Ferrero has announced the launch of the Tic Tac Coca-Cola limited edition in the UK.
A unique collaboration between two iconic brands of the FMCG sector, the product is the first mint with the refreshment of Coca-Cola which will be available in the next few months in more than 70 countries around the world.
The launch will be supported by a global integrated communications plan.
Tic Tac Coca-Cola will be available to retailers across the UK throughout summer 2020.
innocent drinks' partnership promotes fruit and veg
innocent drinks, Europe’s leading healthy drinks company, is announcing a new local partnership with Hubbub as it continues its mission to help people live well through the delicious goodness of fruit and veg.
Hubbub, an award-winning UK charity, inspires positive environmental action through creative campaigns and community initiatives. Their community fridge network across the UK brings people together to share food, learn new skills, strengthen community ties and reduce food waste.
innocent is kicking off this partnership by teaming up with LOVE Food CIC, a community organisation, that has been set up to increase access to, and raise awareness of the benefits of, Local, Organic, Vegan and Ethical Food for animals, health and the environment.
A series of fruit and veg focussed cooking sessions, “Ready Steady Veg”, that have been funded by innocent, will take place at St Thomas Community Food Hub. They are designed to encourage the local community to incorporate more portions of fruit and veg into their diets.
Last week, local Labour MP, Steve Race visited St Thomas Community Food Hub, where he joined in on a special session.
Three more sessions will take place in March, booking for which can be done here.
Following this, Hubbub will distribute a recipe book across all their community fridge network, encouraging fruit and veg consumption throughout the UK.
John Taylor, General Manager for UK & Ireland, innocent drinks said “At innocent, we know two-thirds of the UK still aren’t getting enough fruit and veg.
"That’s why we’re excited to partner with Hubbub and Love Food CIC to bring ‘Ready, Steady, Veg’ fruit & veg cooking sessions to local communities. These sessions are a fantastic way to inspire everyone to enjoy their 5-a-day.”
Ellen Rutherford, Head of Food at Hubbub said “Dialling up the veggie part of our diets is one impactful way to take environmental action, and it’s good for our health and pockets too.
"We are excited to team up with innocent and Love Food CIC to share simple, tasty and affordable veggie recipes with more people through the Community Fridge Network.”
Maresa Bosano, from LOVE Food CIC said, "Love Food CIC is very happy to be running these cooking sessions with Hubbub and innocent, as we aim to give people the skills and knowledge to help them to eat healthier diets, that are better for them and the planet, as well as access to free fruit and veg via our community fridge."
Steve Race, Labour MP for Exeter said, “I had a great time eating a delicious fruit and veg-based lunch with the Love Food CIC team.
"We live in a region that grows some of the best fresh and nutritious produce in the world. Good nutrition helps us to live healthier lives, giving us more energy and making us less prone to illness. It is especially important in children, helping them to develop physically and mentally.
"I am proud to be involved with event like this that promotes good nutrition and that supports Exeter communities and families.”
Best-selling Irish stout brands in the UK
Heineken UK is expanding its classic Irish stout brand, Murphy’s (four per cent ABV), with the introduction of new 4x440ml and 10x440ml multipacks to tap into the stout category’s growing popularity. The new formats will roll out across the grocery, wholesale and convenience channels from March 2025.
The stout category has performed incredibly well over the past year as consumer demand for the "black stuff" surges, with strong value and volume growth in the total market of +23.7 per cent and +18 per cent, respectively. In the off-trade, specifically, stout has grown +15.6 per cent in value and +11.3 per cent in volume.
Founded in Cork in 1856, Murphy’s Irish Stout has always been a trusted, authentic stout brand, and this position has been solidified over the past year as the demand for stout has increased and consumers explore the category further – with many discovering Murphy’s for the first time due to increased distribution in pubs and bars.
Murphy’s saw a significant increase in sales across 2024, resulting in a total uplift of 104 per cent for the year. This peaked in December, when there was overwhelming demand for Murphy’s, with pints up an incredible 632 per cent in UK pubs and bars, compared to the same period in 2023.
“Given stout’s surging performance across the total market, we have seen consumers explore the category further,” said Alexander Wilson, Category & Commercial Strategy Director, Off Trade.” As a credible, authentic stout option, Murphy’s has exploded in the on-trade over the past year. This expansion of formats in the off-trade will enable even more customers to maximise the stout opportunity and provide consumers with quality options to enjoy at home.”
Murphy’s boasts a well-fired, toasty and earthy taste with notes of toffee, coffee and chocolate. Its silky-smooth feel also features aromas of coffee grinds, mocha, chocolate, sweet, and malt syrup.
Murphy’s Irish Stout
Pack size: 4x440ml / 10x440ml
Case size: 6x4x440ml / 2x10x440ml
RRP: £5.00* / £12.00*
ABV: 4%
*Recommended retail price only. Retailers are free to set their own prices.
The stout category has performed incredibly well over the past year as consumer demand for the "black stuff" surges, with strong value and volume growth in the total market of +23.7 per cent and +18 per cent, respectively. In the off-trade, specifically, stout has grown +15.6 per cent in value and +11.3 per cent in volume.
Founded in Cork in 1856, Murphy’s Irish Stout has always been a trusted, authentic stout brand, and this position has been solidified over the past year as the demand for stout has increased and consumers explore the category further – with many discovering Murphy’s for the first time due to increased distribution in pubs and bars.
Murphy’s saw a significant increase in sales across 2024, resulting in a total uplift of 104 per cent for the year. This peaked in December, when there was overwhelming demand for Murphy’s, with pints up an incredible 632 per cent in UK pubs and bars, compared to the same period in 2023.
