Chocolate & Confectionary
Partner with confectioners and chocolate artisans producing unique Lebanese creations
Overview
Despite not having a long history in chocolate manufacturing, the success of the Lebanese chocolate industry is a reflection of the entrepreneurship culture of its people who have been able to penetrate a competitive and challenging industry and establish a reputation as high-quality chocolate producers.
While being inspired by European traditions and aligned with international trends, Lebanese producers remain determined to make their products uniquely “Lebanese” through the use of differentiating local flavors and ingredients.
In addition to chocolate, Lebanon has a strong pastry and sweets industry dominated by family businesses that have mastered over generations the art of oriental confectionary that caters for all palettes. By mixing modern and contemporary western pastry creations with traditional flavors and authentic recipes, Lebanese sweet manufacturers were able to expand and go global.
Industry Players
There are around 128 formally registered chocolate manufacturers currently operating in Lebanon and around 400 confectionary and pastry facilities. Both represent around 9% of total industrial establishments in Lebanon (source: Ministry of Industry).
The chocolate market in Lebanon is dominated by relatively small-scale boutiques that produce luxury and mouth-watering specialty chocolate products targeting niche clientele. There are very few large players in the market that have large production capacity. However, some of the large and medium players were able over time to create a global chocolate brand that is found across various continents.
The sweets industry is mainly concentrated with the producers of traditional oriental sweets like Baklava. These producers have managed to survive the challenging times by offering consistently high-quality and authentic products that cater to all palates. They have boldly experimented to modernize oriental sweets by mixing up authentic recipes with contemporary, western pastry creations.
Check our exporter directory to find our verified list of chocolate producers in Lebanon.
Export Performance
Chocolate exports from Lebanon remained stable between 2016 and 2019 at about $36m annually (Source: Lebanese customs), representing about 8% of agri-food exports in 2019 – the second largest component after fruits and nuts preparations.
Despite the impact of the pandemic on global trade, the resulting logistical challenges, and the effect on consumer spending, chocolate exports reached $31m in, constituting about 7% of total agri-food exports.
Saudi Arabia was the top export destination for chocolate products in 2020 with 39% of total exports, followed by Qatar with 17%, and Kuwait with 8% of the total share of exports.
Pastry and sweets exports reached around 15 million dollars in 2020 representing 3% of total agri-food exports for same year. However, they have been increasing on average by 8% over the 2012-2020 period.
Our Advantage
- Strong Image for Lebanese luxury chocolate and pastry products especially in the neighboring Gulf countries.
- Reliable and established market leaders of chocolatiers and sweet manufacturers that penetrated various competitive markets.
- Innovative product development with an exotic taste that blends oriental and western-inspired specialties.
