Mentos, the £48m confectionery brand behind the UK’s number one Fruit Single, is expanding its sharing bag portfolio with Sour Tones pouch, launching into Sainsbury’s from July ahead of a wider grocery rollout.
The 150g bag is filled with three vibrant sour flavour chews – Strawberry, Orange and Green Apple. Each Sour Tones sweet starts with a zesty sour kick and finishes on a juicy, fruity high.
The launch is strategically positioned within the £1.4BN sharing bag category – a dominant force commanding 72% value share of the confectionery market. Sharing bags already account for 22% of total Mentos value sales, and that segment is accelerating fast: up 50% in value and 49% in volume. Sour Tones is built to capitalise on that momentum, meeting shoppers where they already are; in the sharing aisle, snacking socially.
As a flavour-forward format, the NPD is designed to capitalise on the accelerating growth of sour flavour, which is outpacing the broader market by more than 4.5 times. With flavour ranking as the number one reason Gen Z consumers try something new, Sour Tones is well-placed to convert trend interest into trial.
Vegan friendly and made with natural colours, Sour Tones arrives with serious marketing support. Mentos has partnered with Bauer Media’s KISS Network and BRIT Award-winning artist Aitch for ‘The Freshen Up’, a social-first activation as part of its ‘Yes to Fresh’ campaign. The three-part Instagram and TikTok series follows Aitch as he takes on an unexpected challenge, culminating in a surprise performance of his newest track in an unconventional location.
Designed to resonate with Gen Z audiences, the campaign celebrates spontaneity, creativity and saying yes to fresh experiences, while extending across KISS, KISSTORY and KISS Xtra through branded content, music takeovers, playlists, giveaways and live activations.
Victoria Gibson, Mentos junior brand manager at Perfetti Van Melle, said: “Sour Tones is a significant opportunity for retailers to tap into two powerful trends at once: the continued growth of sharing formats and the Gen Z appetite for bolder, more exciting flavours.”
“We’ve built this launch with real retailer support behind it – eye-catching POS paired with strong above-the-line activity is set to drive footfall and shopper engagement with an exciting summer of NPD for Mentos. We’re confident this will be a strong performer in the sharing fixture.”
