The liaisons can be lucrative. Confectionery is worth £3.6bn and even a small proportion of its major stars' charisma gives a sizeable financial boost to the smaller cake market. Cakes can also ride on the back of the confectionery companies' massive marketing muscle.
And retailers certainly are not complaining. According to Jon Neale, cake buyer for Waitrose, the links have had a major impact  particularly in cake bars and muffins. "Research shows that brand awareness is still bringing new consumers to the fixture," he says.
Joy Parkinson,McVitie's Cake Company director, agrees. "Relevant licensing agreements between companies working together for the long term is a potent means of innovating and building the category."
It is not a new phenomenon. Manor Bakeries introduced the Cadbury brand to the sector 40 years ago in the form of MiniRolls, although others took a while to follow. Cadbury Milk Chocolate Cakes and Caramel Cake Bars did not reach Manor Bakeries repertoire until 1994, while McVitie's Cake Company and Masterfoods only joined forces in spring 1999 with the launch of Galaxy and Milky Way cake bars.
There's been more activity since, however, with the big players adding new names to their ranks this year. Bounty and Starburst have joined their Masterfoods counterparts in McVitie's portfolio, while the Snickers brand has extended into a flapjack which McVitie's claims is the bestselling impulse cake line in stores where it is listed.
At the same time, Manor Bakeries has given Cadbury MiniRolls a £1.5m relaunch, including its first TV advertising for six years,and signed up the Crunchie brand for its Cadbury's cake bar range.
Matt Pullen, marketing manager for Cadbury Cakes, says the key visual, taste and textural qualities of the confectionery must be transferred to the cake sector in a relevant way.
"Clear understanding of the confectionery brand and the cake sub-brand's propositions is essential," he explains.
"The end product must help to build the parent brand's equity and drive sustainable value growth."
Waitrose's Neale warns there are limitations on the profitability of cake-fectionery' products, because the two categories fit different usage occasions.
However, he is prepared to offer a few predictions: "The most likely candidates would be Mars Cake Bars, Cadbury's Caramel Minirolls and Cadbury's Creme Egg Cakes."
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And retailers certainly are not complaining. According to Jon Neale, cake buyer for Waitrose, the links have had a major impact  particularly in cake bars and muffins. "Research shows that brand awareness is still bringing new consumers to the fixture," he says.
Joy Parkinson,McVitie's Cake Company director, agrees. "Relevant licensing agreements between companies working together for the long term is a potent means of innovating and building the category."
It is not a new phenomenon. Manor Bakeries introduced the Cadbury brand to the sector 40 years ago in the form of MiniRolls, although others took a while to follow. Cadbury Milk Chocolate Cakes and Caramel Cake Bars did not reach Manor Bakeries repertoire until 1994, while McVitie's Cake Company and Masterfoods only joined forces in spring 1999 with the launch of Galaxy and Milky Way cake bars.
There's been more activity since, however, with the big players adding new names to their ranks this year. Bounty and Starburst have joined their Masterfoods counterparts in McVitie's portfolio, while the Snickers brand has extended into a flapjack which McVitie's claims is the bestselling impulse cake line in stores where it is listed.
At the same time, Manor Bakeries has given Cadbury MiniRolls a £1.5m relaunch, including its first TV advertising for six years,and signed up the Crunchie brand for its Cadbury's cake bar range.
Matt Pullen, marketing manager for Cadbury Cakes, says the key visual, taste and textural qualities of the confectionery must be transferred to the cake sector in a relevant way.
"Clear understanding of the confectionery brand and the cake sub-brand's propositions is essential," he explains.
"The end product must help to build the parent brand's equity and drive sustainable value growth."
Waitrose's Neale warns there are limitations on the profitability of cake-fectionery' products, because the two categories fit different usage occasions.
However, he is prepared to offer a few predictions: "The most likely candidates would be Mars Cake Bars, Cadbury's Caramel Minirolls and Cadbury's Creme Egg Cakes."
{{FOCUS ON }}
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