If you’re looking for a delicious product to market, look no further than chocolate chips.
Chocolate chips are a beloved snack food that people of all ages enjoy.
This versatile ingredient is loved by everyone and can be easily used in a range of food products including muffins, cakes, cookies and croissants.
So how do we define the target market for chocolate chips?
In this article, we will tackle this question by looking at why people like chocolate chips so much and the different ways in which they are using them in modern cuisine.
Who Is The Target Market for Chocolate Chips?
The target market for chocolate chips mainly includes those who use chocolate chips in a variety of ways as a direct or indirect food item.
Here are the different types of individuals and entities that use chocolate chips in different ways:
- Professional Bakers
- Home Bakers
- Parents of small children
- Restaurant Chefs
- Adults looking for a snack
- Food businesses
Let’s look at how each of these customer segments uses chocolate chips.
1. Professional Bakers
Professional Bakers are those who use chocolate chips in large quantities to bake a variety of goods that they sell.
This could include anything from cakes and cookies to muffins and croissants.
Chocolate chips play a big role in the professional baking industry as they are a key ingredient in many recipes.
They are often used in their original form for decoration or sometimes they are melted down to create a chocolatey coating or even as stuffing.
2. Home Bakers
Home Bakers are the rest of us who bake at home. We may use chocolate chips less frequently than professional bakers but we still enjoy using them as much (perhaps even more as we will snack on them while we bake!).
One of the great things about baking at home is that you can experiment with different ingredients and chocolate chips are the perfect ingredient to experiment with.
You can add them to a wide range of recipes or even create your own unique recipe that contains chocolate chips.
3. Parents of small children
Parents are always on the lookout for healthy snacks for their children.
While chocolate chips will almost certainly not qualify as a healthy snack, at least it is a snack that most children love and will eat without complaining. And on some days that’s all a parent can hope for.
And so parents are a target market for chocolate chips not just as home bakers but also to give something to their child as a snack or even during a tantrum.
But chocolate chips can serve another purpose – they can be a great way to get kids interested in baking. And so parents can use them as an opportunity to spend some quality time with their children in the kitchen (while munching on some chocolate chips themselves!).
4. Restaurant Chefs
While we may see chocolate chips as something predominantly used in the home, there is a growing trend of using chocolate chips in restaurants.
This is especially true for dessert items but we are also starting to see them used as toppings on main courses salads and even chicken!
As the target market for chocolate chips expands, so does the range of recipes that they can be used in.
5. Adults looking for a snack
As a segment of the target market for chocolate chips, “Adults” actually fall into multiple segments.
Professional bakers, home bakers, parents and restaurant chefs are all adults. But in this segment, we consider “Adults” as a consumer of chocolate chips in their own right rather than as someone who uses chocolate chips to make something for others.
Plenty of adults love chocolate chips because they are a reminder of their childhood. Many will eat them as a snack on the go or at their desks. And so for many working adults, chocolate chips are the perfect midday snack to help them get through the day.
And, of course, just like everyone else they love chocolate chips in recipes ranging from the classic chocolate chip cookie to the more exotic chocolate chips with bacon.
6. Food businesses
Plenty of processed food companies use chocolate chips in their products, although the quality of these chocolate chips isn’t always the same as when we buy them retail.
However, we see chocolate chips being used in a wide variety of items such as granola bars, protein bars, energy bars, breakfast cereals, and even snacks such as pretzels.
What Are Chocolate Chips Used For?
Another way to understand the target market for chocolate chips is by focusing on the various ways in which people use them.
By segmenting the market based on ‘Usage’, we get a scenario where the same individual may fall into more than one segment. So someone could eat chocolate chips as a snack and the same person could use them to bake cookies.
This person’s decision-making process, when it comes to buying chocolate chips, will be different for different uses of the product, because their needs will be different in each case.
That being said, here are some popular uses of chocolate chips:
- For decoration purposes (eg. on desserts)
- As a snack
- For coating other foods (eg. muffins, marshmallows)
- As a stuffing in other foods (eg. cakes, croissants)
- For making homemade chocolate spread or chocolate butter
- For making chocolate drinks (eg. smoothies, milkshakes)
Let’s look closely at some of these common uses of chocolate chips.
1. For decoration purposes
Chocolate chips are a common ingredient for decoration on a wide variety of desserts.
This includes cakes, cupcakes, pies, tarts, cheesecakes, brownies, and biscuits.
They can be used to make patterns or simply sprinkled on top of the dessert. Chocolate chips can also be melted and used as a topping or dip.
The best part of chocolate chips is that not only do they beautify the product on which they are used, but they also make it taste better. After all, chocolate chips are delicious in their own right.
2. As a snack
Chocolate chips can be a quick and easy snack that provides a burst of energy.
They are easy to carry around and can be eaten on the go. Chocolate chips are also a popular choice as a snack at work or school because they satisfy the sweet tooth without being too filling.
3. For coating other foods
Chocolate chips are often used to coat other foods such as muffins, donuts, and even some types of fruit.
The chocolate chips provide a crunchy texture as well as a burst of sweetness. This makes the food more enjoyable to eat and also gives it a more presentable appearance.
4. As a stuffing in other foods
Another popular use for chocolate chips is as stuffing in other foods such as cakes and croissants.
This is because chocolate chips add both sweetness and body to the food. They also make the food more filling, which is always a bonus.
5. For making homemade chocolate spread or chocolate butter
Chocolate chips can be used to make a variety of homemade chocolate spreads and butters.
All you need to do is melt the chocolate chips and then add them to your favorite spread or butter. This is a great way to get a delicious spread on your morning bread.
6. For making chocolate drinks
Last but not least, chocolate chips can be used to make delicious chocolate drinks such as smoothies and milkshakes.
Just add the chocolate chips to milk or your favorite drink and blend them up. This is a great way to get your daily dose of chocolate without having to eat it in solid form.
Summary
So there you have it – a look at the target market for chocolate chips and some of the different ways they are used.
Whether someone’s a professional baker, a home baker, or just someone who loves to snack on chocolate chips, there is a recipe out there for them.
Parents too can take refuge in chocolate chips both as a snack for their children and for them. And food businesses continue to find new uses for this delicious ingredient because they know everyone loves it.
If you’re planning to get into the business of chocolate chips, you know there are many people out there who would love to have your product. So go ahead and target them! They’ll be sure to target you back with their business.