The craze for ‘frutta bon bon’ (chocolate-coated and frozen fruit) is worth 40 million euros
Franuì is the market leader, but competition is also growing, as in the case of Trü Frü, Mars’s frozen snack brand. According to Circana, turnover has risen by as much as 326 per cent over the last 12 months
As indulgent as chocolate, as delicious as berries, as cold as ice cream and as convenient as snacks: this is fruit bonbons – that is, fruit coated in chocolate and deep-frozen – which are winning over Italians. In the space of a couple of years, it has reached sales of nearly 40 million euros in modern retail, and over the last 12 months, its turnover has increased by a staggering 326 per cent (source: Circana). This surge is driven by a combination of novelty, indulgence and social media buzz.
At the heart of it all is innovation, which has created a whole new category from scratch: that of small fruits (particularly strawberries or raspberries), coated in one or more layers of chocolate and then frozen, to be kept in the freezer and enjoyed as a snack or after a meal. A new product concept which, fuelled by the buzz on social media, has become a global phenomenon, particularly amongst younger generations.
This is illustrated by the success of Franuí, a brand founded in Argentina based on an idea by the Fenoglio family (of Piedmontese origin) to coat Patagonian raspberries in two layers of chocolate and sell them frozen. In the space of about ten years, Franuí has grown to produce 50 million jars a year, sold in over 70 countries, whilst maintaining a premium positioning. In Italia, which, with sales of 35.3 million euros, is the second-largest market after Argentina, the business is performing well.
“In 12 months, we have increased our weighted distribution by 12 points to 85 per cent, and our on-shelf turnover is now around four times higher; four of our products feature amongst the five best-selling items in the category,” the company explains. Our aim now is to continue consolidating this leadership position by expanding the distribution of our portfolio and investing in innovation to further contribute to the development of the category. Fruit bonbons in Italy are in the early stages of development and have enormous growth potential, as we believe this is not a passing trend, but a category with every chance of establishing itself and carving out its own space in the frozen foods market.”
Market expansion therefore also depends on broadening the range in terms of sizes, flavours and occasions for consumption. And, above all, in terms of fruit. The latest addition is the gold version of Franuí: a strawberry centre covered in a double layer of chocolate. It is the first product manufactured entirely at the Valencia plant, the Argentine company’s outpost for conquering the receptive European and Mediterranean markets, in which it has invested 25 million euros over the last two years.
