Depot activation: Mentos – The sweet spot
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Where better to roll out Mentos’ latest NPD than a buzzing wholesale depot packed with retailers? Wholesale News hit the road with Perfetti Van Melle
Photography by Roy Kilcullen
When it comes to an affordable treat, a tube, bag or packet of sweets have long topped the nation’s shopping list. And, while flavour trends may change over the years, the desire for a delicious pick-me-up has never waned.
With this in mind, we visited a busy wholesale depot, Dhamecha in Hayes, with the team from Perfetti Van Melle, who wanted to put their latest NPD in the hands of retailers.
The biggest question from the day wasn’t whether retailers would be stocking the new launches but which was their favourites. Are you team Berry or Team Sour? We put it to the test, so check out our video from the day here
With sugar confectionery worth a staggering £1.3bn in the UK through independent and symbol stores alone, according to Circana figures, it’s clear that sweets mean one thing: big business.
“Confectionery is a busy category and there’s a lot of competition and noise,” explains Dhamecha Hayes General Manager Vinod Ramgi (pictured above). “Our retailers only want the products that they know will sell, and every product in their store has to earn its place.”
Ash, a retailer from nearby Walton-on- Thames, agrees: “Everyone wants sweets. Very few customers come in without buying a little treat for themselves or someone else, so I have to have the products they want or I’ll lose that additional basket spend and right now, that added spend is critical for my store.”
This is something Perfetti Van Melle understands all too well. Paul Robinson, Controller Wholesale & Convenience (pictured below), says: “We recognise that retailers are under pressure and every single sale matters, so they need to stock the bestsellers that customers are looking for. Mentos is top of the list as the UK’s number one fruit single in the UK and in convenience.
“As a brand, Mentos is a must-stock for retailers, worth £9m in symbol stores and indies alone. Volume is growing three times faster than the market, so it’s a clear winner for retailers, which means it’s a clear winner for wholesalers too,” he says.
Vinod agrees: “As a wholesaler, we have to stock the products that our retailers want to provide for their customers so, of course, we stock the biggest names, such as Mentos, which our customers love.”
GOOD NEWS
Already a confectionery bestseller, the good news is that Mentos refuses to stand still.
“We’re always looking to innovate and what better way than to embrace new flavours, especially ones as delicious as these?” laughs Paul.
The latest additions to the Mentos portfolio fully embrace the latest in-demand flavour trends. Mentos Feeling Berry Good offers three bold, berry flavours – cherry, blueberry and raspberry – while Mentos Sour Tones reflects consumer demand for sour confectionery with an initial zesty sour kick that finishes on a juicy, fruity flavour.
“Sour continues to be one of the fastestgrowing flavour trends, growing 4.5 times faster than the total market, so we’re expecting Mentos Sour Tones to fly off the shelves, while Mentos Feeling Berry Good is the perfect choice for all those berry lovers out there, and I’m one of them!” Paul adds.
The new launch caused quite the stir in depot, as retailers gathered around the display, all keen to snap up the new flavours for their stores.
“My customers love new flavours, and they will definitely want these,” says Kumar, a retailer from Southall. “I pride myself on always being one of the first stores to try new products and my customers know they can rely on me to have the latest ones. I know these will be a hit, so I’m stocking up now.”
Others agreed. Charlie has recently added confectionery to her out-of-home outlet as a trial. “I’ve been amazed at how well they sell, and as soon as I spotted Mentos had new flavours, I had to get them because these will be so popular… and I want to try them too!”
VEGAN
A key element to Mentos’ success is that its products are all vegan, which the brand now states on its packaging.
“Vegan products are really growing, especially in this channel, so it’s never been more important to make sure we shout about our vegan credentials on the packs in case customers weren’t aware,” says Paul.
