Mars Wrigley is expanding its seasonal portfolio for Christmas 2026 with the launch of three new products, designed to broaden consumer appeal across the festive trading period.
Each launch targets an untapped shopper opportunity: early buyers, the male demographic, and those seeking white chocolate formats.
Built for the early festive window, Mars Wrigley is extending its Crispy M&M’s® Santa range, which debuted last year, with Crispy M&M’s® Mini Santas – a small sharing bag of crispy, creamy Santa-shaped pieces, alongside the original single ‘self-eat’ option. As the fastest-growing manufacturer in singles and small sharing in 2025[1], offering shoppers an accessible festive treat ahead of the peak gifting season.
Mars Wrigley will also drive growth in the Selection Box segment, releasing The Snickers & Friends Selection Box. In a sub-category that skews toward female shoppers, the launch targets male gifters who are under-indexed in selection box formats.
Combining SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MARS® and SNICKERS® CREAMY DUO bars, it is the first Snickers-led gifting proposition, aimed at recruiting male consumers rather than competing with its existing selection box offering.
December is the strongest month for seasonal confectionery,[2] as shoppers turn to tubs, boxed chocolates and larger sharing formats for gatherings with family and friends. By expanding audience demographics with an individual gifting choice, The Snickers & Friends Selection Box will increase revenue opportunity.
Marking Mars Wrigley’s second entry point into everyday boxed confectionery, MALTESERS® White Box is set to reach a different shopper: under-35s who over-index in white chocolate. It strengthens MALTESERS® Box position as the number one everyday boxed brand to reach white chocolate buyers.
All three launches will build on the brand’s unmatched seasonal growth. In Christmas 2025, Mars Wrigley was the only manufacturer to grow both value (4.2%) and volume (0.9%)[3], while total confectionery value sales grew by only +0.6%[4]. Success was driven by advent calendars, chocolate boxed gifts and tins and tubs, alongside continued innovation in singles and small sharing.
Steve Waters, Seasonal Senior Brand Manager at Mars Wrigley, said: “Christmas remains a calendar highlight for many, and consumers will invest in creating memorable occasions. Our launches have been designed to add excitement to the fixture, combining affordable indulgence with trusted flavours and formats to meet the needs of today’s value-conscious shoppers.”
“All three launches will be backed with dedicated displays from early in the season, not just the final fortnight, for easy discovery and to inspire purchase.”
[1] Source: NielsenIQ Scantrack & Kantar WPO | Total Christmas Confectionery |24W to WE 27/12/25
[2] Source: NielsenIQ Scantrack & Kantar WPO | Total Christmas Confectionery |24W to WE 27/12/25
[3] Source: NielsenIQ Scantrack & Kantar WPO | Total S&G Confectionery | 24W to WE 27/12/25
[4] Source: NielsenIQ Scantrack & Kantar WPO | Total S&G Confectionery | 24W to WE 27/12/25
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