Eighties classic chew bar Wham is rolling out to retailers this week after being resurrected by Tangerine Confectionery.

The company acquired the rights to Wham - worth £3m in sales in 2011 [SymphonyIRI] - from the administrators of Scottish confectioner Millar McCowan, which collapsed last October.

Tangerine said the deal - expanding a portfolio that includes Barratt Refreshers, Sherbet Dip Dabs, Sherbet Fountains, Black Jacks and Fruit Salads - meant it now owned six of the top 10 chew bar brands.

The first bars produced by Tangerine are being distributed this week, and the company has assured retailers and consumers they would recognise the same product that sold 30 million bars a year at its peak in the 80s.

“We had access to the original recipes and have tried to deliver against the taste,” said brand manager Helen Hartley.

She added that the changes made to the bar were to ensures consistent flavour and quality and had not altered the taste.

Tangerine has dropped two flavours from the line-up of standard-sized bars (rsp: 20p), which now comprises Original Raspberry, Strawberry, Cola, Sour Apple and Brew mixed-fruit flavours. In the coming weeks, it will roll out 180g sharing bags of mini bars (rsp: £1.29) in Original and assorted variants, and in September larger Mega Wham bars (rsp: 29p) in Original Raspberry.

“Sharing bags of minis have not had huge distribution, which is something we are looking at,” said Hartley.

The relaunch will be supported by the creation of Wham’s first official Facebook presence in June, and ads in kids’ titles such as Beano, Dandy and Bin Weevils.

“We want to build up distribution over the next few months before launching the consumer activity,” added Hartley.

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