Mars launches fruit-flavoured Excel Refreshers
Mars’ Excel Gum is getting a new addition, Excel Refreshers.
Excel Refreshers – with flavours as strawberry, blueberry and tropical – builds in the success of company’s mint portfolio and offers these news flavours in a soft-chew format.
Despite facing challenges during the pandemic, the gum category has experienced a resurgence and Mars is growing faster than the total gum category.
According to the company, seven out of 10 packs of gum purchased in Canada are Mars packs of gum, with Excel leading as confectionery brand. Fruit flavours are also growing in popularity amongst Canadian gum consumers, so adding these flavour offerings was a natural fit for the Excel brand.
“Fruit gum is seeing a notable rise in popularity, particularly among gen Z, who prefer it for its variety and candy-like qualities. We’re seeing consumers turn to gum in different ways and for different occasions,” says Patrick Zeng, marketing director, Mars Canada. “They’re being more intentional about when they choose to chew. Our research (Mars Human Intelligence) showed that strawberry was ranked #1 flavour followed with tropical among the top three and blueberry among the top 10 favourites. The introduction of Excel Refreshers delivers on the growing consumer demand for innovative gum options with its bold, fruity flavours and new soft chew format.”
Zeng adds that to drive awareness of Excel Refreshers and it flavour offerings “we have designed a range of engaging [convenience store] in-store materials tailored for both small and large format stores. These materials will be strategically placed in high-traffic areas such as checkout counters, under the cash registers, and on floor displays near key hot spots to capture customer attention.
Additionally, Excel Refreshers will be featured in our broader gum promotion programs, including Back to School and Summer campaigns. These initiatives are designed to increase visibility and encourage trial of our new products, leveraging the strength of our position as the #1 gum and confectionery brand in Canada.”
Zeng suggests that to maximize visibility and sales, convenience stores also position Refreshers alongside the company’s existing gum portfolio.
“This approach not only leverages incremental space but also attracts more consumers to the brand, enhancing overall product visibility and consumer engagement.”
