Category REVIEW
CONSUMABLES
BUY-IN • CANDY
New twists on classics sweeten sales
BY BARBARA WHITE-SAX
New twists on classic candy
brands helped propel dollar
sales in the chocolate candy
segment ahead nearly 10%. An
increase in prices contributed to
the dollar sales gain, but a big
boost came from line extensions
and limited-edition flavors.
“The old standbys are comfort brands for consumers, and
manufacturers continue to trade
off their following with new
products,” said Lisbeth Echeandia, VP trade marketing of consulting firm Frey Enterprises.
Jack Russo, an analyst with Edward Jones, said line extensions
were a low-risk, high-reward approach for the companies.
M&M Mars has been bullish
on extending its brand franchise.
“Offering new products invigo-
rates the category,” said Lauren
Nodzak, a spokeswoman for
Mars Chocolate North America.
“Consumers trust brands they
love, so they’re open to trying
new flavor variations.”
With 6-of-the-top-15 chocolate brands, Mars has plenty of
room for variation. After introducing M&M coconut chocolate candies as a limited-edition
release in summer 2009, Mars
made the extension permanent at the end of the
year. In May, the company introduced M&M’s
pretzel chocolate candies.
The product was ranked
by Forbes as the No. 3 mostmemorable product launch
of the year, and scored the
brand a place on Advertising
Age’s list of America’s Hottest
Brands for 2010.
Top 10 chocolate candy brands
(box/bag/bar < 3.5 oz.)
Other introductions were
Dove sugar-free chocolates
with peanut butter crème,
Snickers peanut butter Squared
and Dove brand chocolate swirl
in two flavors. Twix coconut
cookie bar will launch in April
as a limited-edition product.
Rival Hershey also has carefully added its own brand
extensions
—
notably
Reese’s minis and Hershey’s
drops, as well as Pieces versions
of its York, Almond Joy and Special Dark brand. Hershey has
scaled back on limited-edition
candies after retailer resistance
to too many extensions several
years ago caused the company
to refocus its strategy.
M&M’s pretzel
chocolate candies
Top 10 chocolate candy brands
(box/bag/bar > 3.5 oz.)
Top 10 chocolate candy brands
(snack size)
BRAND
SALES
% CHG
BRAND
SALES
% CHG
BRAND
SALES
% CHG
M&Ms
$145.6
18.0%
M&Ms
$306.1
14.9%
Reese’s
$89.9
4.2%
Snickers
114.8
17.8
Hershey’s
196.8
2.8
Snickers
80.1
1.6
Reese’s
112.4
14.1
Reese’s
100.6
7.3
All Hershey’s (variety pack)
48.8
7.4
Hershey’s
Nestlé Butterfinger
46.4
5.1
M&Ms
45.2
-14.0
1.3
105.2
4.6
Kit Kat
68.1
37.4
Twix
40.5
Three Musketeers
38.3
Milky Way
29.6
Nestlé Butterfinger
Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme
TOTAL
Hershey’s Kisses
94.6
-0.9
Dove
89.8
-16.6
0.3
Lindt Lindor
74.7
24.1
Milky Way
38.1
9.4
Private label
68.0
6.9
Hershey’s
37.1
6.6
44.8
