FEATURE
CHOCOLATE & CONFECTIONERY
28 ASIAN TRADER 27 JUNE 2025
observes, “products that can be
consumed on the go work well in
convenience as usually shoppers
will be on the move when
purchasing and consuming
them.” This insight has informed
Divine’s approach to packaging
and product sizing, with their 35g
bars arriving in “shelf-ready
packaging that also looks
premium, ensuring that the bars
are easy for independents to get
straight onto shelf with minimal
fuss, but also, they stand out,
attracting the eye of consumers.”
The Divine 35g range
exemplifies how premium
positioning can coexist with
convenience functionality. “The
Divine 35g bar range also comes
in a diverse range of flavours
which is a unique proposition for
bars of that size,” Stubbins
explains. This includes innovative
offerings like their cappuccino
bar, “which is a mix of milk and
white chocolate, with a delicious
coffee flavour coming from the
addition of a sprinkling of
Fairtrade coffee beans.”
Such distinctive flavour
profiles help retailers differenti
ate their offerings whilst
potentially increasing basket
spend, as Stubbins notes that
“stocking Divine’s range of 35g
bars can be helpful in growing
incremental basket spend.”
The power of impulse
With impulse purchasing
behaviour driving significant
sales opportunities, Kathryn
Hague, Head of Marketing at
confectionery distributor World
of Sweets, says understanding
which products work best and
how to merchandise them
effectively can make all the
difference to bottom-line
performance.
“Impulse buy confectionery
products work best in conveni
ence because customers often
make spontaneous
purchases when
they see appealing
displays in store,”
explains Hague.
“These products are
typically small,
affordable and
visually attractive,
making them easy
to grab and add to a
purchase.”
Novelty confectionery
emerges as a particularly strong
performer, especially during peak
trading periods. They are a “great
option for driving sales among
younger customers looking for
pocket money treats during
summer holidays,” Hague notes.
“Novelty sweets have attractive
prices, playful elements and bold
flavours which make them stand
out on the shelves, encouraging
impulse buys.”
Leading brands in
this space include
Crazy Candy Factory,
which offers “a wide
range of fun and
exciting treats from
food-shaped sweets
to sour gels and
toy-candy combos.”
Top performers
include Gummy
Noodles (RRP £1),
Funny Money edible wafer paper
(RRP £0.85), and the Big Dipper
lollipop, Jelly Bean Machine and
Paint Splash lollipops with
sherbet dip, all priced at £1.29.
Kidsmania represents another
strong novelty option, “offering
an eye-catching range of fun
sweets that appeals to younger
customers.” Retailers should
consider stocking customer
favourites like Sour Flush fruity
lollipop with sherbet dip, Ploplets
cola flavour poop-shaped hard
candies, and Flip Phones with a
lollipop inside, all retailing at
£1.29.
Beyond novelty lines, share
bags present another opportu
nity. “Customers often turn to
convenience shops for a top-up on
their normal food shop, and that
often includes snacking,” Hague
observes. Bonds of London and
Candy Realms both offer ranges
“which are ideal for shoppers
trying to find snacks for a summer
picnic or movie night.”
Flavour blend
Mentos continues to
push boundaries with
groundbreaking
product develop
ment. Roberts
highlights their latest
innovation: “Mentos
Discovery, which
offers a category first
14 different flavour
sweets in one roll.”
This represents a significant
departure from conventional
confectionery formats, with the
product featuring an exotic
flavour range.
The success metrics for
Mentos Discovery are impressive.
Despite launching only in May
2024, Roberts reveals that “it is
now a £1.1m sub-brand with the
single roll accounting for
£820,000 worth of sales.” More
significantly, the innovation
has driven
category growth,
with “singles now
worth £18.6m +22
per cent,” demon
strating how unique
products can create
incremental value
rather than simply
cannibalising existing
sales.
Building on this
success, Mentos has launched
Feeling Berry Good, which
“comprises of three fresh and
delightful berry flavours; tangy
cherry, juicy blueberry and
refreshing raspberry.” This launch
strategically targets the sharing
segment, which Roberts notes
“now dominate the confection
ery market, accounting for 71.4
per cent of sweet value sales.”
The product is specifically
designed for Big Night In
occasions and beyond, supported
by comprehensive marketing
including “tactical, eye-catching
POS materials in-store” and
benefiting from “the
halo effect” of
Mentos’ disruptive
summer ABTL
media campaign.
Seasonal
innovation
Cadbury continues to
lead in seasonal
innovation with their
Summer Edition
launch. Nash describes
how “Cadbury is turning up the
cool this summer” with the
launch of four limited-edition
Cadbury Dairy Milk Summer
Edition bars and brand-new
Cadbury Dairy Milk Iced Latte
flavour. The standout feature is
the packaging innovation, which
uses thermochromic technology,
so that “the wrapper visually
transforms to reveal a deep blue
colouring when each bar is
chilled.”
This technological integration
serves multiple purposes. The
packaging features “four
summer-themed designs, all
reflective of a traditional British
summer: deck chairs, umbrellas,
kites and inflatables,” creating
collectability whilst encouraging
interaction. Nash notes that “the
Chill To Reveal launch is to set
reignite the popular debate
around where to store chocolate
as we head into summer and
firmly positions chocolate as a
snacking option throughout the
summer months.”
Beyond product innovation,
leading brands are creating deeper
consumer connections through
experiential campaigns. Cad
bury’s Game Changing Wins
represents a comprehensive
approach to consumer engage
ment, offering “the opportunity
to win amazing prizes, including
one of four meet and greets with
some of the UK and Ireland’s most
well-known female footballers.”
The campaign’s accessibility is
designed for convenience retail
success, requiring consumers to
simply purchase a participating
pack from across the qualifying
range: Cadbury chocolate
including singles, bars, bags and
multipacks, Cadbury biscuits
range including Cadbury Fingers
and Cadbury Brunch, Maynards
Bassets bags and Trebor mints.
This broad product
inclusion helps drive
sales across multiple
categories whilst the
digital engagement
platform “ga
mechanging.cadbury.
co.uk” creates
ongoing brand
interaction.
Recognising the
vital role of
independent
retailers, the campaign includes
the Cadbury Community Game
Changers competition, which
“gives retailers the chance to be
celebrated as Game Changers and
the opportunity for five lucky
winners to win up to £1000.” This
dual approach of consumer and
retailer engagement demon
strates understanding of the
convenience channel’s communi