Mars Wrigley U.S. unveils new products and category insights at exclusive unboxing hour

Company: Mars Wrigley

Introduced: November 2020

Distribution: National

Suggested Retail Price: $1.09 (Snickers), $1.45 (COMBOS)

Product Snapshot: Mars Wrigley U.S. has announced a new lineup of products from some of America's favorite brands including SKITTLES, M&M'S, and ORBIT, among others. These products will join Mars Wrigley's portfolio of chocolate, fruity confections and gum brands, continuing to bring people better moments and more smiles now and into 2021. Mars Wrigley unveiled these items along with the latest insights on the state of the category and anticipated future trends for Treats & Snacks, impulse and retail during its first-ever Mars Wrigley Unboxing Hour digital event for trade media this week. Together, these new insights and innovative products are poised to drive growth for the category as the industry continues to adapt to the changing retail environment due to COVID-19.

"Though the ways in which people interact with treats and snacks have fundamentally changed due to the pandemic, we know people are still looking to enjoy our products during moments that matter," said Shaf Lalani, vice president of strategic demand leadership at Mars Wrigley U.S. "So, we're doubling down providing data-driven consumer insights and concrete recommendations to help retailers reprioritize and redesign their in-store and online shopping experience to meet consumers on their shopping journey faster than ever before."

Sharing Original Insights and Recommendations to Propel the Category

The Treats & Snacks industry, along with many others, needed to quickly adapt early in 2020 as people evolved their shopping habits. More consumers than ever started shopping online and began stocking up on more products than usual, including gum and confections. Retailers have been faced with a myriad of challenges, with the top priority being keeping consumers safe in stores while also making the shopping experience as seamless as possible through channels of choice—whether online ordering, delivery, and curbside pick-up. Quickly executing consumer research to better understand the new needs of shoppers this year was a top priority for Mars Wrigley as it partnered with retailers on developing clear strategies for growth.

Mars Wrigley's research uncovered critical consumer insights the company quickly began leveraging with retailers to create new, improved shopping experiences. With shoppers migrating to digital shopping platforms, Mars Wrigley found that there are specific days and times when people are more receptive to receiving relevant messages for certain products, including confectionery. Additionally, research found consumers are continuing to use confectionery for celebrations but they're also purchasing their favorite products on road trips, which are on the rise, and to treat themselves at home as a way of comfort and escapism.

Armed with these insights, Mars Wrigley re-shaped campaigns and developed new programs for retailers. Mars Wrigley re-imagined Halloween, the biggest confectionery holiday of the year, and launched TREAT TOWN, an app-based digital experience and seasonal portfolio mix for families to virtually trick or treat for their beloved brands. Further leveraging the findings, the company shared publicly for the first time the launch of its Never Stop Summering program in 2021, through which Mars Wrigley is tapping into other at-home and on-the-go activities during the summer season. This new program will offer retailers one cohesive portfolio summer program to drive consumer engagement and awareness with the category during the critical summer selling season.

Introducing New Products and Innovation

Mars Wrigley is introducing new innovations across its brand portfolio, which bring exciting, relevant products to surprise and delight consumers as well as meet their changing needs for the category.

"Treating and snacking has changed dramatically and even more so over the last six months. Not only are we continuing to see people looking for wider variety in regard to flavors and textures, but we also know they are gravitating towards familiar brands they trust," said Jim Dodge, VP convenience at Mars Wrigley U.S. "Mars Wrigley is laser-focused on listening and responding to our consumers and this shift in behavior has driven us to evolve our approach and introduce new products, like new SKITTLES Gummies. We know that convenience shoppers can't get enough of our gummies—from LifeSavers to Starburst—and we're excited to bring them a new experience with SKITTLES®."

The following are new and recently introduced Mars Wrigley snack/bakery innovations:

COMBOS Cheddar Cheese Bacon: COMBOS Cheddar Cheese Bacon is the newest COMBOS® innovation which launched nationally in June 2020 in medium 6.3oz Peg Bags. COMBOS Cheddar Cheese Bacon is a winning combination delivering the second highest appeal in the COMBOS portfolio as it combines two enduring flavors to create even greater taste satisfaction.

SNICKERS Peanut Brownie: Earlier this year, SNICKERS introduced an irresistible combination of two beloved treats—SNICKERS bars and brownies—to create SNICKERS Peanut Brownie. Available nationwide beginning January 2021, SNICKERS Peanut Brownie features two individual squares, coated in the classic SNICKERS chocolate, with a luscious layer of caramel and a chewy peanut-brownie filling. SNICKERS Peanut Brownie is available in Single (1.2 ounces), Share (2.4 ounces) and Sharing Stand Up Pouch (6.61 ounces) sizes.

For more details on the latest news and announcement from Mars Wrigley, contact Mars Wrigley representatives by visiting www.mars.com/made-by-mars/mars-wrigley.