desk snack with colleagues – stretching occasions and encourage repeat purchase. For wholesalers and discounters, shareable formats bring basket-building power without relying on banned multibuy mechanics; for the gift sector, resealable cartons become elegant table centrepieces that keep products fresh during extended celebrations.”

As she added, one clear element underpinning both portion precision and shareability is a clear expectation that indulgence must be earned ethically.

Consequently, the confectioner noted, its private label chocolate products can be made with fully traceable cocoa that can also support a range of schemes such as The Rainforest Alliance, Cocoa Horizons or Fair Trade. This focus on sustainability extends to its packaging, with the company delivering options to use fully recyclable and compostable components which can be agreed with the customer during product development.

Notably, as she added, mindful indulgence opens a premium corridor inside everyday confectionery, allowing manufacturers to trade shoppers up on value while trading them down on calories and environmental impact. Second, it offers a compliant answer to HFSS legislation without stripping the fixture of excitement.

Carol added: “Chocolate will always be an indulgence; our task as an industry is to make that indulgence mindful, modern and profitable. Hames Chocolates is ready to help you seize the opportunity—portion by portion, pouch by pouch, and bean by bean.”