• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, September 16, 2008

Continuing its recent product expansions, The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company has launched a Gourmet Baking Chocolate.

The line is available in three cacao percentages: 58% Cacao Semisweet Baking Chocolate, 72% percent Cacao Extra Bittersweet Baking Chocolate and 100% Cacao Unsweetened Baking Chocolate. The home baking products are being sold in 10-ounce bags at $3.99 to $4.49 in Ghirardelli shops, grocery and mass retail stores and other select retail outlets across the U.S., as well as online at www.ghiradelli.com.

The company is promoting the ease of use of the new baking products, as well as their premium appeal. The gourmet line "offers consumers the highest-quality baking chocolate while maintaining ease of use for home bakers who are looking for unparalleled results," said Fabrizio Parini, Ghirardelli's senior VP of marketing.

To promote the new line, Ghirardelli had award-winning pastry chefs create exclusive recipes with the products. The recipes are online in a dedicated area, www.ghiradelli.com/gourmetbaking.

Premium products, including growing consumer demand for dark chocolate for its health benefits, are driving the growth of the chocolate category in the U.S. The category saw sales increase 4.6% last year, as well as an unprecedented number of new product introductions across brands.

Ghirardelli--owned by Swiss premium chocolate and confectionary maker Lindt & Sprüngli since 1998, along with sister premium brand Lindt--drove sales growth of 19% for Lindt & Sprüngli USA in 2007. In fact, Ghirardelli and Lindt are the fastest-growing chocolate brands in the country.

Ghirardelli's total sales jumped 10.9% last year, driven by the continuing success of its popular Squares and new products such as the Intense Dark line and a new line of filled chocolate tablets. Existing baking chocolates--including chips, bars and cocoa powders-- also performed well last year, and Ghirardelli clearly sees an opportunity in consumers' current propensity to save by eating at home, yet treat themselves in small ways with premium confections and perhaps a gourmet dessert finish to home-cooked meals.

Ghirardelli expanded its advertising campaigns significantly last year, and that is continuing this year. It is also placing increasing emphasis on the Internet channel, where its sales doubled last year.

The growth of both Ghirardelli and Lindt have also been supported by creation of a strong nationwide retail sales promotion organization, which reduced the brands' profitability last year but which the parent company considers a key investment for their future.

Ghirardelli also owns restaurants and stores in San Francisco and locations such as Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami, Orlando/Disney World and San Diego and San Francisco, and these are also receiving expanded advertising and national sales support.