Candy Industry March2010 : RC9
Top 5 Breath Fresheners (latest 52 weeks ending Jan. 24, 2010) Dollar Sales Dollar Sales % Mainstream America certainly is broadening its acceptance of non-mint breath fresheners, particularly fruit, which is all the rage. New offerings from Big Sky Brands are “fresh as a summer breeze,” as Kool sings. Just ask Steve Yacht, principal and director of sales & marketing for the company. “There has been a movement in the chewing gum category away from over- the-top intense peppermint, wintergreen and cinnamon fl avors toward a wide variety of fruit fl avors offering a more pleasantly refreshing taste,” Yacht notes. “Sugar-free has also effectively taken over the market.” To that end, the Toronto-based company formed an exclusive licensing agreement with Sunkist Growers, Inc. to create the Sunkist Citrus Burst line, a sugar-free formulation made with 100% natural flavors. “We are the only brand in the gum and mint category that can make this claim,” Yacht asserts. Flavors for the line were inspired by Sunkist’s specialty citrus varietals, including Valencia Orange, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Eureka Lemon and Key Lime. A proprietary blend of ingredients makes for a light cooling effect, resulting in a refreshing alternative to typical breath mints. The product is packed in sleek metallic containers with colorful, eye- catching designs. Exciting Aesthetics Speaking of packaging, what makes today’s breath fresheners so exciting is not to just fl avor, but appearance. In addition to the convenience of Altoids Smalls, the shapeli- ness of Wrench Mints and the sleek colors of Sunkist Citrus Burst, new products bring a sense of humor as well as social and envi- ronmental responsibility to the mix. Brother Can You Spare a Mint? asks The Unemployed Philosophers Guild, whose thusly named breath freshener is aimed at Americans affected by the “Great Recession,” says company co- owner Dave Shaw. Another introduction, Obamamints (“Yes,we candy”), follows those same lines. “Our mints are all about the names and concepts in the packaging,” Shaw ex- www.retailconfectioner.com March 2010 RETAIL CONFECTIONER RC9 Rank Brands 1. Tic Tac 2. Altoids 3. Ice Breakers Total, including brands not shown: (in millions) Chg. Vs. Yr. Ago $67.7 $48.1 $47.7 +2.3 4. Listerine PocketPaks $26.8 5. Breathsavers $19.8 $262.9 -11.0 +3.4 -8.7 +6.7 -3.7 Dollar Share 25.8 18.3 18.2 10.19 7.5 100.0 Total U.S. - F/D/Mx (Supermarkets, Drugstores And Mass Merchandise Outlets (Excluding Wal-Mart) Source: Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), A Chicago-Based Market Research Firm plains, adding that “the target consumer is educated, with a sense of humor.” When asked to comment on changes in the breath freshener category, Shaw responds in good humor: “The only trends we address are political ones.” Other breath fresheners from the satirical company include Anti-Establish Mints (“Liberté, Fraternité & Minty Freshness”) and Atonemints (“For each of your sins”). According to www.philosophersguild. com, “Although we still contemplate truth and justice, it is our enduring goal to ful- fi ll the materialistic desires of the funny and sophisticated everywhere!” In addition, the company donates a signifi cant portion of its profits ($50,000 last year, according to the Web) to non- profi t, progressive organizations such as The Center for Justice and Accountability, Women for Afghan Women, Kids for a Better Future, Doctors Without Borders and New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. Corporate responsibility to both social causes and environmental concerns is a eath Fresheners (latest 52 weeks ending Jan. 24, 2010) Dollar Sales Dollar Sales % Mainstream America certainly is broadening its acceptance of non-mint breath fresheners, particularly fruit, which is all the rage. New offerings from Big Sky Brands are “fresh as a summer breeze,” as Kool sings. Just ask Steve Yacht, principal and director of sales & marketing for the company. “There has been a movement in the chewing gum category away from over- the-top intense peppermint, wintergreen and cinnamon fl avors toward a wide variety of fruit fl avors offering a more pleasantly refreshing taste,” Yacht notes. “Sugar-free has also effectively taken over the market.” To