“Given stout’s surging performance across the total market, we have seen consumers explore the category further,” said Alexander Wilson, Category & Commercial Strategy Director, Off Trade.” As a credible, authentic stout option, Murphy’s has exploded in the on-trade over the past year. This expansion of formats in the off-trade will enable even more customers to maximise the stout opportunity and provide consumers with quality options to enjoy at home.”
Murphy’s boasts a well-fired, toasty and earthy taste with notes of toffee, coffee and chocolate. Its silky-smooth feel also features aromas of coffee grinds, mocha, chocolate, sweet, and malt syrup.
Murphy’s Irish Stout
Pack size: 4x440ml / 10x440ml
Case size: 6x4x440ml / 2x10x440ml
RRP: £5.00* / £12.00*
ABV: 4%
*Recommended retail price only. Retailers are free to set their own prices.
Popcorn Kitchen has announced the arrival of moreish chocolate-coated popcorn and zingy jellybeans in the same bowl.
On the one side resides crunchy, light-to-bite, freshly popped popcorn whilst on the other sits timeless retro hero jellybeans, with its vibrant colour scheme and proud, unapologetic flavours.
It’s worth noting that sugar confectionery is in rude health, currently representing 24 per cent of the UK’s total confectionery market and there’s an especially loud clamour down the sweets aisle for nostalgic classics, softer chews and larger-than-life flavours.
"So many of the business’s top sellers are driven by happy, yesteryear memories, be that Lemon Drizzle Cake, wafer thin After Dinner mints OR plump Cherry Bakewell Pie," said Popcorn Kitchen founder, Louise Monk. "Data certainly suggests that during Spring confectionery is the biggest snacking category with 94 per cent of the population shopping it. Throw in the fact that sugar confectionery has enjoyed a positive bounce as the affordable alternative to spiralling chocolate costs and you can see why I felt now was the perfect moment to bring together two of my all-time childhood heroes."
Since its inception in 2023, Pop at Home has become the business’s most successful line extension, enjoying 93 per cent year-on-year growth.
£13.99 (14 portions)
irn-bru gold giveaway
Kicking off an £8m brand investment in 2025, IRN-BRU, the UK’s third biggest flavoured carbonate brand, is launching a huge POS-led campaign that’s set to disrupt the soft drinks category and give consumers the chance to win a truly unique IRN-BRU prize.
IRN-BRU shoppers will be in with a chance of winning one of four solid 18-carat-gold girders worth £10,000 each between 3 March and 29 April. There will also be thousands of other prizes on offer, including exclusive gold-plated keyrings and charms and digital coupons for free cans and bottles of IRN-BRU.
A full and high-impact PoS kit will be available for retailers to maximise sales during this key limited period, where demand will be at its peak.
“This is a one-of-a-kind promotion from IRN-BRU with a one of a kind prize on offer," said Kenny Nicholson, Head of IRN-BRU Brand. "We will be reaching shoppers far and wide with a heavyweight campaign, including outdoor and digital advertising, experiential sampling and in-store marketing.
“We expect that demand for IRN-BRU will be absolutely sky high, so we encourage retailers to get prepared with full range availability throughout the eight weeks, whilst also making use of our disruptive and cheeky PoS to drive their IRN-BRU sales.”
Shoppers can enter by scanning the QR code on POS which will take them to our promotional website where they can enter the product barcode and batch-code from their purchased pack. They’ll instantly be told whether they’re a winner or not and the prize fund will refresh every two weeks so that consumers are encouraged to try again.
Retailers can their PoS kit here to create in-store theatre and maximise this sales opportunity.
Absolut is serving up something special with the group, Sugababes. Just like the girls themselves, this exciting cocktail range is all about flavour, style, and creativity. Featuring renowned Absolut Vodka flavours — including Absolut Raspberri, Absolut Vanilia, and Absolut Hunni — each cocktail puts a fresh twist on a classic recipe, capturing the essence of the Sugababes in every sip.
Absolut and Sugababes are calling all fans to go "Round Round" to their local stores to be in the mix for winning exclusive prizes including tickets, merch and signed goodies. Consumers will be able to enter a competition to see the band live on their 2025 tour just by scanning a QR code in-store and can increase their chances to win by purchasing a bottle of Absolut flavoured vodka (Absolut Hunni, Absolut Raspberri and Absolut Vanilia). Consumers will be asked to input the last four digits of the bottle’s barcode as proof of purchase when entering the competition via the Absolut website.
Throughout their 2025 tour, the iconic pop trifecta will be autographing a limited number of Absolut flavoured vodka bottles, which will be available for fans to win across Absolut’s social media channels throughout the tour. Additionally, Absolut will be offering limited ‘Tab on Tour’ bar tabs at selected Revolution venues throughout Sugababes April tour (T&Cs below).
“Absolut believes we’re Born To Mix – celebrating the power of blending, whether it’s drinks, ideas or people," said Alison Perrottet, Brand Director for Absolut UK. "With a legacy of supporting creative communities since 1979, Absolut partners with artists and musicians to spark cultural conversations and inspire progress. This partnership with the Sugababes, a group celebrated not only for their music but also for representing reinvention and unity, showcases how blending voices, talents, and perspectives can inspire and celebrate diversity and creativity.
Perrottet continued: “We’re buzzing to share this Absolut Vodka cocktail collection with you – each drink is inspired by our own bold and unique style! From the playful energy of Mutya’s Push the Berri Button Collins to the sophistication of Keisha’s Round Round Martini, and the classic charm of Siobhan’s Hunni Like Me Martini. It’s all about mixing things up, having fun, and bringing new twists to classic recipes we love. Enjoy! – Sugababes.”
Terms & Conditions of prizes and giveaways here.
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