As higher raw-material costs and price revisions continue in the confectionery industry, Meiji maintained revenue growth while operating profit declined. Ezaki Glico posted only slight revenue growth, but segment profit fell, highlighting the benefits and challenges of price increases alongside the performance of other companies.
With Halloween approaching, specially packaged confectionery products have begun appearing in stores, while the performance of domestic confectionery makers has diverged due to multiple factors, including higher raw-material costs, price revisions and capital investment. Across the market, prices continue to rise, while changes in sales volumes vary from company to company.
Meiji Holdings’ cocoa business achieved 9.3% revenue growth in the fiscal year ending March 2026, while operating profit fell 6.4%. In 2025, the company raised prices by 6–33% on 17 chocolate products, including “Chocolate Effect Cocoa,” and responded by reducing the weight of its core “Kinoko no Yama” and “Takenoko no Sato” products by approximately 10% from products released in May. It also raised prices by 10–36% on a total of 31 products, including “Milk Chocolate,” from shipments in June 2025.
Ezaki Glico’s revenue in its nutritional confectionery business rose approximately 2% in the fiscal year ending December 2025, while segment profit fell approximately 16%. From shipments on 1 February 2025, it raised prices by 2–32% on products including “Pocky,” “Caplico” and “GABA.”
Across the market, chocolate production volume fell approximately 9% in 2025, while retail sales value rose approximately 13%. Japan’s domestic cocoa business posted 12.7% revenue growth from April to June 2026, supported in part by strong sales of core products, but operating profit fell 34.2% due to procurement costs.