Cheryl Hunter (shelflife at marklives.com)’s weekly pick of all things new in retail — consumer products launches, retail news and FMCG campaigns!
- Bubbly in demand
- Fact-finding wins
- Seltzer’s new range
Bravo Design creates purple Pongrácz
South African Méthode Cap Classique (MCC), Pongrácz, recently launched its first-ever demi-sec, in an elegant purple-hued bottle designed to stand out on shelf, to meet the growing local demand for bubbly as a drink of choice not reserved for special occasions only.
Noble Nectar is a demi-sec blend of pinot noir and chardonnay that introduces a sparkling wine or MCC with a subtle sweetness but is not as overpowering as a semi-sweet (doux) MCC. It is up against the demi-secs of Graham Beck, Krone and Simonsig Kaapsevonkel.
According to Jackie Olivier, Pongrácz marketing manager, there’s a growing demand for bubbly in general: “Medium-sweet MCCs are incredibly popular. These bubblies that are slightly sweet lend themselves to a wider audience and also more varied occasions. We wanted to add to the variety of MCCs available to consumers and extend the enjoyment occasions. French champagnes were originally much sweeter than is the case with the dry bruts of today. At the height of the 19th century, the French elite wanted a less-sweeter version that was available at the time and so the medium-sweet demi-sec was born.”
The beautifully shaped purple-hued bottle was created by Bravo Design as a prelude to the sweetness inside: “The colour purple is synonymous with luxury, confidence and elegance, and creates beautiful standout properties on shelf. It also offers something unique to the MCC category with its bold colour, and the design with the vertical lines is inspired by the top-tier Desiderius Pongrácz bottle design that has the vertical lines embedded into the glass.”
The bottle also illuminates when placed under UV light to create some dazzle in night clubs.
Olivier says drinking MCC has long ceased to be a drink enjoyed only at special occasions and over the summer festive season: “It’s become a drink of choice and enjoyed whenever, no matter the season, time of day or location. Winter is also perfect launch timing for liquor outlets to stock and replenish shelves well before the traditional festive-season bubbly boom to satisfy the spike in demand for MCCs over this period.”
Pongrácz Noble Nectar Demi-Sec retails for R149 and is available nationally.
pongracz.co.za • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram
bravodesign.co.za • Pinterest
Hunting for Did You Knows?
Did You Knows? on the inside of every Chappies bubble gum wrapper are part of Chappies history and have taught South Africans countless weird and wonderful facts for more than 60 years but, this year, fans are invited on the first Chappies hunt for new facts.
Says Keri Govender, Mondelēz South Africa category brand manager for gum, “Chappies has provided South Africans with knowledgeable facts inside their wrappers throughout their childhood, and these 132 new facts will add to the collection.”
Chappies: Facebook • Twitter
tradeway.co.za • Facebook • Twitter
The new Seltzer Essence range
Flavoured-water brand, Seltzer, has added a new offering of Seltzer Essence to its range in an effort to extend its reach into the health category.
The Seltzer Essence range proclaims its uniqueness in the flavoured water market with the statement that it is “surprisingly honest real sparkling water”. It contains zero sugar, zero sweeteners and zero preservatives, and derives its fresh taste profile from natural flavours; it is also endorsed by the South African Glycemic Index Foundation.
Says Kieran Treacy, founder of Seltzer, “This new range adds a taste profile that we believe our loyal customers will love, and that will win many more followers in search of an honest and natural water option. “Families can now confidently enjoy the range’s goodness, knowing that they don’t have to worry about children’s bone or teeth development, and health and fitness fanatics can add Seltzer Essence to their daily routine with no fears of it disrupting a carefully planned and controlled diet or training regime.”
Seltzer Essence is available in three natural flavours — Pink Grapefruit & Strawberry, Green Apple & Mint, and Watermelon & Mixed Berry — in 500ml bottles.
seltzer.co.za • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram
Shelf Life is MarkLives.com’s weekly column covering all things retail. Notify us of yours at shelflife at marklives dot com. Want to sponsor Shelf Life? Contact us here.
Cheryl Hunter (@cherylhunter) has written for the South African media, marketing and advertising industries for more than 15 years. A former editor of M&M in Independent Newspapers and contributor to Bizcommunity, AdFocus, AdReview and the Ad Annual, she has also produced for various television networks and currently consults on communication strategy and media liaison.
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