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CONFECTIONERY FROM PAGE 51 fewer people are out, and the ability to sell direct to store is becoming a challenge due to the lack of face-to- face interaction,” he said. “Suppliers and stores are now working together to create new reasons to visit their local convenience chain.” Mr Fauvette says exclusive confectionery products and formats are forming a base for building destination sales, with the next possible progression being the online offer of delivery of essentials and treats, including confectionery. “Tough times are still ahead and creative thinking and the ability to adapt will be the lifeline that sees confectionery in the convenience sector continue to thrive,” he said. Other confectionery companies are taking a wait-and-see approach before commenting on the impact of COVID-19 on sales. New confectionery for channel to chew on Hi-Chew fruit chews, said to be the most popular soft candy in Japan, are new to the confectionery scene in Australia. The candy was created in 1975 by Morinaga & Company, one of Japan’s “big four” confectionery companies. Its primary distributor in Australia is Grocery Corporation of Sydney, whose Brand Manager, Lucas Frigo, says it’s still “early days” in terms of establishing how the chews are faring in convenience stores. “In the US, 7-Eleven is Hi-Chew’s third largest outlet behind Costco and Walmart in terms of retail sales, carries the widest range of products, and is first to market with NPD,” he said. “We hope to replicate this in Australia with convenience outlets.” Mr Frigo describes the chews, which come in a “range of four sticks and three bags”, totalling seven, as “something between a gum and a lolly”. “New and exciting flavours such as Mango and Grapefruit are the order of the day for the brand, which is quite different for this category,” he said. To date, the chews have attracted rapid sales growth in various Western markets, including the US and New Zealand, with some of this success attributed to Morinaga’s focus on flavour innovation through market progression, which it intends to continue in Australia This translates into beginning with a core range of products and reinventing it as it progresses through the market, to keep the brand relevant and consumers engaged. All Hi-Chew products are available to order from The Distributors network. Menz in Mango blitz as Crumble goes dark Robern Menz has been strongly highlighting its Menz Mango FruChoc, described as “a delicious tropical mango flavoured real fruit centre smothered in creamy milk chocolate”, which has been available in South Australian convenience stores since summer. The FruChoc is available in 150g packs from OTR stores, X-Convenience and AM-PM as well as in Woolworths and Coles’ outlets in SA. The confectionery company is also capitalising on the growing popularity of dark chocolate variations, adding a 50g dark version of its Violet Crumble bar. This “smooth dark choc” of this new bar, which Robern Menz says is the first to pair a cocoa-rich choc coating with honeycomb, is promoted as perfectly complementing the sweetness of the honeycomb centre. “The response we’ve had from consumers since bringing Violet Crumble back into Australian hands has been phenomenal,” Robern Menz CEO Phil Sims told Convenience World. “We know there’s a huge appetite for this iconic Aussie honeycomb treat, and that’s why we want to deliver it in a variety of formats to suit different tastes “We’re having a lot of fun playing with different iterations of this classic product, and the dark choc pairing is something we think a lot of Australians will enjoy.” The new product is available at Caltex, Coles Express and selected BP retailers nationally, as well as OTR, X Convenience and AM-PM in South Australia. Robern Menz released a Violet Crumble Bunny 30g in time for Easter at Caltex outlets and Coles stores across Australia, and is maintaining production of the snack all year round to meet a “specific sweet craving” in fans. Violet Crumble distribution expanded In addition to the new products available, Robern Menz has expanded its distribution of a number of Violet Crumble formats nationally to Coles Express, WH Smith, BP National, and EG Fuels National as well as a number of other convenience outlets in Victoria, such as AA Petroleum and Endeavour Petroleum. 52 CONVENIENCE WORLD MAY/JUN, 2020 Coles Express sells the Violet Crumble milk chocolate bar, Violet Crumble Dark bar, Violet Crumble Nuggets and Violet Crumble bag; WH Smith (national) sells the Violet Crumble bar and Violet