Ambition to drive consumers to gum category with new product launch
CONFECTIONERY giant Mars Wrigley has launched its new Extra Refreshers Watermelon Raspberry flavour into the market in a bid to recruit more shoppers to the gum category.
The new sugarfree flavour is set to land across stores from the end of February as Mars says the variant will marks the first of its kind in the market.
Backed by a huge marketing campaign as well, the new flavour comes in response to what Mars Wrigley called a continued growth in the popularity of fruity flavours, with flavour combinations in particular set to take centre stage for this year.
This has been further bolstered by the recent success for the Extra Refreshers brand, which has grown by 39% in value sales during the two years to 10 August – according to Nielsen data.
Extra Refreshers Watermelon Raspberry bottles and single packs are currently rolling out across retail nationwide, with each bottle offering consumers 30 pieces of the gum.
Lucy Sherlock, senior brand manager for Extra, said: “The launch of Extra Refreshers Watermelon Raspberry is backed by a national campaign that includes sampling to one million consumers, partnerships with influencers and our biggest ever WIN! actication.
“Shoppers will have the chance to win trainers inspired by the colours of fruity flavours and in collaboration with custom shoe designer MattB Customs. This is part of a wider media investment into the Mars Wrigley fruit gum portfolio this year alone and sets the tone for how we want to drive the market forward.
“Our ambition is to help drive the gum category by tapping into the opportunity presented by the rise in popularity of fruity flavours through Refreshers; a relatively untapped brand that presents huge growth opportunities.
“The of such an exciting and innovative trend-led flavour will go some way to delivering on that ambition.”
