Hooch is bringing the ultimate party this winter with a citrus-fuelled treasure hunt around Manchester city centre – dubbed Zest Quest IRL.
Up for grabs is a must-have prize for fans looking to party throughout the colder months: a hot-tub filled with Hooch.
All you need to do is head out into the city centre this Friday and Saturday, and find three QR codes based on Hooch flavours – Blue, Pink, and the OG Lemon – at the front of three iconic venues.
Hints are being dropped across Hooch’s socials – and each location is an iconic venue stocking the brand – spread between the city centre and Northern Quarter.
The total prize includes a Lay-Z hot-tub, twenty cases of Hooch, and £100 to spend at one of the three venues.
The competition comes as fans have until the start of February to play Hooch’s Zest Quest – a mobile game that gives chances to win limited edition Hooch merch.
Zest Quest is a match three style game that challenges fans to pair Hooch fruits to earn points.
The launch of Zest Quest, a first for Hooch, appeals to the large segment of consumers regularly playing mobile games. In the UK, there are 45 million gamers, and 50 per cent game on their mobiles.
The prizes on offer include custom print tees, hoodies and caps, showcasing Zest Quest artwork that’s only available through this competition, and can be won until February 2.
Launched in November, the online game has engaged tens of thousands of Hooch fans, with almost half a million plays across the 12-week campaign. With consumers primarily engaging with Zest Quest through the on-can QR code, the campaign has boosted brand engagement and driven consumers to purchase the hero Hooch Lemon SKU. Recent research has revealed games boost brand engagement and increase conversion rates sevenfold on average.
“Whether you’re a nostalgic drinker or new fan, Zest Quest is the perfect chance to flex your skills and win some super exclusive fits,” said Jacob Barrett, Brand Manager at Hooch.
Consumers can scan the QR code on limited edition Hooch lemon 440ml cans to access Zest Quest. Or they can visit the link here, promoted across the brand’s social channels: https://hoochlemonbrew.com/zest-quest
Hooch hit the scene in 1995, making waves as an icon of the '90s. As the go-to party-fuel of the decade, 2.5 million bottles of Hooch were sold each week in Britain.
Fast forward to 2012, the brand has made a comeback with several flavours – including OG Hooch Lemon that started it all, Pink Hooch, the best-selling new alcopop of the year when introduced in 2020, and all-new Blue Hooch.
Hooch have just released a double-strength line-up called Soopa Hooch. It's an eight per cent ABV caffeinated party starter like no other, packed in a 440ml can for £2.89. Find it in convenience stores.
Oat milk chocolate brand, HAPPi, is launching two new Easter Eggs to its range, offering those following a plant-based diet something new and delicious to enjoy this Easter.
The new Salted Honeycomb and Cherry & Almond Easter eggs will join the core range this spring and are perfect for those customers seeking flavour in every delicious bite.
“Our Easter range is always incredibly popular with a huge following, so we’re excited to be able to launch two more variants, bringing something entirely new to the market,” said Gavin Cox, Founder of HAPPi.
Crafted from sustainably-sourced oat milk chocolate and 100 per cent natural ingredients, HAPPi’s range of Easter Eggs have huge shelf appeal and are perfect for kids and adults alike. The new Salted Honeycomb and Cherry & Almond Easter Eggs, enjoy the now five-strong range alongside Plain M!lk, Salted Caramel and Orange.
“Our Easter Eggs don’t just taste great but use 100 per cent paper outer packaging and the egg is sealed in a fully compostable bag made of wood pulp, therefore they create a lot less waste than standard eggs. With demand increasing among consumers for great quality and eco-friendly choices, we are really proud that we can deliver the same great-tasting, rich and creamy chocolate that we are known for, as well as reduce our impact on the environment,” added Gavin.
HAPPi’s Easter Eggs are perfect for those looking for a healthier alternative, with HAPPi’s chocolate boasting 35 per cent less sugar than other mass market brands, as well as offering a plant-based option.
The brand is also committed to sustainable farming of its chocolate, ensuring the cacao is ethically-sourced from renowned family-owned Lukar’s Chocolate in Colombia.
HAPPi’s new Easter Eggs (155g) will be available nationwide, RRP £11.99 each.
Leading symbol group SPAR is proud to announce a symbol group exclusive partnership with The Hershey Company and Euro Food Brands, the brand’s official UK distributor, for the launch of the REESE’S Peanut Butter White Bar.
For a limited six-week period, SPAR will be the only symbol group with access to the new REESE’S Peanut Butter White Bar. Available from 20 February 2025, SPAR stores across Scotland, Wales, and England will have access to this irresistible treat.
