Rowntree's Randoms Fizzy Cactuz

Source: Nestlé

The sweets have rolled into Asda and Morrisons

Rowntree’s has launched a sour Randoms spin-off.

Called Fizzy Cactuz (rsp: £1.75/130g), the NPD comprises fizzy, cacti-shaped gummy sweets in “zesty” fruit flavours, including raspberry, kiwi, passionfruit and lime.

In keeping with original Randoms, the sweets come in “two fun textures”. Some are plain gummies, while others have a juicy, fruity filling.

They have rolled into Asda and Morrisons, with a wider rollout to follow later this year.

“Fizzy Cactuz represents our dedication to creating joyful and unexpected experiences,” said Rowntree’s senior brand manager Hayley Nixon.

“With each sweet’s unique taste and texture, we believe fans will love the randomness from the very first bite.”

It comes after rival sweets brands have launched their own sour spin-offs in recent months, in efforts to boost their appeal among younger consumers.

Valeo, for instance, expanded Wham with a duo of sour gummies and extra-sour chew bar, Wham Extreme, in spring 2023 – promising “the classic sour flavour you’d expect from Wham, but in a more modern product format”.

Candy Kittens also launched a sour spin-off range, called Shox, in March 2023. The brand’s founder, Jamie Laing, said the NPD responded to consumer demand.

Meanwhile, Rowntree’s focused its efforts on HFSS-compliant innovation, launching a four-strong range of gummy sweets containing soluble corn fibre in January 2023.

Having done so, Rowntree’s retained its foothold as Britain’s third-biggest sugar confectionery brand in 2023.

However, its £11.4m gain was driven purely by higher prices, as volume sales of its sweets dipped 2.6%, according to NIQ data [52 w/e 9 September 2023].