Russell Stover goes upscale

by Nicole Weston, Posted Feb 13th 2007 @ 9:04AM

Russell Stover Chocolates started back in 1923 and leads the market in terms of the sales of boxed chocolates. It is the third larges chocolate manufacturer in the US, behind Hershey's and M&M Mars (Masterfoods). Although receiving consistently decent scores in taste tests, the brand has an image of affordability and none of the cache that more upscale brands - Godiva, Lindt, Vosges, to name but a few - do. Since chocolate is an ever-growing segment of the market, Russell Stover has decided to take action and reinvent the brand to appeal to new, younger consumers, consumers who are looking for more sophistication, trendier packaging and flavors that mimic those of upscale brands.

Several new lines will launch this spring, including Russell Stover Urban, Internationale and Origin Select, as well as a Private Reserve line designed to compete directly with bars from Lindt. There will be more organic chocolates, as well. The Whitman's brand, which is owned by the same company, will also launch a new line Whitman's Soho.

Consumers will make or break the new products, but industry insiders already see potential in Vanilla Bean Brûlée with 70% Dark Chocolate squares and other similar products, with Candy Industry magazine even giving Russell Stover the Manufacturer of the year award for 2006.

Source

Filed Under: Business, Ingredients, New Products
Tags: america, brand, candies, candy, chocolate, chocolates, gourmet, look, new, new products, reinvent, Russell Stover, RussellStover, sales, upscale

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

2-13-2007 @3:10PM K said... This surprises me. There is no store bought chocolate worse, in my opinion, than Russell Stove. It's no better or worse than Whitman's. They are both wretched, so to see it score so high ... ::shrug::. With that said, I confess I'd dry a piece of the described Vanilla Bean Brulee chocolate.
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