In a category first, confectionery manufacturer Perfetti Van Melle has wrapped 14 different sweet flavours in a single roll with Mentos Discovery.
Mixed fruit flavours dominate the Hard Chews Sweets category, worth £71m in L52w (Circana), with recent research proving there is a burgeoning appetite among sweet eaters for exotic flavours (Innova & Mintel 2023 Report). Mentos Discovery is primed to break new ground in the category with 14 flavours including passion fruit, lychee, blueberry, blackcurrant, lime, strawberry, raspberry, orange, lemon, watermelon, banana, grape, cherry and pineapple.
A single pack (RRP 65p) will be launching in managed impulse and cash & carry outlets; while a 3-pack (RRP £1.25) will be available in managed impulse and discounters; and a 5-pack will be on sale in multiples with an RRP of £1.80. The sweets are available in Morrisons now and will roll out to other outlets across Spring.
Perfetti claims that Mentos Discovery is “perfect for a social sharing occasion, embracing the joy and excitement of trying new flavours, and perhaps guessing the flavour of each fruity treat”. The Mentos Discovery launch will be supported over the summer with a £1m, 360 above-the-line campaign, and further amplified via PR, OOH, social media and a paid influencer programme.
Sarah du Plessis, brand manager of Mentos, said: “Research shows that a younger audience is more experimental and actively seek more innovative flavours. Flavour really is at the heart of the Mentos brand, so we are perfectly positioned to deliver this. Mentos Discovery is an opportunity to drive further appeal among younger audiences while offering something new for our existing fans, helping to disrupt the stale everyday with fresh fun!
“We’ve put a lot of thought into the flavour variety to ensure we were truly offering something unique. Vegan-friendly Mentos Discovery allows consumers to say Yes to Fresh and embrace fruity goodness from the crunchy outer shell right through to the chewy centre.
“After the success of limited-edition Mentos Fanta – winner of Product of the Year 2023 and a twice-extended production run due to popular demand – we know that this latest innovation from Perfetti Van Melle is really set to hit the sweet spot with our consumers.”
Mentos Sweets are now a £33.4m brand and up 43.7% in the latest twelve weeks (Circana).
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