Innovation: Storck's happy UK landings Sarah Hardcastle finds out why this country is crucial to one European manufacturer's ambitions to become a global player in a competitive market where only the strongest are likely to survive With its sights set on becoming a global player, Storck, the German parent company of Bendicks of Mayfair, plans a number of major UK brand launches over the next few years. In May it launched Campino in the UK, its first major sugar confectionery brand since Werther's Original in 1992. Bendicks of Mayfair managing director Paul Seftel says the UK is at the forefront of Storck's global ambitions. "Storck believes only global players will survive in the long term, so its strategy is to become a world player. At the moment it is about the 10th biggest confectionery group in the world, and second or third in Germany after Ferrero. "It sees the UK as a major strategic market because it is the third biggest market after the US and Germany." Storck's npd programme is now focusing on the UK as much as it is on Germany. It plans to double its business in the next three to five years with launches on the scale of Campino. Seftel says the new brands will be both chocolate and sugar confectionery, with the emphasis being on the latter. "It's easier to create global brands with sugar because there aren't the national taste differences that exist with chocolate. The priority for the UK is sugar brands, because Storck has very few here. The market is very competitive and so we need to get in quickly," says Seftel. The launch of Campino, an individually wrapped boiled sweet in strawberry and cream, and orange and cream flavours at rsp 89p for 140g pack, has been backed by a £6m TV advertising campaign. "We are very pleased with sales," says Seftel. "In the first three months they've reached the level achieved by Werther's Original in seven months. "We will continue to back Campino with a high level of support as we have done for eight years with Werther's Original. We're not into short term wonders." In the luxury chocolate sector ­ Bendick's stronghold ­ the company has introduced a premium dark chocolate assortment this month, targeted at ABC1 women seeking an indulgent offering. Seftel says luxury chocolates are going through an uplift, with consumers seeking something special for indulgence or gifting, at the expense of mid-market boxed chocolates. {{FOCUS SPECIALS }}