What could be better than chocolate you ask? Free 100% chocolate products from Mars Snackfood U.S. To help customers beat recession blues and lift the mood of the country, the company is offering its own chocolate stimulus plan, in the form of the Mars Real Chocolate Relief Act.
The company shared plans for the Relief Act and upcoming products and promotions during a press conference at the All Candy Expo in Chicago, on Tuesday.
The Mars Real Chocolate Relief Act is a nationwide effort to bring smiles to millions of Americans by giving away seven million full-sized packages of its M&M’S, Snickers, Milky Way, Twix, Dove and 3 Musketeers brand chocolate between now and September. As part of the campaign, every week through the end of September, Mars had planned to give away a quarter-of-a-million packages of real chocolate on Free Chocolate Fridays, but the campaign proved so popular that they have raised the amount to half-a-million samples.
The Real Deal
Mars remains committed to using only 100% cocoa butter in its U.S. chocolate products, even in these tough economic times. The first in the industry to voluntarily use GDA (guideline daily amount) nutrition labelling, the company has rolled out new packaging this year that posts the number of calories right on the front of the candy packaging. On the back of packages, consumers will also find easily located and understandable nutrition information. By the end of 2010 all of the packages of Mars candy will carry offer the new labelling.
Giving Back
This summer, Snickers, the country’s most popular candy bar will partner with Feeding America. From July to December Snickers will make a donation to Feeding America for every Snickers bar purchased. In 2009, Mars estimates Snickers will donate at least three million meals to help feed the hungry.
New Treats
To celebrate the June 24 release of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, the company has released Transformers-themed M&M’s strawberried peanut butter chocolate candies and Snickers Nougabot bar, available from May to July at convenience outlets and other locations.
Snickers Fudge Bar will debut in August. This limited edition bar includes a peanut-packed chocolate fudge layer atop chewy peanut butter nougat, coated in milk chocolate.
M&M’s also will offer a new tropical flavor, M&M’s coconut chocolate candies. These limited-edition candies will arrive on store shelves in July.
