United Biscuits is focusing its festive NPD on chocolate connoisseurs, with new Belgian Chocolate biscuits among a wider roll-out of seasonal snacks and cakes for this Christmas.

The newcomers, which will be available from next month, include three McVitie's SKUs: a premium Belgian Chocolate Biscuit Selection (rsp: £8.80); a McVitie's Family Favourites Selection, a mix of its Penguin, Club and Iced Gems products (rsp: £5.50); and Festive Faces jam and cream-filled biscuits (rsp: £1.65).

The new seasonal sweet biscuit line-up would help UBUK "continue to drive growth", the company said. "Our seasonal bagged snacks and biscuits portfolio drove year-on-year growth in Christmas 2009 up 25% significantly ahead of the total market, which grew 7% over the Christmas period [Nielsen w/e 2 January 2010]," said UBUK commercial manager Nick Stuart. "Together with NPD, ­traditional favourites such as Jaffa Cakes, up 260%, and KP Nuts flavoured sharing drums, up 76%, were instrumental in adding value to the bagged snacks sector during Christmas 2009."

In savoury, UB has revealed new pack designs, including a Jacob's crackers collection in a keepsake heritage tin (rsp: £7.69) and a family classics selection (rsp: £1.69). A KP Nuts Jumbo Salt & Pepper flavour is also new for this year (rsp: £3.79).

Three new additions have been revealed under UB's McVitie's Cake Company arm, including a Christmas Festive Fruity Spice Cake (rsp: £1.49) and Galaxy Mistletoe Kisses Cake Bars (£1.49 for a ­five-pack).

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