This is one of The Food Channel’s Top 10 Chocolate Trends for 2012, based on research conducted in conjunction with CultureWaves® and the International Food Futurists®. For the full list, click here.
He Said/She Said: Chocolate. Can you tell your preference for type of chocolate by gender? Our informal tests showed yes, and science is at least saying that women prefer the stronger flavors of dark chocolate. What’s more, rumor has it that if you want to conceive a girl, eat chocolate (if you want a boy, stick to red meat). Apparently women come by their cravings honestly.
Behavioral trends are showing that women tend to like their chocolate dark, with a high percentage of cacao, and bold flavors. Men tend to go for the sweet side with milk chocolate. What restaurants are noticing is that women make a lot of the decisions at mealtime, and they choose chocolate. Brunch, a restaurant in Chicago, offers a red velvet pancake that is delicious—and you know it’s gone mainstream when iHop has created one, too. Cinnabon has added chocolate to its cinnamon rolls. Marketers know to cater to women and this allows them to do it subtly . . . or maybe it’s simply that, with more women-run businesses (like iHop), chocolate is getting its day.
We even see chocolate marketed directly by gender—chocolate and beer pairings for men, the new Burger King Bacon & Chocolate Sundae (which, frankly, appeals to both men and women from what we can see).
For more evidence, see:
The Best Chocolate Bars for Men
Why Women Love Chocolate More Than Men
Curiosities: Why Does it Seem Women Love Chocolate So Much More than Men?
(Science) Why Do Women Crave Chocolate?
Recipe evidence:
