Blog: Thorntons gets sentimental with new chocolate range

Michelle Russell | 12 September 2012

UK confectioner Thorntons has taken a more sentimental approach to its NPD in a bid to boost profits with the launch of a range of female-targeted chocolates.

In what could be seen as a mirror of the well known Swizzels Matlow Love Hearts sweets, Thorntons is set to roll out an unnamed range of chocolates carrying individual messages.

Targeted at the female market, the brand has been designed to "encourage customers to reappraise the box of chocolates, reappraise Thorntons and move away from the methodological view of what a box of chocolates is there to do", chief executive Jonathan Hart told journalists on the firm's earnings call this morning (12 September).

Hart said each individual chocolate is branded with a sentiment, of which he gave a few examples of: "just because" and "you're so fabulous".

"They are beautifully packaged, essentially encouraging the consumer to buy the product on sentiment. They don't have a unifying sub brand name but they are one of the mos important launches we've done for some time," he added.

The chocolate range is due to hit store shelves from October.

The UK confectioner this morning saw its share price rise, despite lower full-year profits as an improved second-half performance led to better-than-expected pre-tax earnings.

Thorntons said its full-year performance was affected by "weak consumer demand caused by a decline in discretionary income, combined with structural problems in many of the UK's high streets".