Nestlé’s Santa KitKat specials among key 2021 Christmas treat releases
A feast of festive favourites and new additions make up this year’s Nestlé Confectionery Christmas range, including a return for its star KitKat Santa, reports Neill Barston.
Confectionery Production recently reported that the business was confident in meeting seasonal demand for key ranges including Quality Street, despite the business experiencing logistics challenges along with the wider food and drink sector in recent months amid pandemic challenges.
According to the business, its Christmas range includesThe KitKat Festive Friends Bag 220g (RRP £3.50), filled with individually wrapped, fun shapes including mini KitKat Santas, a Christmas tree, elf, gingerbread man, snowman and reindeer. It joins the 29g impulse bar (RRP £0.65), a 5 bar multipack (RRP £3.00) and a 55g bag of individually wrapped mini Santas (RRP £1.00).
Aero is one of Nestlé’s most popular confectionery brands and there is much to delight fans this Christmas. The new Aero Festive Snowy White Block (RRP £1.00) follows the successful launch of Dreamy White Snowbubbles last year and features the same bubbly taste sensation, with a white centre enrobed in smooth milk chocolate.
Furthermore, the Aero Dreamy White Snowbubbles 80g bag (RRP £1.00) also returns to the range for 2021, after becoming the No.1 new bag launch at Christmas last year. Family favourite Milkybar is launching a Milkybar Festive Friends Sharing Bag (RRP £1.00). This unique white chocolate offering has a selection of festive shapes with a creamy white filling and crispy pieces, individually wrapped to retain freshness and quality.
Each bag contains seven pieces from an assortment of seasonal shapes, such as a gingerbread man, bauble, Christmas tree, stocking, snowman and Santa, and makes an ideal treat for sharing, for baking decorations, and to fill an advent calendar or stocking. In addition, Giant Tubes are the ultimate stocking filler, loved by shoppers for offering something fun, festive, and great value for money.
For a more grown-up twist, the brand new After Eight Giant Tube (RRP £1.38) features bitesize pieces of dark chocolate filled with refreshing mint fondant. A great token gift, stocking filler or secret Santa present, the After Eight Giant Tube joins a range that offers something for everyone, including family favourites Rowntree’s, Smarties, Milkybar and Polo.
Also new for 2021 is the Blue Smarties Giant Tube, which is exclusive to Morrisons and B&M. As with the rest of the Smarties range, Smarties Giant Tubes now come in fully recyclable paper packaging.
The selection box is a Christmas mainstay, and this year Nestlé has rounded up some of its best loved brands for the new Christmas Selection box (RRP £3.00). Packed with favourites, the selection includes KitKat 4 Finger, KitKat Chunky, Aero Peppermint, Aero Milk, Yorkie and Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles, packaged in an eye-catching, festive box.
Quality Street was once again the No.1 brand at Christmas in 2020. This year, a new Quality Street 2kg Tin (RRP £18.99) will be available nationally for the first time, while the Quality Street Purple One and Strawberry One novelty gift boxes (RRP £6.00 each) have reduced their plastic packaging and moved to fully recyclable cartons.
According to Google Trends, the most popular cocktail to make at home in 2020 was a Mojito. This Christmas, After Eight has put its own spin on the favourite tipple with a brand new flavour variant – After Eight Mojito & Mint. Available in a 200g carton (RRP £2.00), the limited edition zesty treat is set to be as big a hit as last year’s successful After Eight Gin & Tonic & Mint.
Meanwhile the ever popular After Eight Christmas tin (400g) has been given a beautiful new design, making it extra giftworthy this season. Orange-flavoured chocolate remains a fast-growing trend, with sales growing 25% in 20203 . Orange chocolate fans are sure to love the new offering from Quality Street Intrigue – delicious orange truffles wrapped in milk chocolate and sprinkled with dried orange segments (RRP £5.00).
Also new in boxed chocolates for 2021 is Aero Bliss Peppermint – velvety, whipped peppermint bubbles wrapped in delicious milk chocolate. Peppermint joins the Aero Bliss Mixed Selection, which includes milk chocolate, salted caramel and praline flavours (RRP £5.00). Meanwhile festive favourite Quality Street Matchmakers, available in Cool Mint and Zingy Orange (both RRP £2.24,) has had a design refresh and now uses 20% less packaging.
Dairy Box has been an iconic, heritage gifting brand since 1936. This year, the sweet range has been revamped to include Salted Toffee for the first time, alongside juicier and tangier flavours in the Orange Surprise and new Strawberry Kiss, and new shapes for the Chocolate Velvet and Cookies & Crème sweets. What’s more, the box and tray are now fully recyclable. The Dairy Box Winter Collection (RRP £8.00) 388g box will return to the range with a refreshed design while Black Magic, an iconic heritage brand since 1933, has also been revamped this year with a strong new look which impressed in shopper research.
