Bon Bon Buddies is to bring brands such as Slush Puppie and Candy Crush Saga to the confectionery aisle.

The Wales-based licensed confectionery specialist - which later this month adds Tango-flavoured variants to its Nanobytes sweets range - is unveiling a host of new licensing tie-ups next year.

In the first quarter of 2015 it will be launching products such as chews and lollipops under the Slush Puppie ice drink brand.

“Slush Puppie is a very well-known, and strong, brand in the UK,” Bon Bon Buddies MD Chris Howarth told The Grocer this week, adding this would be the first time a UK manufacturer had launched Slush Puppie sweets.

This will be followed in Easter 2015 with the launch of confectionery under the Candy Crush Saga brand, after Bon Bon Buddies secured the European licence for the hit game. In addition to Easter products, the Candy Crush Saga range will include year-round lines such as lollipops.

Bon Bon Buddies is also rolling out a wide range of licensed products this Christmas, with Howarth saying he expected a good performance from brands such as Disney Princess, One Direction, Transformers: Age of Extinction and retro Marvel comic characters.

Tango Nanobytes will be available from the end of September in Orange, Apple and Cherry flavours (rsp: 69p/65g). Nanobytes are sold in Europe, the Middle East and China, and have UK listings in retailers such as Morrisons and The Range.

“We are proud of our experience and understanding of the licensed confectionery industry and already work with a number of the sector’s biggest names, including PEZ Sweets, Ritter Sport and Zaini,” said Howarth. “It’s great to add such a respected British brand as Britvic to this list, and to take the first step in working together in partnership.” Nanobytes was the second proprietary brand developed by Bon Bon Buddies, which is hoping to grow its own-brands from 4% of its business to 15% by 2018.
Bon Bon Buddies launched its first own-brand, the sour Brain Blasterz in 2011, followed by space-themed Nanobytes in 2013. Its latest product, called Bon Bon Buddies, launched in January 2014 and features a range of treat-sized sweets with retro toys.

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