CORONA, Calif. -- Circle K, a division of Alimentation Couche-Tard, has launched Talon Energy and Vixen Energy as new exclusive brands in its western regional stores debuting September and October 2006.
Talon Energy and Talon Energy Sugar Free are new energy drink brands targeted to males 18 to 34. According to category manager Mark Wright, Despite the growing number of energy drinks on the market, customers still complain about the strong vitamin taste. The new tropical citrus taste of Talon was a huge hit with consumers at our in-store taste tests [image-nocss] and we are expecting great receptivity to this product.
Vixen Energy is the first exclusive brand energy drink to target women, the company said. Coke and others have had some success going after females with pretty pink cans, but we felt that there was another edgier female consumer segment not being reached. Our in store testing confirmed that this was true and we have high expectations for the Vixen brand, said Wright. Vixen is available in Foxberry and Citrus Passion flavors and are both sugar free.
The launch of Talon Energy and Vixen Energy is part of Circle K's strategy to increase category profits and chain loyalty by creating premium brands that are exclusive to the franchise. This new Circle K exclusive brand strategy was designed for c-store consumers and is completely different from what traditional grocery chains and some other c-store chains have done with their private-label programs, said Chris Wilson, director of marketing for Circle K's West Coast business unit.
Rather than offer a lower-priced knockoff of the national brand leaders, we believe that we can better grow our categories by creating premium brands that can sell at or near the national brand retail prices. Furthermore, these brands are exclusive to Circle K and offer significantly improved profit margins, he added.
The supplier partner in the product development process and ongoing production of Talon Energy and Vixen Energy is Fluid Motion Beverage Inc., Anaheim, Calif., which offers large retailers a turnkey solution to creating exclusive branded beverages. Unlike many private-label suppliers, which focus on providing cheap generic alternatives, Fluid Motion focuses on branding and new-product development.
According to category manager Mark Wright, They truly understand what appeals to the c-store consumer and executed the Talon and Vixen brands relatively quickly. The value of competition is another important factor, added Wright. Although some national brands offer private-label programs, working with an independent company like Fluid Motion helps maintain a healthier relationship with our national brand partners.
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