Mondelez International has expanded its Sour Patch Kids range with a new Watermelon flavour, available now in cases of 10 with an RRP £1.12.

Available in 140g bags, each individual jelly sweet is watermelon-flavours with a coating of sour sugar, with the flavour changing from sour to sweet in line with the rest of the Sour Patch Kids range.

Sour Patch Kids Watermelon contain no gelatine and have been certified vegan by the Vegan Society, helping retailers add a unique proposition to their confectionery offering and tap into this growing demand.

The launch follows the brand’s growth in the UK, with sales growing by 56% in the past year, making it the fastest-growing candy brand on the market.

The Watermelon flavour uses the same packet design as the rest of the Sour Patch Kids range, with the vibrant colours helping to capture shoppers’ attention and allowing for strong standout on shelf.

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Anna Ulrich, brand manager for Sour Patch Kids at Mondelez, said: “With 500,000 participants in last year’s Veganuary – double the number of participants from the year before – the increasing public appetite for plant-based alternatives has never been more apparent.

“We know sour jellies are incredibly popular with consumers already – growing at a higher rather than the category, at 14%. The launch will help bring shoppers into the category incrementally, being particularly appealing to younger adults. This means it is set to drive retailers’ sales in this segment even further.

“Watermelon as a flavour has a 90% appeal with consumers so with its vegan certification, we’re certain Sour Patch Kids Watermelon will be a hit by meeting the needs of a wide range of shoppers.”

To make the most of the new launch, Mondelez recommends retailers site the range in its single-faced SRP within their sour candy range and alongside the rest of the Sour Patch Kids bags to capture shoppers’ attention.