Hershey’s Nuggets
63.2
2.8
Kit Kat
30.6
20.3
26.3
14.7
Kit Kat
58.3
22.6
Three Musketeers
30.6
-3.8
25.8
10.8
All Mars (variety pack)
45.5
22.1
Twix
28.1
12.3
$1,075.4
9.9%
* In millions
Source: SymphonyIRI Group for the 52 weeks ended
Nov. 28, 2010, across FDMx
1 • FEBRUARY 7, 2011
TOTAL
$2,117.7
5.8%
* In millions
Source: SymphonyIRI Group for the 52 weeks ended
Nov. 28, 2010, across FDMx
TOTAL
$641.4
4.6%
* In millions
Source: SymphonyIRI Group for the 52 weeks ended
Nov. 28, 2010, across FDMx
DRUGSTORENEWS.COM
Category REVIEW
CONSUMABLES
BUY-IN • CANDY
Top 10 gift box chocolate brands
BRAND
Russell Stover
SALES
% CHG
$88.5
Top 10 novelty chocolate candy brands
BRAND
SALES
% CHG
Top 10 sugarfree chocolate candy brands
BRAND
SALES
% CHG
7.6%
Candyrific M&M
$2,188.1
25.6
Russell Stover
Whitman’s Sampler
33.5
7.3
Bee Nestlé Baby Ruth
125.3
-8.9
Hershey’s
7.0
-6.1
Hershey’s Pot of Gold
24.6
-17.3
Kidsmania
114.4
56.3
Dove
4.7
-12.7
Queen Ann
15.8
3.1
Dulceria Guadalajara
93.3
91.0
Whitman’s Sampler
4.4
1.8
Ferrero Prestige
12.8
0.3
Wolfgang
66.4
145.1
Reese’s
4.0
-5.0
Ferrero Rocher
6.9
14.8
Casa de Dulce
53.6
-5.2
York Peppermint Patty
2.8
-13.7
Godiva
4.8
575.4
Candyrific M&M NASCAR
43.0
-50.3
Whitman’s
1.7
47.3
Fannie May
4.4
-43.4
Private label
40.6
7.2
Demets Turtles
0.9
-55.6
Lindt Petits Desserts
4.0
5.7
Kama Sutra
18.7
0.1
Russell Stover Almond Delights
0.5
-4.7
Esther Price
3.7
-1.4
Sweets
17.6
-71.6
Pangburns Millionaires
0.4
16.0
-0.6%
TOTAL
$2,820.4
-33.6%
TOTAL
TOTAL
$220.8
* In millions
Source: SymphonyIRI Group for the 52 weeks ended
Nov. 28, 2010, across FDMx
Top 10 breath freshener brands
* In thousands
Source: SymphonyIRI Group for the 52 weeks ended
Nov. 28, 2010, across FDMx
$50.4
$80.1
2.1%
-3.2%
* In millions
Source: SymphonyIRI Group for the 52 weeks ended
Nov. 28, 2010, across FDMx
Top 10 caramel/taffy apples/kits/dips
Top 10 licorice box/bag brands
BRAND
SALES
% CHG
BRAND
SALES
% CHG
BRAND
SALES
% CHG
Tic Tac
$73.2
9.2%
Marzetti
$26.1
-1.8%
Twizzlers
$116.3
4.2%
-4.9
Red Vines
36.6
Ice Breakers
52.4
10.5
Affy Tapple
6.1
Altoids
47.5
-2.4
Private label
5.3
16.2
Listerine Pocketpaks
28.5
2.3
Litehouse
5.3
-15.2
Breathsavers
20.7
3.9
Tastee
5.2
1.8
Altoids Smalls
16.3
44.4
Concord
4.4
5.3
Wrigley’s Eclipse
10.2
-22.9
Happy Apples
3.6
Breathsavers 3 Hour
8.6
10.0
Kraft
Tic Tac Chill
5.1
-49.2
Funway
1.1
-4.2
Certs
TOTAL
$269.0
1.5%
* In millions
Source: SymphonyIRI Group for the 52 weeks ended
Nov. 28, 2010, across FDMx
Daffy Apple
Jolly Rancher
18.7
-2.2
16.6
-7.7
Private label
7.1
53.9
Darrell Lea
4.2
30.7
2.1
Twizzlers Nibs
3.0
59.8
1.1
0.0
Panda
3.0
-1.6
1.0
14.7
Rips
2.7
19.4
-2.8
Lucky Country
2.4
14.8
-1.2%
TOTAL
$64.6
* In millions
Source: SymphonyIRI Group for the 52 weeks ended
