NAICS 311352

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System is the federal standard for categorizing business establishments so agencies can collect, analyze, and publish statistics on the U.S. economy. NAICS was created under the Office of Management and Budget, first implemented in 1997 to replace SIC, and is revised every five years; the latest vintage is 2022 and maintains comparability among the United States, Canada, and Mexico. ³

NAICS 311352 — Confectionery Manufacturing from Purchased Chocolate — covers establishments primarily engaged in making chocolate confectioneries using chocolate produced elsewhere. It also includes establishments that manufacture such confectioneries on‑site and retail them for later (not immediate) consumption. Exclusions steer cacao bean processing to 311351, nonchocolate candy to 311340, retailing confectioneries made elsewhere to 445292, and preparing treats for immediate consumption to 722515. ¹

What this NAICS covers

• Manufacturing chocolate confectioneries from chocolate produced elsewhere. ¹
• On‑premises manufacture and retail sale of chocolate confectioneries not intended for immediate consumption. ¹
• Examples (e.g., chocolate bars, molded chocolates, and similar items): Not specified by official sources. ¹
• Excludes chocolate made from cacao beans (classified in 311351). ¹
• Excludes nonchocolate candies (classified in 311340). ¹
• Excludes retailing confectioneries not made on the premises (classified in 445292). ¹
• Excludes preparing and selling treats for immediate consumption (classified in 722515). ¹

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Revision notes (1997–2022)

• The U.S. NAICS introduced the six‑digit code pair 311351/311352 by 2017, delineating cacao‑bean processing from confectionery made from purchased chocolate. ¹
• Earlier vintages (e.g., 1997 manual) used 311330 “Confectionery Manufacturing from Purchased Chocolate” for this activity before the 2017 renumbering. ⁴

Frequently asked questions

• What’s the difference between NAICS 311351 and 311352?

  • 311351 covers making chocolate from cacao beans and the resulting confectioneries; 311352 covers making chocolate confectioneries from chocolate produced elsewhere. This split is explicit in the NAICS definitions and cross‑references. ¹

• Does on‑site production and sale of boxed chocolates fall here?

  • Yes. If items are made on the premises from purchased chocolate and sold not for immediate consumption, they are included in 311352. Items prepared for immediate consumption belong under 722515. ¹

• Which PSC is typically used for chocolate candy purchases?

  • Agencies commonly buy candy and related sweets under PSC 8925 “Sugar, Confectionery, and Nuts.” Always verify the specific product description and any solicitation guidance before assigning PSCs. ⁶

• How does this NAICS relate to 445292 Confectionery and Nut Stores?

  • 445292 covers retailing products made elsewhere. Retailers that manufacture chocolates on‑site for later consumption may fall under 311352 per the inclusion note; otherwise, pure retailing remains 445292. ¹

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 311352 overview
• Census Bureau — 2017 NAICS Manual (official industry definitions, including 311352). ¹
• Census Bureau — Implementation of the 2022 NAICS (timeline and program adoption). ²
• Census Bureau — 2022 Economic Census, Sector 31–33 Manufacturing (data published on 2022 NAICS basis). ⁵

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 NAICS Manual (Chocolate and Confectionery industries; definition and cross‑references for 311352). https://www2.census.gov/library/reference/naics/publications/2017-NAICS-Manual.pdf
2. U.S. Census Bureau, The Census Bureau’s Implementation of the 2022 NAICS (timeline and changes). https://www.census.gov/library/reference/code-lists/naics/2022/implementation-timeline.html
3. U.S. Census Bureau, About Industry — NAICS background and updates through 2022. https://www.census.gov/topics/employment/industry-occupation/about/industry.html
4. U.S. Census Bureau, 1997 NAICS Archive — Sector 31–33 (showing 311330 Confectionery Manufacturing from Purchased Chocolate). https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect31-33.html
5. U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Economic Census — Sector 31–33 Manufacturing. https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/econ/economic-census/naics-sector-31-33.html
6. GSA Acquisition.gov, Product and Service Code Manual (April 2024) — Group 89 Subsistence (PSC 8925 Sugar, Confectionery, and Nuts). https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202024.pdf