Masterfoods is confident Mars Delight will escape unscathed the hostilities of the obesity debate. Mary Carmichael reports
The chocolate countlines sector has never been known for its health credentials for consumers and in recent years, its own wellbeing has been ailing. A slow but steady decline in sales is the main symptom and manufacturers have been forced to resort to drastic remedies.
Cadbury managed to boost its Dairy Milk brand by spreading the umbrella across other products, but Nestlé has already been forced to shore up falling sales of Double Cream - the market’s last big debutante - with a redesign and two new variants.
Masterfoods too has had to watch while sales of its iconic Mars bar dwindled, with The Grocer’s Top Product Survey 2003 showing a drop of 6.4% last year.
Increasing competition from other snacking categories is one reason, while last year’s hot weather did little to help.
Concern over obesity is another factor. A cave dweller in the Outer Hebrides might have missed it, but few in the UK will have missed the media’s current obsession with health, with hacks regularly blaming a food brand for the nation’s chubbiness.
Masterfoods is pinning its hopes of recovery - for its Mars brand at least - on Delight, the latest addition to the Mars portfolio. The rippled wafer, caramel, chocolate cream and chocolate combination is being pitched as a lighter bite for women - who make up the majority of chocolate fans. The move marks the second phase of a rejuvenation programme for Mars, begun in 2002 with a lighter formulation, and is a concerted effort to stretch it from its ‘hunger fill’ positioning - which appeals mainly to men. It also picks up on the only two growing trends in the arena - bite-sized and indulgence.
The fmcg giant is pulling out all the marketing stops to back its new baby, with a £15m support package in its first year alone. Advertising - which will account for around half the budget - will focus on the indulgence side, with the theme: ‘A surprisingly delicate version of a classic’.
But Delight has already fallen foul of the health police. Even before its UK launch, The Times went straight for the jugular with headlines proclaiming it gave women ‘a fat chance of delight’ and coverage that relished the fact that it contains more fat gram for gram than a Big Mac and fries. But
Masterfoods is adamant that its new line’s ingredients will be no impediment to success. A spokeswoman said Delight was designed as an indulgent treat. “It’s a fact that to make something that tastes this good and creamy, we need cocoa butter and sugar,” she added. “But we believe adults understand this and recognise that they can enjoy an occasional chocolate bar as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.”
Certainly, the newcomer has already been a big hit in its initial marketplace, Ireland. Launched there last August, it made the countline top 10 within a month, according to the company, and is now number two.
Retailers also seem to be anticipating success for the product and possibly for the category. Ian Chaplin, buying controller for the confectionery business unit at Woolworths, is one. He says: “Research shows this type of innovative product is very popular with our customers.”
Branding experts also agree the product is likely to weather the storm of criticism. Paul Cousins, director of Catalyst Marketing Consultants, says: “Ultimately in chocolate, indulgence and taste delivery are everything. In most other categories, women will check the fat and calorie content but I’ve never come across it in confectionery.”
And he reckons that, far from preventing sales, the ‘fat’ controversy could boost them: “You tell women it’s fattening and they’re going to think ‘That will taste good’ and go out and buy it.”
The chocolate countlines sector has never been known for its health credentials for consumers and in recent years, its own wellbeing has been ailing. A slow but steady decline in sales is the main symptom and manufacturers have been forced to resort to drastic remedies.
Cadbury managed to boost its Dairy Milk brand by spreading the umbrella across other products, but Nestlé has already been forced to shore up falling sales of Double Cream - the market’s last big debutante - with a redesign and two new variants.
Masterfoods too has had to watch while sales of its iconic Mars bar dwindled, with The Grocer’s Top Product Survey 2003 showing a drop of 6.4% last year.
Increasing competition from other snacking categories is one reason, while last year’s hot weather did little to help.
Concern over obesity is another factor. A cave dweller in the Outer Hebrides might have missed it, but few in the UK will have missed the media’s current obsession with health, with hacks regularly blaming a food brand for the nation’s chubbiness.
Masterfoods is pinning its hopes of recovery - for its Mars brand at least - on Delight, the latest addition to the Mars portfolio. The rippled wafer, caramel, chocolate cream and chocolate combination is being pitched as a lighter bite for women - who make up the majority of chocolate fans. The move marks the second phase of a rejuvenation programme for Mars, begun in 2002 with a lighter formulation, and is a concerted effort to stretch it from its ‘hunger fill’ positioning - which appeals mainly to men. It also picks up on the only two growing trends in the arena - bite-sized and indulgence.
The fmcg giant is pulling out all the marketing stops to back its new baby, with a £15m support package in its first year alone. Advertising - which will account for around half the budget - will focus on the indulgence side, with the theme: ‘A surprisingly delicate version of a classic’.
But Delight has already fallen foul of the health police. Even before its UK launch, The Times went straight for the jugular with headlines proclaiming it gave women ‘a fat chance of delight’ and coverage that relished the fact that it contains more fat gram for gram than a Big Mac and fries. But
Masterfoods is adamant that its new line’s ingredients will be no impediment to success. A spokeswoman said Delight was designed as an indulgent treat. “It’s a fact that to make something that tastes this good and creamy, we need cocoa butter and sugar,” she added. “But we believe adults understand this and recognise that they can enjoy an occasional chocolate bar as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.”
Certainly, the newcomer has already been a big hit in its initial marketplace, Ireland. Launched there last August, it made the countline top 10 within a month, according to the company, and is now number two.
Retailers also seem to be anticipating success for the product and possibly for the category. Ian Chaplin, buying controller for the confectionery business unit at Woolworths, is one. He says: “Research shows this type of innovative product is very popular with our customers.”
Branding experts also agree the product is likely to weather the storm of criticism. Paul Cousins, director of Catalyst Marketing Consultants, says: “Ultimately in chocolate, indulgence and taste delivery are everything. In most other categories, women will check the fat and calorie content but I’ve never come across it in confectionery.”
And he reckons that, far from preventing sales, the ‘fat’ controversy could boost them: “You tell women it’s fattening and they’re going to think ‘That will taste good’ and go out and buy it.”
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