Mars Wrigley ITR shifts to "moment led" strategy in Cannes
MWITR’s research shows that the consumption of treats and snacks happens at specific moments
During the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes, Mars Wrigley ITR (MWITR) outlined its updated category vision and strategy, in which "moments" are the key enabler to unlock further category growth. Furthermore, the company announced that from 2023, 100% of the cocoa purchased for its direct factory operations in Europe will be responsibly sourced.
“We know that if we want to grow together, we need to grow the category first and therefore we want to do things differently moving forward. By shifting to a moment led approach and by driving category growth together, we create a win-win for both retailers and suppliers. It is our ambition to be the no.1 contributor to driving this growth by creating better moments for travellers around the world,” says Marcus Hudson, Sales Director ITR.
Unlocking category growth
Whether a snack to consume while enjoying travel time together or a purchasing a gift for a loved one when arriving home; MWITR’s research shows that the consumption of treats and snacks happens at specific moments.
Before thinking about specific brands, shoppers think first about these moments when at the shelf, making these the key to unlocking conversion and to further growing the category. MWITR’s strategy builds on its category vision and consists of three pillars: a portfolio relevant for all moments, elevating traveler moments with "unique fun" and growing in a sustainable way.
Portfolio relevant for all moments
Within travel retail, the most dominant moments are: enjoying travel time together and giving a gift. Less important, but not irrelevant, other moments include energizing on the go, unwinding and indulging.
In Cannes, MWITR presented a product portfolio with proven concepts to attract travelers to the category and further grow the core. This includes pouches of MW’s most loved brands like M&M’S, Maltesers, Mars and Bounty to enjoy travel time together.
For the "give a gift" moment, MWITR revealed an exciting innovation: Maltesers Truffles, a modern twist on a global favorite that is not only fun, but also premium enough to gift and impress. Being the no.1 NPD at launch into the UK within the category, the new Maltesers flavor is a proven concept which will attract younger shoppers to the category who are looking for the ideal gift to bring home.
Elevating traveler moments
MWITR plans to elevate traveler moments with "unique fun", combines the company’s strong heritage with new experiences. Leveraging hero brands such as M&M’S, Twix and Maltesers, the company will continue to bring immersive fun to the traveler’s journey, exciting and engaging shoppers all over the world. MWITR’s leading brand M&M’S is evolving and is on a mission to "create a world where everyone feels they belong."
"Unique fun has and always will be the heart of the brand and in 2023, the company will implement a new activation approach to create even better experiences for the traveler,” adds Hudson.
Grow in a sustainable way
Mars Wrigley also announced that it has reached a key milestone in its commitment to sourcing its cocoa responsibly by declaring that from 2023, 100% of the cocoa purchased for its direct factory operations in Europe will be verified as responsibly sourced cocoa. This means the company will purchase a volume of responsibly sourced cocoa equivalent to the volumes used in its European production. This means the cocoa for beloved products including Snickers, M&M'S, Mars, Dove/Galaxy, Maltesers and Milky Way will be 100% responsibly sourced cocoa from 2023.
“We are committed to creating a sustainable cocoa supply chain where human rights are respected, the environment is protected, and everyone has the opportunity to thrive. I am extremely proud we can share this important milestone today, which is also extremely relevant for travel retail as almost 90% of our portfolio is produced in our European factories,” comments Hudson.
This transition to 100% responsibly sourced cocoa is a key part of Mars Wrigley’s Cocoa for Generations Strategy, which was established in 2018 to deliver real, lasting positive change across the supply chain for future generations. It focuses on the critical issues that need to be addressed for cocoa farming families to thrive, taking action to help protect children, preserve forests, and improve farmer income. Mars Wrigley’s goal is for 100% of the cocoa used globally to be sourced under their Responsible Cocoa program by 2025.
