HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. -- Mars Chocolate North America has rolled out a lineup of new products that will hit store shelves in the coming months, including Snickers Crisper and goodnessknows snack squares.
They join Combos Baked Snacks Chocolate Fudge Pretzel, Dove Chocolate Fruit & Nut, M&M's Crispy Chocolate Candies, M&M’s Brand To-Go Bottles, Milky Way Midnight Bar 2 To Go and seasonal items.
“Snickers Crisper … along with new M&M’s Crispy Candies, answers consumers' desire for new textures, which has created a crispy crunchy segment within the chocolate category,” said Tim LeBel, vice president of sales for Mars Chocolate North America.
He said confectionery is the most responsive category to quality merchandising, so secondary displays are critical to a retailer's success. Mars offers a wide range of display options, such as a new counter rack and c-store endcap display, both which include the core Mars and Wrigley brands.
The company offers retailers a versatile option to display M&M’s Brand Milk Chocolate Candies: the Single Face Carton. This new format allows for merchandising on the shelf, on the wall and on the counter. The smaller design creates four additional inches of shelf space, and the reduced carton count, from 48 to 36 singles, improves product shelf life by six weeks, said the company.
As retailers plan their merchandising strategies, LeBel suggested that they incorporate seasonal items.
“All c-stores should offer a variety of seasonal confections to increase impulse purchases,” he said. “Displaying seasonal in a specific area of the store will teach consumers to seek out new items in this space.”
New Mars Chocolate items:
- Snickers Crisper combines crisped rice and peanuts topped with a layer of caramel and coated in creamy milk chocolate. Singles packs feature two pieces, each with 100 calories. (Available November 2015, 99 cents - $1.09 for 1.41-oz. single, $1.69-$1.79 for 2.83-oz. 4 to Go, $2.69-$3.99 for 10.61-oz. Medium Fun Size Bag.)
- goodnessknows Snack Squares--available in Cranberry Almond Dark Chocolate, Apple Almond & Peanut Dark Chocolate and Peach & Cherry Almond Dark Chocolate--are made with whole nuts, real fruits, toasted oats and dark chocolate. (Available September 2015, $1.59 - $1.99, 1.2-oz. singles, $4.99-$6.99 for a five-pack carton.)
- Combos Baked Snacks Chocolate Fudge Pretzel features a creamy fudge filling surrounded by a salty, crunchy pretzel shell. (Available November 2015, $2.29 for 6-oz. bags.)
- Dove Chocolate Fruit & Nut. Real fruit and spiced nuts joined with silky smooth DOVE Chocolate to create an explosion of flavors and textures. It will debut in three flavor combinations: Strawberry & Cocoa Almond, Blueberry & Vanilla Cashew and Raspberry & Honey Roasted Almond. (Available December 2015, $3.99 - $4.29 for 5.5-oz. small SUP.)
- M&M’s Brand To-Go Bottles are re-closable and reusable bottles containing M&M’s Brand Milk Chocolate Candies or M&M’s Brand Peanut Chocolate Candies. (Available November 2015, $2.50-$3.50 for 3.5-oz. bottle)
- M&M’s Brand will re-launch the M&M’s Brand Box Pack format in March 2016 with major marketing that includes the blockbuster promotion “M&M’s Brand Movie Mania.” (Available March 2016, $1.00-$1.99 per box pack)
- Milky Way Midnight Bar will be available in a 2 To Go Sharing Size. With two pieces enclosed in a resealable twist-wrap, the 2 To Go format provides consumers with portability and portion control. (Available December 2015, $1.69-$1.99 for 2.83-oz. 2 To Go)
- Seasonal Shapes in singles and 2 To Go formats make snacking more festive, including TWIX Brand Ghosts, Santas, Hearts and Eggs; Snickers Brand Pumpkins, Christmas Trees, Hearts and Eggs; and MILKY WAY Simply Caramel Bunnies.
- For Easter 2016, consumer favorite M&M’s Brand Peanut Butter Eggs will be available in a convenient 1.3-oz. pack for immediate consumption.
Mars Chocolate North America, a unit of Mars Inc., is based in Hackettstown, N.J. Mars Inc., McLean, Va., has net sales of more than $33 billion and six business segments: Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, Symbioscience. Mars brands include Petcare (Pedigree, Royal Canin, Whiskas, Kitekat, Banfield Pet Hospital and Nutro); Chocolate (M&M's, Snickers, Dove, Galaxy, Mars, Milky Way and Twix); Wrigley (Doublemint, Extra, Orbit and 5 chewing gums, Skittles and Starburst candies and Altoids and Lifesavers mints); Food (Uncle Ben's, Dolmio, Ebly, Masterfoods, Seeds of Change and Royco); Drinks (Alterra Coffee Roasters, The Bright Tea Co., Klix and Flavia); and Symbioscience (Cocoavia and Wisdom Panel).
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