A gum war: The combatants? Cadbury and Mars & Wrigley

by Barbara Murray, August 11th, 2008, 7:00 am

Top Chew

Cadbury, maker of everyone’s favorite crème-filled chocolate eggs, is the venerable UK candy company that would dearly love to be, and in fact claims to be, the #1 confectionery group in the world, although the company doesn’t specify just what #1 refers to — is it sales, number of brands, area of distribution, number of customers, or some other metric in which it is top dog? But, #1-ness aside, the company is big. And determined too.

After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, it finally shed its carbonated beverage business this year (leaving it to the folks in Plano, Texas, to supply the world with Dr Pepper, Snapple, and Canada Dry). Thus soda-less, Cadbury has turned, full bore, to concocting irresistible confectioneries and placing its flag on the candy mountaintop. And what has it come up with? A gum. A chewing gum. A chocolate-flavored chewing gum.

But then, this is all the fault of us Yanks. Just as Cadbury was set to attain the ultimate spot in the confectionery world (or so it hoped), over here in the cheeky US, Mars (which also likes to claim some kind of #1 spot) and chewing-gum champ, Wrigley, decided to merge.

Dueling Quotes

What’s a newly stand-alone confectionery company to do when faced with the Mars/Wrigley combo which Bill Wrigley now says is “the world’s leading confectionery company?” Another quote, this time from Cadbury chairman, Roger Carr: “We will take whatever measures are necessary.”

Off to the Lab

So the Bunsen Honeydews at Cadbury, charged with taking whatever necessary measures, came up with Sweet Kicks — a mint-flavored gum with a chocolate-flavored liquid center. And, wow, it’s sugar-free and low-calorie. Bunsen and his buddies (probably in marketing) targeted women seeking “a moment of pleasure.” To which I say, “Blech.” Speaking as a woman, I want my chocolate with sugar and calories and most definitely not in the form that loses its flavor on the bedpost overnight.

A Small Wad of Advice

One last thought. What’s a company wantin’ to be #1 to do then? In Cadbury’s case, I would suggest getting out the old checkbook and writing the big one, payable to the shareholders of Hershey.