Nov. 28, 2010, across FDMx
Top 10 hard sugar candy/package
and roll candy brands
BRAND
Good & Plenty
Twizzlers Pull ‘n’ Peel
0.7
TOTAL
6.6
$228.8
3.1%
* In millions
Source: SymphonyIRI Group for the 52 weeks ended
Nov. 28, 2010, across FDMx
Top 10 nonchocolate
chewy candy brands
Top 10 novelty nonchocolate
candy brands
SALES
% CHG
BRAND
SALES
% CHG
$36.1
-2.9%
Private label
$137.4
8.3%
BRAND
Tootsie Roll Child’s Play
SALES
% CHG
$27.0
-6.3%
Werthers Original
35.8
11.8
Starburst
73.1
-0.5
Wonka Mix Ups
19.0
0.6
Tootsie Roll Pops
22.5
-0.9
Skittles
59.5
-3.0
Wonka Nerds
15.8
-6.8
Spangler Dum Dum Pops
18.5
1.5
Reese’s Pieces
43.1
58.1
Topps Baby Bottle Pop
13.2
5.1
Nips
17.7
1.8
Lifesavers Gummies
41.5
21.7
Pez
12.5
-7.7
Lifesavers
17.5
0.7
Sour Patch Kids
36.3
8.9
Private label
12.4
5.1
Private label
16.7
0.8
Jaret Swedish Fish
34.5
3.0
CE DE Smarties
9.2
-3.8
Charms Blow Pop
13.8
-5.1
Just Born Mike & Ike
30.4
2.1
Topps Juicy Drop Pop
8.9
35.7
Ferrara Pan Lemonhead
4.2
22.3
Jelly Belly
26.3
-8.8
Topps Push Pop
8.9
-1.1
Tootsie Roll Caramel Apple Pops
4.0
35.6
Haribo Gold Bears
23.0
11.8
Sweetarts
8.2
36.9
TOTAL
$227.0
1.7%
* In millions
Source: SymphonyIRI Group for the 52 weeks ended
Nov. 28, 2010, across FDMx
2 • FEBRUARY 7, 2011
TOTAL
$923.3
7.0%
* In millions
Source: SymphonyIRI Group for the 52 weeks ended
Nov. 28, 2010, across FDMx
TOTAL
$271.3
2.2%
* In millions
Source: SymphonyIRI Group for the 52 weeks ended
Nov. 28, 2010, across FDMx
DRUGSTORENEWS.COM
Category REVIEW
CONSUMABLES
BUY-IN • CANDY
Top 10 plain mints brands
BRAND
Lifesavers
Top 10 sugarfree diet candy brands
SALES
% CHG
$48.2
BRAND
Top 10 specialty nut/coconut
candy brands
SALES
% CHG
$17.0
15.5%
BRAND
SALES
15.4
3.7
Pay Day
$23.8
1.1%
Werther’s Original
Mentos
34.0
2.3
Lifesavers
Private label
33.0
4.0
Private label
7.5
-4.2
% CHG
-0.6%
Private label
11.4
14.4
Red Bird
7.9
-5.9
Hall’s Refresh
7.4
159.0
Old Dominion
5.6
11.4
Bob’s Sweet Stripes
6.5
21.4
Baskin Robbins
2.7
12.7
Pearson’s Salted Nut Roll
5.3
25.4
Richardson After Dinner
1.6
-13.1
Nips
2.2
-1.0
Ferrara Pan Boston Baked Beans
3.6
-4.4
Brach’s Star Brites
1.4
-2.9
Red Vines
2.1
33.1
Brach’s Maple Nut Goodies
3.5
-3.0
Brach’s
1.0
-14.5
Jolly Rancher
1.7
-22.0
Confettaria Raffaello
3.5
22.6
Farley’s
0.6
-6.9
Brach’s
1.6
-17.9
Lance
2.4
-5.6
Sather’s
0.6
-4.9
Lifesavers Delites
1.4
-8.0
Aunt Aggie Des
1.9
4.0
Annabelle Big Hunk
1.7
8.8
TOTAL
$143.0
2.1%
* In millions
Source: SymphonyIRI Group for the 52 weeks ended
Nov. 28, 2010, across FDMx
3 • FEBRUARY 7, 2011
TOTAL
$72.0
5.5%
* In millions
Source: SymphonyIRI Group for the 52 weeks ended
Nov. 28, 2010, across FDMx
TOTAL
$90.9
1.9%
* In millions
Source: SymphonyIRI Group for the 52 weeks ended
Nov. 28, 2010, across FDMx
DRUGSTORENEWS.COM