Can you tell us a little of the history of your brand?
Swizzels have been creating some of the nation’s favourite sweet treats since 1928, which makes Swizzels one of the longest running sweet factories in the world. The Swizzels product range started with the classic Rainbow Drops and moved quickly into producing the original compressed fizzy sweet, Fizzers. Moving on to current day, Swizzels have produced the immensely popular, Squashies, in a variety of flavours, along with Love Hearts, Lollies, Chew Bars and much more!
How has the sugar confectionery category been performing over the last year?
Despite challenging economic times, Sugar Confectionery has continued to grow 9.9% over the last year*, which is a great sign that the sugar confectionery category has become a staple within consumers’ lifestyles and further instils how important it is for retailers to stock a complete range of sweet treats.
The sugar confectionery market is in growth at a steady pace on the account of the high demand from consumers. The introduction of new products with innovative flavours and an increase in gifting trends are expected to further drive the demand in the near future.
And how has your brand been performing?
The Swizzels brand has continued to grow 13.7% over the last year**, this data is not only a testament to the fact that consumers are still opting to treat themselves with sugar confectionery regardless of economic challenges, but also to the fact that retailers are taking vital steps to make sure that consumers are presented with the product lines that they’re actively seeking.
Retailers who are aware of the requirements of their customers and stock products based on these requirements, have increasingly found that they are becoming a destination location for customers who are looking for their favourite Squashies flavours, for example.
What are the biggest trends in the sugar confectionery category?
We’re seeing consumers becoming much more likely to try new and exciting flavours, which fits perfectly with the addition of our new Minions Dip, which has Sour Apple, Tangy Berry and Fizzy Orange. We’ve also seen increased consumer interest in their favourite products, especially retro treats like Rainbow Drops and Chew Bars, as well as increased demand for all flavours of Squashies.
Is the brand in growth? (Squashies)
Squashies is the No.1 Sugar
Confectionery Brand in Symbols & Indies***, and as a result of our retailers having such great success with sales of Squashies, along with the fantastic feedback from consumers, we will be opening an additional factory later in the year to produce even more of our much-loved, delicious Squashies. Our new factory will be located in Cheshire, which is only a short distance from our current site in Derbyshire; the decision to open an additional site in the UK was made not only to satisfy the growing demand for Squashies, but also as a way to ensure that Swizzels remains a truly British brand.
Tell us about the launch of new 60g 69p squashies. Why are you launching the product at this time?
We’ve launched the 60g Squashies packs as an “On The Go” option for consumers who are looking for their favourite sweet treats in a more portable format. It was really important to us as a brand to focus on our consumers’ needs, and with that came the realisation that consumers are often looking for a smaller snack from one of their favourite brands.
We’ve also been encouraged by the fact that our 60g packs can be stocked in practically all retail settings, from cinemas and sports facilities, all the way up to air travel and service stations – they’re also perfect for locations which don’t have much available hanging bag space, as they can fit neatly onto a countertop or dumpbin.
What flavours are new 60g 69p squashies available in?
Our 60g Squashies are available in two flavours, our much-loved Drumstick Original flavour and the delicious Bubblegum flavour; these two flavours have continued to be firm favourites with consumers and so it was logical to produce these in our handy On-The-Go packs.
Are the new products free from artificial colours?
At Swizzels, we’ve taken pride in having no artificial colours within our Squashies products. We’re aware that consumers are now more conscious than ever when it comes to the types of treats that they’re eating, and so we’ve refrained from using any unnecessary artificial colours within our new pack sizes, as well as keeping the rest of our hanging bag flavours free from artificial colours too.
How will the new launch be supported?
The launch has been supported through a mix of fun and engaging social media campaigns, in-depot activations and importantly, a full digital suite of assets for all of our wholesalers if they require this. A well-rounded campaign such as this, with multiple touch points both online, in-depot and in trade press, has enabled retailers to become aware of the potential for increased sales, but has also made consumers aware that their favourite treats are now available in handy packs that they can take anywhere!
How can multiple retailers maximise sales of your products?
Retailers can maximise sales of the new pack sizes by utilising the price-marked and non price-marked packs which are available. Research we’ve conducted concludes that despite 53% of consumers reducing their spending to pay their bills****, sales of confectionery remain largely unaffected; however, stocking our PMP packs gives consumers a renewed sense of trust that the price they see on shelf, is the price that they’ll pay at the checkout, which is always an important factor during challenging economic times.
Another key area to consider to maximise sales is the visual merchandising aspect of the shopper experience; ensuring that retailers have great availability of products is key, along with displaying these products in a coherent way, with the correct amount of shelf space per product group and brand, is a fantastic way of piquing consumer interest. Making use of smaller spaces, especially near to other occasion-based products, such as crisps and soft drinks, will invite customers to potentially purchase items that they wouldn’t have usually considered, especially when they are purchasing for at-home movie nights for example.
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