Mars Wrigley focuses on further innovation in China
Confectionery, snack and petfood giant Mars Wrigley is looking to accelerate the introduction of new product lines and enhance innovation investment in China.
It has started construction of a new innovation facility in Guangzhou, to be unveiled in the near future, focusing on confectionery, mint and chewing gums. The facility will speed up innovative offerings, new flavors and tie-ups with other consumer products in the local market.
"We will continue to invest in China, which is our second-largest market in the world," Clarence Mak, president of Mars Wrigley China, told an interview in Shanghai.
Most retail channels in China have returned to normal levels or are experiencing stable recovery, he added.
Sales through online-to-offline channels have more than doubled from the period before the pandemic.
By working with digital retailers and delivery sites, the company hopes to expand into new consumption scenarios such as afternoon tea time.
It has launched a new function on M&M's Tmall flagship store where shoppers can tailor-make chocolate beans with their preferred color coating, as well as add inscriptions on beans and packaging, a function previously only available at M&M'S World Store in Shanghai.
A virtual reality function on Tmall was also unveiled which is a world debut for China.
The most recent tie-ups in the local market includes M&M's collaboration with local tea house Heytea and Wei Chuan's dairy drinks with Dove chocolate flavor.
"For M&M's chocolate beans, cross-over collaboration with other unexpected categories could also bring playfulness to shoppers," he noted.
