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With AI at the helm, the confectionery industry is entering a new era of innovation and efficiency, transforming everything from product creation to personalized marketing strategies. Here’s how AI is revolutionizing this sector.

AI in Confectionery: An Overview

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the science of making machines think like humans, revolutionizing manufacturing processes. According to the Gitnux Market Data Report 2024, AI in confectionery is expected to grow 25% annually over the next five years. AI supports various parts of the confectionery business and consumer experience, becoming integral to brands’ and manufacturers’ strategies and operations. From marketing and formulation innovation to customer service and supply chain management, AI eases business demands and meets shoppers’ expectations.

As highlighted at the 2024 National Confectioners Association State of the Industry Conference, AI-led support can help companies navigate the current socioeconomic climate, including rising raw material prices. A recent Accenture survey revealed that almost 45% of sweet shoppers are open to using AI to help them select confectionery, finding it more challenging to choose these than regular groceries.

1. Personalization and Generative AI

AI drives many leading confectionery brands’ personalized marketing and interactive campaigns. Generative AI, a more advanced form of AI, offers brands more opportunities to engage with shoppers and immerse them in their confectionery worlds. Generative AI can create content like writing, audio, images, and videos, significantly impacting content creation.

Using generative AI for interactive campaigns allows brands to maximize creativity and connect with consumers in novel ways. Personalized marketing across multiple digital platforms ensures consumers receive content tailored to their preferences. For example, Starburst’s “Different Every Time” campaign used generative AI to show consumers the 479 million ways to enjoy a 12-pack of original Starburst. Hershey’s custom AI campaign for Halloween combined sales data with increased advertising spending, boosting sales in targeted regions by 90%.

KitKat launched an AI campaign in January 2024, encouraging consumers to take breaks from AI tools. Snickers unveiled an AI clone of football manager José Mourinho for the UEFA Cup, coaching fans out of their ‘own goals’ using AI.

2. Taste Innovation

AI shapes flavor profiles by predicting what consumers and markets might want. It removes the trial-and-error aspect of flavor experiments and reduces the risk of disappointing product launches. Confectionery spice manufacturer Ofi uses AI to anticipate the next big cocoa flavors, scanning e-commerce websites, online recipes, and restaurant menus to understand upcoming trends. Ofi found that Asian flavors like dragon fruit and yuzu are gaining popularity in the US and Europe, while western flavors like butterscotch and salted caramel appeal to South Asian consumers.

Maltesers teamed up with Google Cloud’s AI kitchen to develop new desserts, creating a dataset of recipes to introduce new flavor profiles. The result was a Marmite-infused buttercream.

3. Climate Change Goal Progression

Approximately 30% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are linked to food and agriculture. Confectionery brands are using AI to enhance environmental friendliness in manufacturing and contribute to the circular economy. Nestlé combines AI and data science to support regenerative systems, exploring agricultural science to improve ingredient footprints. The World Economic Forum suggests that precision agriculture techniques could significantly reduce GHG emissions and water use while increasing farming yields.

AI maximizes traceability in the confectionery supply chain. Barry Callebaut works on achieving complete transparency and traceability, disclosing direct suppliers’ geolocation. Conagra Brands, owner of Boomchickapop, teamed up with Microsoft to create automated product labeling procedures, improving traceability and quality assurance.

4. Automation in Manufacturing

Around 30% of confectionery manufacturers use AI to optimize supply chain logistics. AI complements manual processes in labs and factories, reducing inefficiencies, improving productivity, and increasing production volume. Retailers like Marks & Spencer and Macy’s integrate AI into their strategies to simplify operations and enhance staff productivity.

Computer vision, a subset of AI, holds significant potential in the confectionery and bakery industries, especially when combined with robotics technology. It helps identify and interpret visual data for quality control, spotting imperfections in color, texture, and product dimensions. AI also influences packaging trends, with companies like BKT creating visually stunning packaging using advanced AI algorithms.

5. Automating Customer Service

Advancing AI technology supports brands’ customer service through smart decision-making. Nestlé’s ‘cookie coach’ chatbot helps US consumers perfect chocolate chip cookies, addressing a surge in helpline calls during the COVID-19 pandemic. The AI-powered ‘cookie coach’ uses natural language processing to answer baking questions effectively.

In conclusion, AI is transforming the confectionery industry by enhancing personalization, innovating flavors, supporting environmental goals, automating manufacturing, and improving customer service. These advancements position AI as a crucial driver of future growth and innovation in the confectionery sector.

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