Mars, the maker of some of the world’s most beloved treats and snacks, has officially announced the launch of several new Mars Wrigley products at the 2024 National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Show Expo this month in Las Vegas.
More on the same would reveal how the stated development brings forth new insights-backed products that deliver on shoppers’ evolving requests for a wider variety of products and formats, along with new textures.
Talk about these products on a slightly deeper level, we begin from M&M’S® PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY, which happens to be the latest star of M&M’S® Peanut Butter portfolio. In essence, the stated product features berry flavored bite-sized chocolate treats with a deliciously smooth peanut butter center that will transport fans to the delicious experience of a PB&J sandwich.
Next up, we have the M&M’S® Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich. This one comes decked with the means to offer multi-texture experience which effectively combines M&M’S® Milk Chocolate Minis candies, baked sugar cookies, and 100% real creamy peanut butter ice cream in one treat.
Then, there is SKITTLES® POP’d. SKITTLES® Original and Sour POP’d, on its part, delivers at your disposal an unexpectedly crunchy and crispy way to enjoy the SKITTLES® fruity flavors.
Joining the same would be all-new SNICKERS® Dark Ice Cream Bars. In case you were not aware, SNICKERS® Dark is made with caramel, peanuts, chocolate-peanut butter ice cream, and dark chocolate. Not just that, it is also a 100% real ice cream, capable of combining a golden ratio of textures to deliver total ice cream satisfaction.
Hold on, we still have a few bits left to unpack, considering we haven’t yet touched on Mars’ fresh-off-the press SNICKERS® Pecan product. SNICKERS Pecan basically provides you with a delicious twist on the iconic candy bar you love. You see, it puts together the perfect blend of caramel, nougat, and milk chocolate, complemented by the savory-sweetness of pecans.
Rounding up highlights for us would be the arrival of SNICKERS® Shapes that are understood to be made using peanuts, milk chocolate, and nougat. Furthermore, these fun-shaped chocolate bars have all the classic flavors of SNICKERS® Candy Bars, with the augmented benefit of holiday flair, starting with SNICKERS® Trees which comes out this holiday season.
“At Mars, our consumer obsession has guided us to a century of success. We know that consumers see convenience stores as part of their communities and their routines. To reach core consumers and attract new audiences, we’re looking at new formats and textures with some of our iconic brands to drive trial and enthusiasm,” said Tim LeBel, President of Sales at Mars Wrigley North America. “Beyond product innovation, we work with our customers to elevate shopper engagement through partnerships such as those with our Transaction Zone and Foodservices teams.”
Alongside the given product innovations, Mars took this opportunity to also feature, at NASC, its Transaction Zone team, which recently secured a patent for its PayPoint Optimizer technology, an advanced analytics tool that uses a store’s transaction history to optimize checkout configuration. Initially launched in 2022, Mars’ Transaction Zone team acts as a consultant and works with retailers to design layouts that attract new shoppers, maximize impulse purchases, enhance checkout experiences, and ultimately drive category growth.
The significance of such an offering can be understood once you take into account a research, where it was discovered that majority of Americans (93%) are within 10 minutes of a convenience store, and 71% of adult consumers discover new products and brands in convenience stores.
