Mars acquires Hotel Chocolat, Rockstar rebrand and a bleak January for E-Commerce 🌐QuickScan – The No-Fluff FMCG Newsletter #40
Good morning all,
What a fun week for the foodies out there - With Pancake Day and Valentine's treats, it's been a sweetness overload.
PepsiCo's sales drop for the first time in 14 quarters and Wheetos release a new honeycomb flavour.
With insights, news and NPD…
Read on to find out more! 😊
Here are the highlights:
Insights
Weak January for E-commerce 🛒
The IMRG Online Retail Index's data confirms E-commerce sales are down 7% since last January. In the post-Christmas period, it seems consumers are being more protective of their funds. The categories affected the most were clothing (-10.8% YoY) and beers, wine & spirits (-23.3%).
PepsiCo's drop in sales 📉
PepsiCo has experienced a surprise drop in its fourth quarter of sales, net sales performance unexpectedly fell 0.5% to £22.05bn ($27.85bn), the first drop in 14 quarters. PepsiCo said demand had begun to wane due to shoppers being put off by elevated prices.
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News
Mars completes acquisition of Hotel Chocolat 🍫
Renowned for its premium quality and extensive retail expertise across various channels, Hotel Chocolat has been integrated into Mars Wrigley's diverse portfolio. Mars has expressed their excitement, claiming both brands have a shared commitment to quality and sustainability.
Rockstar Energy has another rebrand ⭐
The second rebrand in over three years aims to bring falling sales to a halt. The redesign takes a more 'flavour-forward' approach, adding bold colours and simplifying the iconic star logo. The new cans have already started rolling out in UK stores.
NPD
Wheetos Honeycomb flavoured cereal 🍯
New chocolate and honeycomb cereal is high in fibre and vitamin D. Now exclusively in ASDA stores, with plans to expand in March, the debut of this NPD is set to push the growing success of the Wheetos range.
Weston's new vintage pear cider 🍐
Henry Weston's vintage pear has rolled out into Tesco stores, priced at £2.50/500ml. Made from pears sourced within 50 miles of Westons’ Much Marcle Mill in Herefordshire, it aims to fill the gap in the market for a luxury pear cider.