Pladis is looking to expand the appeal of its McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes range by entering new flavour territory with its latest limited-edition launch: Cola Bottle Flavour.
McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes Cola Bottle Flavour will feature the brand’s familiar light sponge and dark, crackly chocolate. However, the orange centre will be switched out for a cola bottle jelly in a bid to attract younger shoppers seeking unique flavour combinations.
Although Pladis is no stranger to launching different takes on its Jaffa Cakes – with flavours including Passion Fruit and Raspberry adding £19.7m in sales to the brand since 2021 – it marks the first time the brand has experimented beyond fruit.
“Our Original Jaffa Cakes are a store-cupboard staple for 7.1m UK households, and we’ve been building on this success for years by adding a range of fruity flavours to our portfolio,” said Adam Woolf, Marketing Director – McVitie’s at pladis UK&I.
“But there’s huge appetite among the next generation of snacking shoppers for something genuinely new and different – and as the original cake in the biscuit aisle, we know a thing or two about doing something different. So, as well as catering to shopper demand, our latest launch is the perfect embodiment of the playful, out-of-the-ordinary essence that’s Jaffa Cakes’ heartland.
“Inspired by the enduring popularity of both McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes and Cola Bottle sweets, McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes Cola Bottle Flavour is tailormade for those who’ve got the bottle to branch out and give bold new flavour combinations a go. We’re also very confident this will appeal to shoppers, having come out on top as the best-performing flavour amongst 18–34 year-olds in our pre-launch testing.”
The launch will be supported by Pladis’ biggest marketing investment in Jaffa Cakes Flavours to date – with public relations, out-of-home media, social and influencer content and partnerships, as well as in-store shopper activations.
Initially hitting shelves in Asda from 10 June, McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes Cola Bottle Flavour will be rolling out across all major supermarkets in packs of 10 from the end of July (RRP: £1.25).
The new variant will also be launching in packs of 5 individually wrapped Cake Bars. These will be available in Tesco from 22 July before rolling out more widely from mid-August (RRP: £1.80).
For independent retailers, a channel-exclusive 110g Price-Marked Pack (RRP: £1.25) will be available from the end of July.
