Mars Chocolate North America Expands Product Portfolio With Variety Of Innovative Snack Options

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J., May 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Mars Chocolate North America announced today that it is expanding its product portfolio to satisfy consumers, whether they're seeking a delicious and amazingly satisfying snack (goodnessknows^® Snack Squares), a rewarding treat (SNICKERS^® Brand Mixed Nuts Bar), a substantial bite (COMBOS^® Baked Snacks Sweet & Salty Chocolate Fudge Pretzel), or a favorite in a new format (M&M'S^® Brand To-Go Bottles).

Mars Chocolate is unveiling these innovations, along with new consumer promotions and merchandising displays, at the National Confectioners Association (NCA) Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago this week.

"Shoppers purchase snacks and confections for a variety of reasons, and we're seeing an increase in requests for lower caloric snack options," says Timothy LeBel, vice president of sales for Mars Chocolate North America. "Our new goodnessknows^® Snack Squares will fulfill consumers' appetite for a new snack that tastes indulgent at 150 calories per four-square serving."

New items that Mars Chocolate is unwrapping at the NCA Expo include:

• COMBOS^® Baked Snacks Sweet & Salty Chocolate Fudge Pretzel features creamy fudge filling surrounded by a salty, crunchy pretzel shell. (November 2015, $2.29 for 6.0 oz. medium bags)
• The cranberry and cherry variants of Real Fruit Dipped in DOVE^® Dark Chocolate will be available in a new size: convenient, share-able, resealable 17-ounce stand-up pouches. (October 2015, $8.99-$10.99 for 17 oz. large stand-up pouch)
• goodnessknows^® Snack Squares -- available in Cranberry Almond Dark Chocolate, Apple Almond & Peanut Dark Chocolate, and Peach & Cherry Almond Dark Chocolate -– are made with delicious dark chocolate, slow-roasted whole almonds, toasted oats and real fruit. (July 2015, $1.39-$1.59 for 1.2 oz. singles, $4.99-$6.99 for a five-pack carton)
• M&M'S^® Brand To-Go Bottles are innovative, re-closable and reusable bottles boasting 3.5 ounces of M&M'S® Brand Milk Chocolate Candies and M&M'S® Brand Peanut Chocolate Candies. (November 2015, $2.50-$3.50 for 3.5 oz. bottle)
• M&M'S^® Brand will re-launch the M&M'S^® Brand Box Pack format in March 2016 with major marketing that includes the blockbuster summer promotion "M&M'S® Brand Movie Ticket Mania."  (March 2016, $1.00-$1.99 per box pack)
• MILKY WAY^® Brand Marshmallow with Caramel Bar delivers a magnificent combination of fluffy marshmallow nougat covered with a layer of smooth caramel, enrobed in creamy milk chocolate. (July 2015, $1.09-$1.39 for 1.72 oz. single)
• MILKY WAY MIDNIGHT^® Bar will be available in a 2 To Go size enclosed in a resealable twist-wrap. Every bite offers creamy caramel and vanilla-flavored nougat coated in dark chocolate. (December 2015, $1.69-$1.99 for 2.83 oz. 2 To Go)
• SNICKERS^® Brand Mixed Nuts Bar satisfies with a mix of peanuts, almonds and hazelnuts combined with SNICKERS® Brand caramel and nougat, all coated with creamy milk chocolate. (November 2015, $1.09-$1.39 for 1.76 oz. single)
• STARBURST™ Brand Orange Sorbet Bars pack an exhilarating burst of orange flavor in a light and delicious bar that is a fruity and refreshing addition to the Frozen Novelty category.  (February 2015, $2.99 for a four-count multipack)
• Several seasonal innovations -- new flavors, packaging and displays -- will offer retailers more ways to continue the double-digit sales growth of seasonally wrapped confections.

In addition to seasonal displays, Mars Chocolate will exhibit everyday display options, from traditional counter units and shippers to a Mixed Singles Skinny Tower that requires minimal floor space. Retailers also will see a versatile option to display M&M'S^® Brand Milk Chocolate Candies: the Single Face Carton. This new format allows for merchandising on the shelf, on the wall, and on the counter.

"At the show, we'll also share with retailers our promotional calendar," says LeBel. "One of the ways that Mars Chocolate connects with our consumers is through promotions that encourage relationships with friends and family. We call them 'key moments' that bring family and friends together, whether they're celebrating holidays, sporting events or just sharing time."

Mars Chocolate upcoming key moments include:  NASCAR, Summer Road Trip, NFL, "Holiday on the Go" and "Make Super Bowl 50 Even Sweeter." 

Another key moment Mars supports is "Red Nose Day" on May 21. This campaign raises money to transform the lives of children living in poverty in the U.S. and overseas. At the NCA Expo, Mars will hand out red noses and encourage attendees to support the campaign at www.rednoseday.org.

Retailers can contact their Mars Chocolate representative for details on product innovations, consumer promotions and shopper insights and visit www.marspresskit.com.

About Mars, Incorporated
In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars' first roots as a confectionery company.  In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY® bar. In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of  building a business based on the objective of creating a "mutuality of benefits for all stakeholders" – this objective serves as the foundation of Mars, Incorporated today. Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $33 billion, six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, Symbioscience, and more than 75,000 Associates worldwide that are putting its Principles into action to make a difference for people and the planet through its performance.

Mars brands include: Petcare – PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, BANFIELD® Pet Hospital, CESAR®, SHEBA®, DREAMIES® and NUTRO®; Chocolate – M&M'S®, SNICKERS®, DOVE®, GALAXY®, MARS®, MILKY WAY® and TWIX®; Wrigley – DOUBLEMINT®, EXTRA®, ORBIT® and 5™ chewing gums, SKITTLES® and STARBURST® candies, and ALTOIDS® AND LIFESAVERS® mints.  Food – UNCLE BEN'S®, DOLMIO®, EBLY®, MASTERFOODS®, SEEDS OF CHANGE® and ROYCO®; Drinks – ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS™, THE BRIGHT TEA COMPANY™, KLIX® and FLAVIA®; Symbioscience – COCOAVIA® and WISDOM PANEL®.

For more information, please visit www.mars.com.  Follow us: facebook.com/mars, twitter.com/marsglobal, youtube.com/mars, linkedin.com/company/mars.

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SOURCE Mars Chocolate North America

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