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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW PRODUCT INNOVATION IN SNACK FOODS PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY FOR PACKAGE DESIGN INNOVATION

TORONTO, ON, November 22, 2004 – Onbrand has created stand alone packaging for two new lines of chocolate snack products from Ganong Bros. Limited. The Canadian chocolate manufacturer is currently introducing its new Peanut Butter Melts and Caramel n’ Peanut Clusters in response to the new trend in "pieced" chocolates. A new packaging strategy is in order and Onbrand says bagging them is it.

Ganong understands its snack consumer target market. About 85 per cent of the target market, which are aged 18-49, buy on impulse and now favour smaller servings. With the snack purchaser in mind, Onbrand bagged the snacks to leverage the familiarity of reaching into a bag of chips. Onbrand chose bright colours for the package to jump off the shelf visually and employed illustrations of the chocolate pieces to freshen the visual appeal of the dark chocolate covered snack that a photo generally lacks.

"Snacking has become more prevalent and manufacturers of "reward" candy, like chocolate, are reacting to those needs," says Greg Bérubé, President of Onbrand, "Our goal was to design packaging for Ganong’s Melts and Clusters that had the same emotional tie of other snacks to help the consumer to embrace chocolates as a snack. Boxed chocolates are pegged as seasonal and bars are too large for today’s calorie conscious consumer. I am interested to see how other brands package their products."

In the United States in 2004 alone over 300 new snack products have entered the market and private labels brands in Canada are launching their own "pieced" snack products. This is proof that fierce competition is building in Canada.

"Melts and Clusters are a departure for Ganong, but one that is necessary to stay current and find its own niche on shelf in retail outlets," says Steve Smith, Brand Manager at Ganong Bros. Limited, "We are delighted with the design and expect it to work very hard for us on the shelf in a competitive area driven by impulse purchase."

Ganong Peanut Butter Melts and Caramel n’ Peanut Clusters are in stores across Canada. For product photos please go to www.onbranddesign.com/media/photos


Onbrand, formerly Strategies International, is a group of branding consultants to category-leading marketers of consumer goods and services. The firm, based in Toronto Canada, creates, maintains and builds sustainable sales advantage for brands in 19 industry categories. Through its Brand Profiler* and Brand First* tools, the firm leads strategy development, brand creation, implementation, governance, and care-taking for such market leaders as Tim Hortons, Parmalat, Moosehead, Revlon and McNeil Healthcare. Onbrand is owned by MDC Partners Inc., Canada’s largest publicly held communications company.

Ganong Bros., Limited is one of Canada's oldest continuously family owned and managed companies. Since 1873 Ganong has been a leading manufacturer of quality confectionery products. Today, Ganong is a market-leading Canadian manufacturer and marketer of boxed chocolates, fruit snacks and fruit jellies.

For more information or interviews please contact Rob Landsmann, Account Manager Fantail Communications, rob@fantailinc.com, 416-363-4805.


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