“The millennials today make up almost half of the population. They bring to the market a new level of spending power, snacking behaviour and unique taste preference,” Pete Bingeman, chief executive officer of Mondelēz Malaysia was quoted as saying by Marketing Interactive.

Mondelēz Malaysia, which has four operating bases with 1,600 employees, was formerly known as Kraft Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

The report said chocolate and confectionery have emerged as a growing category in the snacking industry.

Last year, the category accounted for 38.1 per cent of the overall snacks and confectionery sales in Malaysia.

Mondelēz’s latest product in the market is the “Halls XS”, a mini-size and sugar-free candy that targets urban working consumers aged 25-34. It has also introduced the Cadbury 5 Star chocolate bar.

“We believe the launch of Cadbury 5 Star and Halls XS will strengthen our category leadership and spur a sustained growth for our business in Malaysia. In fact, we have identified the chocolate and confectionery category as one of our growth catalysts,” Bingeman added.

The company also has a broader plan to cater to consumers with healthier options in mind. These include efforts to reduce sugar consumption, small-sized snacks and newer products slated to be launched later in the year, according to the report.