Despite not matching the scale of the tourism or footwear sectors, Christmas remains a major economic driver for Alicante. Regardless of fashion trends and evolving holiday customs, the regard for regional desserts, including nougat, the exchange of gifts from Santa Claus and the Three Wise Men, and the traditional twelve grapes for New Year’s Eve continue to shape consumer behavior. The industrial and agri-food network involved in this period moves in the vicinity of 900 million euros, close to two-thirds of the yearly turnover according to estimates from multiple industry bodies.
In total, these activities generate around 27,000 jobs directly and through incentives across the province throughout the year, according to the same sources.
Among the most exposed sectors in the campaign’s final months are nougat producers in the Valencian Community, especially those represented by the Nougat, Derivatives and Chocolate Manufacturers Association, centered in Xixona. Only member companies contribute to the annual turnover, which runs about 800 million euros. The association’s president notes that more than 60 percent of this turnover, roughly 480 million euros, occurs in the last months of the year. The figure is attributed to José Manuel Sirvent.
The industry experiences temporary concentration even as it makes seasonal adjustments, increasing catalog emphasis on chocolate products and expanding exports to other markets where nougat is viewed not only as a Christmas dessert but as part of the broader Spanish gourmet tradition within the Mediterranean diet. Some efforts also focus on opening tourism-oriented specialty stores.
Nougat stays strong and blends with other foods to sustain year-round activity
The organization’s forecasts anticipate a turnover rise of about 5% to 6% this year, driven mainly by price increases manufacturers must pass on due to rising energy costs and raw materials.
Most expensive chocolate
Industry insiders warn that price pressures are far from over, as the actual campaign costs have not fully reflected recent cost increases. The price for a ton of poopor (a regional term) rose from approximately 1,800 pounds to around 4,000 pounds, translating to roughly 2,079 to 4,620 euros. The sector employs more than 2,500 workers in total.
Another segment that rides the Christmas wave, despite striving for year-round sales, is the toy industry spotlighted during this campaign. It accounts for about 62% of its turnover, according to José Antonio Pastor, the director general of the Spanish Toy Manufacturers Association.
The Alicante province contributes around 640 million euros in turnover, with roughly 1,700 million units produced across Spain last year. If Christmas’ weight is included in these figures, gifts for upcoming dates contribute close to 400 million euros in income.
However, the year’s final balance is uncertain because the last two weeks of the campaign are decisive. Inflation and eroding purchasing power across Europe slowed exports and reduced domestic sales by about 2% by November. The positive note is that December brought a revival in sales, and the industry appears to be trending upward toward year-end estimates. As Pastor notes, ending the campaign at or above 2022 levels would be considered a strong success under current conditions.
In Alicante, toy stores employ around 2,000 direct workers, with more than 10,000 jobs created through regional plastic component suppliers and subcontracted production for orders placed with local manufacturers.
Most expensive grape
Grapes from the Vinalopó region, labeled with origin status, are valued at about 22.5 million euros. Beatriz Rocamora, director of the DO, explains that last year’s production rose while demand lagged; this year shows higher demand but reduced production, making the outlook uncertain.
Asaja’s sector manager José Enrique Sanchez notes that pest and weather-related losses in May, combined with demand spikes for special products in November, pushed prices up. He adds that late European arrivals influenced the market, with Italy finishing its harvest earlier, creating a broader regional imbalance.
The combination of these factors lifted grape prices to almost three euros at the warehouses, with consumer prices near 4.5 euros, compared with last year’s range of 2.4 to 2.9 euros. The DO estimates place employment around 13,000 jobs across the various tasks involved in this crop, including hand-packaging on vines to protect bunches during the warmer months.