A treat like no other
The REESE’S Peanut Butter White Bar, the latest addition to REESE’S line-up, blends rich, creamy peanut butter with a smooth white chocolate flavour coating. Ideal for sharing, snacking, or gifting, this unique treat is set to delight white chocolate and peanut butter lovers alike.
Driving innovation through exclusive partnerships
“We are thrilled to launch the new REESE’S Peanut Butter White Bar as a SPAR exclusive,” said Gemma Turner, SPAR UK Trading Manager. “This six-week opportunity will attract footfall, enhance customer engagement, and strengthen our brand’s relationship with shoppers by offering unique, limited-time products. These exclusives position SPAR as a leader in innovation and set us apart from competitors."
Lara Duncan, UK Country Manager at The Hershey Company, added: "The iconic REESE’S brand is committed to creating extraordinary treats that excite our consumers. The REESE’S Peanut Butter White Bar is a delicious innovation designed to thrill white chocolate and peanut butter enthusiasts.
“This collaboration with SPAR is a testament to our commitment to innovation, accelerating our growth in convenience, and bringing a one-of-a-kind product to our consumers.”
A growing favourite in convenience
The REESE’S brand is one of the fastest growing chocolate brands in the UK convenience channel with sales increasing by 26 per cent over the past year.
The 90g REESE’S Peanut Butter White Bar will be available exclusively in SPAR stores in Scotland, Wales, and England for six weeks from 20February at a promotional price of £1.50 (RSP: £2.10).
Shopper demand for energy drinks shows no signs of slowing down, with stimulants now worth £1.8 billion, growing by over eight per cent in the last year. To support retailers in making the most of this opportunity, Rockstar Energy is launching its latest Zero Sugar addition to its portfolio this February – Rockstar Energy Zero Sugar Peach.
Taste and enjoyment are key factors for consumers when selecting a soft drink, making new and exciting flavour profiles key for attracting shoppers into the category. Within this, peach flavours have already seen a +153 per cent sales value increase within stimulants over the last year. Rockstar Energy Zero Sugar Peach is strongly placed to allow retailers to tap into this trend, with the brand worth £15 million and with 93 per cent of sales driven by flavours over the last year.
Additionally, as price-marked packs continue to provide retailers with a value proposition, the innovation joins Rockstar Energy’s 500ml price-marked packs and two-for-£2 portfolios. Both the price-marked and plain packs will roll out with new festival themed packaging for striking on shelf visibility, in line with Rockstar’s ongoing partnerships with six of the UK’s most iconic Gen-Z festivals including Reading, Wireless and Parklife.
“With the stimulant energy segment outperforming the wider market in 2024, this year we want to continue the momentum through our Rockstar Energy brand,” said Ben Parker, Carlsberg Britvic’s Vice President of Commercial Off Trade. “However, we also want to ensure that we are recruiting new people into the market and appealing to a wider group of shoppers, to really maximise retailers’ energy sales success in 2025. We know that flavours such as peach are favoured by lighter versus heavy energy drink buyers, so we can make stimulant products more accessible with this launch.
“We have also seen a growing consumer preference for zero sugar options over the last few years, which has led to low calorie offerings seeing a growth of +248 per cent in the last four years. New product developments are crucial to this growth, presenting a strong opportunity for retailers to leverage this with our latest launch. Through tapping into a variety of trends, the launch ultimately aims to futureproof the category and secure long-term growth, through continuing to develop exciting flavour extensions in popular variations and formats.”
Rockstar Energy Zero Sugar Peach is available now across the grocery and impulse channels in both plain and price-marked packs, with recommended retail prices of £1.35 and £1.29 or two for £2. Rolling out in 500ml plain and price-marked packs, the launch will be supported by comprehensive marketing campaigns across digital, social media and instore, spanning February, March and April.
Fragrance-led home and lifestyle brand Fabulosa has secured a new partnership with United UK, opening doors to growth in the convenience channel across Scotland.
The premier cash and carry group, which is firmly committed to supporting the independent retail sector by providing world-renowned brands at competitive prices, will now be distributing Fabulosa’s wide range of fragranced household cleaning products via its three major depots in Scotland. The move represents Fabulosa’s next milestone in this market and will accelerate the brand’s geographic expansion in convenience retail.
Notably, United UK is the first Scottish wholesaler to launch Fabulosa’s price-marked packaging range, highlighting its unbeatable value and helping to drive rate of sale for retailers in Scotland.
“The convenience sector remains a key focus for the business, and we are hugely excited to announce our new distribution agreement with United UK which will support our ambitious growth plans across the convenience market in Scotland,” said Ricky Lee, Sales Director at Fabulosa.
