Nestlé is to throw yet another gauntlet down to arch rival Cadbury - by launching a new attack on Creme Egg.
The confectionery giant, which earlier this month revealed it would take on Dairy Milk with a new bar called Blue Label, has now unveiled plans to pitch two newcomers into the filled egg arena in the new year. And it is making no bones about whose slice of the market they are designed to erode.
Trade communications manager Graham Walker said: “It is a category we have had a go at before with brands like Rolo and Aero but this time I think we have come up with better packaging than Creme Egg and better targeted products.”
Leading Nestlé’s charge for
the second year running will be the flow-wrapped Double Cream filled egg, which Nestlé claims helped grow its share of the category to 13% compared with Cadbury’s market leading 80%-plus share. However, this time round it will be joined on shelf by new Milky Bar and Smarties filled eggs. The former features Milky Bar’s famous white chocolate around a light, strawberry shake flavour centre, while the Smarties offering has a chocolate flavour whipped core with mini versions of the sweet.
Like the Double Cream offering, rsp for each single egg will be 38p and they will also be available in packs of three.
Walker claimed the trio would offer a point of difference over their Cadbury rival because they would each target a specific consumer group, from small children up to adults. He added: “We are better positioned than ever before to take on Cadbury.”
Other highlights in Nestlé’s new spring and Easter range will include a heart-shaped box of Baci-branded chocolates for St Valentine’s Day and a £12.99 Easter egg under the same banner, which is Nestlé’s most expensive yet.
Simon Mowbray