CHICAGO -- One of the most beloved candy brands among parents and children has moved to bar form. Chicago-based Mars Wrigley Confectionery has unveiled its newest product, M&M’s Chocolate Bars, in retailers nationwide. The bars are available in Peanut, Milk Chocolate, Crispy, Almond and Crispy Mint flavors, all of which contain a milk chocolate exterior with whole M&M's Minis on the inside.
Mars Wrigley is constantly working on new M&M’s varieties. The company will debut M&M’s Hazelnut and M&M’s White Chocolate Peanut in convenience stores early next year, Jim Dodge, vice president of convenience for Mars Wrigley, told CSP Daily News at the 2018 NACS Show in Las Vegas.
- Click here to read Mars Wrigley’s best practices for merchandising candy in convenience stores.
M&M’s Chocolate Bars have been in development for several years, according to Mars Wrigley. The company tested nine flavors and four different formats before crafting the final recipe and shape to ensure each bar included its ideal ratio of chocolate to M&M’s. The bar is a permanent addition to Mars Wrigley’s confectionery lineup, unlike many of the company’s limited-time offers.
"We aim to create innovative ways for our fans to enjoy M&M's, and the new M&M's Chocolate Bars embody that spirit with a taste experience unlike any other," said Allison Miazga-Bedrick, brand director for M&M's. "We can't wait to offer holiday shoppers their first try of the creamy, delicious flavors through an experience that reminds all of us to take time out to truly enjoy this season."
In honor of the launch, the M&M’s brand is hosting a pop-up in New York called The M&M’s Chocolate Bar from Dec. 7-9, where fans will have the opportunity to eat the bar and partake in M&M’s-themed activities. Such activities include getting “stuck” on a massive chocolate Velcro wall and riding an M&M’s Chocolate Bar sled, as well as drinking coffee, hot cocoa and snapping photographs for social media.
McLean, Va.-based Mars Inc. is a global manufacturer with more than $35 billion in sales. Besides M&M’s, its brands in its Mars Wrigley Confectionery division include Snickers, Dove, Milky Way, Twix, Doublemint and Skittles.
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