A23G COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF
Introduced: September 1968
Last revised: January 2006
Classification Context
- Section:
- HUMAN NECESSITIES
- Class:
- FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; PREPARATION, TREATMENT OR PRESERVATION THEREOF
- Subclass:
- COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF
Description
A23G encompasses processing, formulation, and manufacturing technologies for chocolate, cocoa-based products, confectionery items, chewing gum, and ice-cream, including methods for preparation, treatment, and preservation of these products. The classification covers cocoa substitutes and functional additives integrated into sweet foodstuffs, as well as equipment and processes specific to their production. It excludes non-food applications of cocoa derivatives and addresses the technical aspects of formulation, texturing, and preservation rather than nutritional or therapeutic claims.
Filing statistics
IPC subclass A23G recorded 46,722 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 3,951 in 2013 to 3,148 in 2023 (-20%), peaking at 5,133 applications in 2016. The most active applicants in class A23 are KVASENKOV OLEG IVANOVICH (6,158 applications), NESTLE (4,562 applications) and NESTEC (3,354 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
In class comparison
A23G ranks 7th of 10 subclasses with filings in A23, with 46,722 applications between 2013 and 2023, 4.8% of the class. Annual filings declined 20% from 2013 to 2023, below the class as a whole (+18%).
| Rank | Subclass | Title | Applications | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A23L, Foods, Foodstuffs or Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Not Otherwise Provided for; Preparation or Treatment Thereof | Foods, Foodstuffs or Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Not Otherwise Provided for; Preparation or Treatment Thereof | 450,110 | 46.2% |
| 2 | A23K, Feeding-Stuffs Specially Adapted for Animals; Methods Specially Adapted for Production Thereof | Feeding-Stuffs Specially Adapted for Animals; Methods Specially Adapted for Production Thereof | 106,027 | 10.9% |
| 3 | A23N, Machines or Apparatus for Treating Harvested Fruit, Vegetables, or Flower Bulbs in Bulk, Not Otherwise Provided for; Peeling Vegetables or Fruit in Bulk; Apparatus for Preparing Animal Feeding-Stuffs | Machines or Apparatus for Treating Harvested Fruit, Vegetables, or Flower Bulbs in Bulk, Not Otherwise Provided for; Peeling Vegetables or Fruit in Bulk; Apparatus for Preparing Animal Feeding-Stuffs | 99,459 | 10.2% |
| 4 | A23F, Coffee; Tea; Their Substitutes; Manufacture, Preparation, or Infusion Thereof | Coffee; Tea; Their Substitutes; Manufacture, Preparation, or Infusion Thereof | 78,125 | 8.0% |
| 5 | A23B, Preservation of Foods, Foodstuffs or Non-Alcoholic Beverages; Chemical Ripening of Fruit or Vegetables | Preservation of Foods, Foodstuffs or Non-Alcoholic Beverages; Chemical Ripening of Fruit or Vegetables | 56,029 | 5.7% |
| 6 | A23P, Shaping or Working of Foodstuffs, Not Fully Covered by a Single Other Subclass | Shaping or Working of Foodstuffs, Not Fully Covered by a Single Other Subclass | 55,814 | 5.7% |
| 7 | A23G | Cocoa; Cocoa Products, e.g. Chocolate; Substitutes for Cocoa or Cocoa Products; Confectionery; Chewing Gum; Ice-Cream; Preparation Thereof | 46,722 | 4.8% |
| 8 | A23C, Dairy Products, e.g. Milk, Butter or Cheese; Milk or Cheese Substitutes; Preparation Thereof | Dairy Products, e.g. Milk, Butter or Cheese; Milk or Cheese Substitutes; Preparation Thereof | 43,005 | 4.4% |
| 9 | A23J, Protein Compositions for Foodstuffs; Working-Up Proteins for Foodstuffs; Phosphatide Compositions for Foodstuffs | Protein Compositions for Foodstuffs; Working-Up Proteins for Foodstuffs; Phosphatide Compositions for Foodstuffs | 19,978 | 2.1% |
| 10 | A23D, Edible Oils or Fats, e.g. Margarines, Shortenings or Cooking Oils | Edible Oils or Fats, e.g. Margarines, Shortenings or Cooking Oils | 19,209 | 2.0% |
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
Related Keywords
5 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- A23G 1/00 Cocoa; Cocoa products, e.g. chocolate; Substitutes therefor
- A23G 3/00 Sweetmeats; Confectionery; Marzipan; Coated or filled products
- A23G 4/00 Chewing gum
- A23G 7/00 Other apparatus specially adapted for the chocolate or confectionery industry
- A23G 9/00 Frozen sweets, e.g. ice confectionery, ice-cream; Mixtures therefor
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class A23, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- KVASENKOV OLEG IVANOVICH RU 6,158
- NESTLE CH 4,562
- NESTEC CH 3,354
- JIANGNAN UNIVERSITY 2,699
- DSM IP ASSETS (DUTCH STATE MINES IP ASSETS) NL 2,320
- SUNTORY HOLDINGS JP 1,926
- CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 1,804
- CJ CHEILJEDANG CORPORATION KR 1,653
- CARGILL US 1,588
- REPUBLIC OF KOREA (RURAL DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION) KR 1,314