Kum & Go Teams Up for Tests with Mars Wrigley
The c-store chain is manufacturer’s first Innovative Merchandising Incubator.
Jul 16, 2019
HACKETTSTOWN, N.J.—Mars Wrigley Confectionery has chosen the Kum & Go convenience chain as its first Innovative Merchandising Incubator program participant, reports Candyusa.com.
The c-store chain will receive custom solutions to drive sales and “seamlessly improve its merchandising as new products and trends continue to create category blurring, resulting in more crossover.”
Customized merchandising solutions are anticipated to be in stores by the second half of this year. After a test period, Kum & Go and Mars Wrigley will evaluate the success of the program and determine if new or additional recommendations are needed to continue boosting sales.
“Many retailers are now looking to evolve their shopping experience, and collaboration is at the heart of what we do at Mars Wrigley,” said Shaf Lalani, vice president of customer experience, Mars Wrigley. “We are committed to working with retailers, national and regional, to understand their business and implement insights and recommendations that propel the category.”
The company announced the program in April, with retailers submitting their biggest challenges for the opportunity to be the first to try the incubator initiative. Submissions were evaluated on criteria such as national or strong regional presence, number of stores and openness to implement in-store merchandising recommendations. Mars Wrigley reports it will explore continuing the program in 2020 and beyond.
“After reviewing each applicant, we knew Kum & Go was the best choice to develop trailblazing solutions because of their fearlessness to test first-of-its-kind recommendations and loyal customer following,” Lalani said.
“We are thrilled to be chosen as this year’s retailer for the Innovative Merchandising Incubator and begin our new test-and-learn with Mars Wrigley,” said Stephanie Poitry, senior category manager of center store, Kum & Go. “We’ve worked with Mars Wrigley for many years to offer the products our shoppers love. With this opportunity, we’ll be able to create a better retail experience and get ahead of the changing marketplace with innovative solutions stemming from this customized test.”
Merchandising
