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62 CATEGORY FOCUS Sugar Confectionery
Sweet street Featuring much-loved favourites and a host of exciting new innovative products, the sugar confectionery market is thriving. ShelfLife highlights all the latest trends and newest developments within the sector
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etailers know all too well that when it comes to products that consumers impulse buy, sugar confectionery is particularly tempting, especially among children. Even as we become more health conscious as a nation, sweet treats are still a staple in the Irish diet as sugar-free or
reduced sugar products gain momentum. What’s more, many brands are keen to cater to the growing vegan population with gelatine-free formats of their most popular sweets. For example, Rowntree’s veganfriendly treats are suitable for those following vegetarian, vegan and religious diets.
According to Jeremy Dee, managing director, Swizzels, the sweets category is the second highest category that shoppers like to spend time browsing so it is critical to ensure you are stocking the biggest brands to drive a strong rate of sale and therefore profit.
Vegan-friendly sweets
coffee or lunch break. Due to this, when shopping patterns were impacted by the pandemic over the past two years, it had a knock-on effect on mint sales as shoppers have stayed at home, resulting in fewer Rowntree’s Pick & Mix out of home are suitable for those consumption following vegetarian, vegan and religious diets occasions. However, as the country hopefully returns to more normal living patterns with people returning to work and travel, retailers now have an opportunity to boost their mint category sales once again. In order to capitalise on this growth opportunity, retailers should start by ensuring they are stocking the best-selling packs across
a range of usage occasions, ‘breath freshness’ and ‘sweet treat’. Polo has a range of popular mint flavours including Original, Sugar Free and Spearmint.
Rowntree’s, a brand long synonymous with sugar confectionery, is ensuring that as many people as possible can enjoy its fruity chews with the extension of the brand’s vegan friendly portfolio. The recently launched vegan friendly Rowntree’s Fruit Gums and Rowntree’s Pick & Mix join existing vegan friendly brands within the range such as Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles and Rowntree’s Jelly Tots and all are suitable for those following vegetarian, vegan and religious diets. Brand new from Rowntree’s this year is Randoms Squidgy Swirls. A variant within the already well loved Randoms brand, this latest launch is sure to win over fans both old and new. Randoms Squidgy Swirls are a tonguetantalising assortment of fruit and yoghurtflavour creamy-tasting jellies in three varieties: blackcurrant and yoghurt, strawberry and yoghurt and apple and yoghurt. They are chewy with an immensely satisfying squidge making for a playful treat for fruity chew lovers of all ages. Also new to the Rowntree’s range are Jelly Tots Tropical Tots. A vegan friendly treat, Tropical Tots are made with real fruit juice and come in five tangy flavours: passion fruit, peach, pineapple, grapefruit and mango. Mints are very much a functional/ destination segment of the sugar confectionery The recently launched market, with vegan friendly shoppers actively Rowntree’s Fruit seeking out Gums join existing products to freshen vegan-friendly brands their breath after a within the range
ShelfLife April 2022 | www.shelflife.ie
Polo has a range of popular mint flavours including Original, Sugar Free and Spearmint
Sunshine in a bag Sonas Sweets is an Irish brand of sugar confectionery developed and distributed by Ampersand. The word Sonas comes from the Irish word meaning happiness, and Sonas Sweets brings a little happiness and sunshine to Irish consumers every day! The Sonas Sweets range includes a €2 mix up bag and €1 hanging bags, which has now been extended to 24 different varieties since its launch. The Sonas Sweets range has all the favourites including jellies, sour sweets, bonbons, and liquorice pencils. The 100g hanging bags are a perfect treat sized portion priced at €1. Retailers and consumers can also be assured
The Sonas Sweets range includes a €2 mix up bag and €1 hanging bags which has now been extended to 24 different varieties
