Peanut Chew’s 100th anniversary packaging to stay on shelf through 2018

31-Aug-2017 - Last updated on 01-Sep-2017 at 13:43 GMT

Peanut Chews currently accounts for less than 10% of Just Born’s overall sales. Photo: Just Born

Just Born Quality Confections says it will continue expanding Peanut Chew’s footprint in US retail upon celebrating the brand’s 100th anniversary.

The Peeps maker recently redesigned the packaging for all regular and king size Peanut Chews, and the company said the new packaging would likely to stay on-shelf through the middle of 2018.

Additionally, Peanut Chews collaborated with the football team from its hometown Philadelphia, Eagles, during the 2017 football season to boost the visibility of the brand, according to the company.

“Paying tribute to its roots with the military as a ration bar during World War 1, Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews kicked off its Philadelphia Eagles partnership with a surprise for a very special military veteran, Volkert Veeder,” the company added.

Veeder has been a lifelong fan of Peanut Chews, and his name currently appears on the back of the brand’s limited-edition packaging, Just Born said.

Company growth

Just Born’s VP of sales and marketing, Matthew Pye, told ConfectioneryNews Peanut Chews competes in the “most competitive segment of the candy category among other national brands that have the combination of chocolate peanut.”

However, “our challenge is to continue to defends and grow our space as a regional brand,” he said.

Pye said Peanut Chews currently accounts for less than 10% of Just Born’s overall sales, and the company’s US retail sales have increased by 4.1% year-on-year for the latest 52 weeks ending Aug 6, 2017, according to IRI data.

Front-of-pack labeling

Just Born did not immediately respond to whether it is going to reduce Peanut Chews’ sugar and calorie counts in the future as many of major confectioners, including Hershey, Ferrero, and Nestlé, have taken relevant steps to offer healthier options.

Hershey, for example, is working to make 50% of its total offering of individually wrapped standard- and king-size confectionery products to be 200 calories or less in the next five years, this site previously reported.

Peanut Chews, on the other hand, contains 20 grams of sugar and 230 calories for a four-piece serving size, while the larger version is made up of eight chocolate peanut pieces, Just Born mentioned.

However, Pye pointed out: “Unlike many other chocolate and peanut candies, peanuts are listed as the first and major ingredient in Peanut Chews.”

“Just Born was an early adopter of front-of-pack labeling for all of its candy brands to help consumers make more informed choices,” he said. “Just Born will continue to be transparent regarding the ingredients used in Peanut Chews.”