that end, the Toronto-based company formed an exclusive licensing agreement with Sunkist Growers, Inc. to create the Sunkist Citrus Burst line, a sugar-free formulation made with 100% natural flavors. “We are the only brand in the gum and mint category that can make this claim,” Yacht asserts. Flavors for the line were inspired by Sunkist’s specialty citrus varietals, including Valencia Orange, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Eureka Lemon and Key Lime. A proprietary blend of ingredients makes for a light cooling effect, resulting in a refreshing alternative to typical breath mints. The product is packed in sleek metallic containers with colorful, eye- catching designs. Exciting Aesthetics Speaking of packaging, what makes today’s breath fresheners so exciting is not to just fl avor, but appearance. In addition to the convenience of Altoids Smalls, the shapeli- ness of Wrench Mints and the sleek colors of Sunkist Citrus Burst, new products bring a sense of humor as well as social and envi- ronmental responsibility to the mix. Brother Can You Spare a Mint? asks The Unemployed Philosophers Guild, whose thusly named breath freshener is aimed at Americans affected by the “Great Recession,” says company co- owner Dave Shaw. Another introduction, Obamamints (“Yes,we candy”), follows those same lines. “Our mints are all about the names and concepts in the packaging,” Shaw ex- www.retailconfectioner.com March 2010 RETAIL CONFECTIONER RC9 Rank Brands 1. Tic Tac 2. Altoids 3. Ice Breakers Total, including brands not shown: (in millions) Chg. Vs. Yr. Ago $67.7 $48.1 $47.7 +2.3 4. Listerine PocketPaks $26.8 5. Breathsavers $19.8 $262.9 -11.0 +3.4 -8.7 +6.7 -3.7 Dollar Share 25.8 18.3 18.2 10.19 7.5 100.0 Total U.S. - F/D/Mx (Supermarkets, Drugstores And Mass Merchandise Outlets (Excluding Wal-Mart) Source: Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), A Chicago-Based Market Research Firm plains, adding that “the target consumer is educated, with a sense of humor.” When asked to comment on changes in the breath freshener category, Shaw responds in good humor: “The only trends we address are political ones.” Other breath fresheners from the satirical company include Anti-Establish Mints (“Liberté, Fraternité & Minty Freshness”) and Atonemints (“For each of your sins”). According to www.philosophersguild. com, “Although we still contemplate truth and justice, it is our enduring goal to ful- fi ll the materialistic desires of the funny and sophisticated everywhere!” In addition, the company donates a signifi cant portion of its profits ($50,000 last year, according to the Web) to non- profi t, progressive organizations such as The Center for Justice and Accountability, Women for Afghan Women, Kids for a Better Future, Doctors Without Borders and New Yorkers Against Gun Violence. Corporate responsibility to both social causes and environmental concerns is a egories, egories, including this one. Case in point: Consumers who wish to refresh and recycle can turn to Tic Tac, which recently underwent a “minty makeover” with the introduction of new packaging made from polypropylene — a fl exible, recyclable plastic that reduces the product’s carbon footprint. As always, Tic Tac will come in the transparent package for which it’s known, and the signature mints will still rattle when the box is shaken, “but with a softer, more muted sound,” according to www.tictacusa.com. By changing the packaging polystyrene (Resin ID Code 6) to polypropylene (Resin ID Code 5) in the U.S. market, the Tic Tac brand will improve recyclability, reduce plastic use by 296 tons per year, and reduce green- house gas emissions by 44% and energy use by 34%. “No plastic is too small to recycle or repurpose,” company literature states. “Every little bit can add up to a big im- pact on the environment.” Tic Tac reminds consumers to be green and recycle through its Web site, which even offers a means to locate local recycling centers and suggestions for repurposing empty Tic Tac containers. Tic Tac also has added an improved hermetic closure to its fl ip-top lid for even greater product freshness, a subtle but no less exciting move in this “Kool” category. Dollar Share Chg. Vs. Yr. Ago +1.5 -1.5 +1.3 -0.6 +0.7
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