2023 Category Captain for Candy: Mars Inc.

Mars is committed to being a category thought leader and developing solutions to future-proof impulse and confectionery items as the retail environment continues to evolve. Last year, it identified a significant issue jeopardizing the candy category: seamless checkout. The Transaction Zone accounts for 25 percent of confectionery purchases and provides one last opportunity to build the basket via impulse. Without proper dwell time or a physical transaction zone, highly profitable impulse items are less visible, putting the c-store immediate consumption business at risk.

To determine how effective mission-based merchandising would be at driving impulse in a seamless environment, Mars Wrigley Shopper Insights conducted a virtual reality test comparing different executions and checkout configurations. The findings showed a 10 percent lift to total store sales, a 32 percent lift to meal sales, and an 18 percent lift to confectionery sales. Additionally, merchandising by seamless "pay points" drove impulse buys and a 67 percent lift to confectionery sales.

The Category Captain took these results and solutions to Circle K and partnered on an in-store test in one of its hybrid seamless stores. First, the company worked with Circle K to identify the retailer's most valuable shoppers and key trip missions, and then designed custom mission-based Impulse Solution Pods for the retailer. Different pods by packaged beverages, fountain beverages and hot meals as key destinations were implemented. The results from this test were incredibly positive and not only confirmed that this solution helped mitigate risk to impulse on seamless trips, but also provided insights on how to optimize future executions.