Ricky continued, “We have a strong network of retail, wholesale and convenience partners that are instrumental to our continued success, and we look forward to working closely with these valued partners in 2025 to bring more Fabulosa products and fragrances to more households across the UK and beyond.”
Following its entry into the FMCG market in 2019, through an expertly executed, fast-moving schedule of exciting category-leading new product development, together with highly effective marketing campaigns, Fabulosa changed the perception of cleaning, and has rapidly taken value and volume share from well-established iconic household brands.
Very early on, Fabulosa established itself as a fragrance brand, with its products acting as high-quality vehicles for fragrance innovation. If a product can benefit from fragrance, Fabulosa will develop and disrupt the relevant category accordingly. Fragrance innovation remains Fabulosa’s primary focus with trend/insight-led fragrance launches every season, inspired by fragrance, fashion and interior design.
Having firmly established the brand in the UK, the Fabulosa team now runs an international operation from their base in Nantwich, Cheshire. Fabulosa began building its export channel in 2021 and has since achieved significant international growth. The brand now distributes its fragranced household cleaning products across Europe, Africa, West Asia and Australia.
SoSweet, the confectionery brand known for delighting millions of customers online and in-store, has announced the launch of its first-ever own-brand marshmallow range.
Launched today (13), this new product line is set to capitalise on the rapid growth of SoSweet Direct and the booming UK confectionery and sugar sectors.
Currently delivering category-managed confectionery solutions to over 400 stores in the South West and Wales, SoSweet Direct is now expanding its reach to independent retailers across the UK.
The new SoSweet Marshmallow Range is a testament to the brand’s commitment to innovation and quality.
Featuring three delicious varieties - Pink & White, Twists, and Strawberries - this range is perfect for independent retailers and convenience stores looking to meet consumer demand for indulgent, versatile treats.
The line is "fully Halal-certified, fat-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, and GMO-free, making it suitable for a wide range of dietary needs, states the maker.
Priced competitively at a RRP of £1.25 per 140g bag, the range offers premium quality at an attractive price point. The standard price is £9 + VAT per case of 12, which nets to 75p + VAT per unit, delivering a 28 per cent margin at the £1.25 price point.
As a special launch offer, retailers can take advantage of a "buy five cases, get one free" deal across the range, bringing the case price down to £7.50 + VAT. This reduces the unit cost to just 63p + VAT, increasing the retailer’s margin to 40 per cent.
Packaged in shelf-ready boxes (SRP 12x140g), ensuring easy stocking and strong shelf appeal. Each bag is also designed with a euro hook, allowing retailers to display the products on hanging bag fixtures for added flexibility and visibility.
The range is now available nationwide through SoSweet Direct and leading wholesalers.
SoSweet launches own label marshmallow range
It is already stocked in over 100 independent stores across the South West, including Premier and Spar fascia stores, as well as in our own retail locations, online, and on TikTok.
Barney Carter, Managing Director of Carters Corners Ltd (Premier fascia stores), has already seen strong performance with the SoSweet Marshmallow Range across his stores.
"I have introduced this range into all eight of my stores because I love the presentation of the packaging and outer cases. The retail price is fair considering the generous size of the packet, and I first brought it in on offer.
"The rate of sale has been fantastic, and I’ve even repeated the same promotion in three of my stores. It’s a great addition that perfectly complements my bagged sweet range."
Driving Sales Through TikTok and In-Store Activations
With a TikTok following exceeding 1 million, SoSweet is uniquely positioned to generate buzz around its new marshmallows.
These marshmallows are perfect for everything, from TikTok-worthy hot chocolate toppers and marshmallow spread recipes to creative desserts and party snacks.
The launch will feature engaging content on the platform, including recipe ideas, taste tests, and interactive challenges designed to capture the imagination of consumers.
The brand is also bringing the excitement offline with in-store activations, including taste-testing events at its retail locations, giving customers a chance to experience the marshmallows firsthand.
As the UK confectionery market continues its upward trajectory, SoSweet Direct’s strategic focus on innovation and retailer partnerships positions it as a key player in the sector.
The new marshmallow range represents just the beginning of a broader push to expand SoSweet’s own-brand offerings, delivering high-margin products that meet evolving consumer preferences.
George Robinson, Managing Director of SoSweet, shared his excitement, “The launch of our SoSweet Marshmallows is a significant milestone for the brand.
"After months of development, I am thrilled to offer a product that combines premium quality, strong margins for retailers, and universal appeal.
"This range reflects our commitment to supporting independent retailers while capturing the imagination of customers across the UK.”
“SoSweet Direct is more than a distribution channel; it’s a solution tailored to drive confectionery sales for independent shops. As we expand our own-brand portfolio, we’re dedicated to setting new standards in the confectionery sector," he added.