by Grace Oputa
Since its merger with Kraft Inc two years ago, Cadbury, the renown global chocolate-maker has not introduced a new brand in the country. Well, until recently when it launched Tang, a fruit drink mix. It definitely took a long time for market strategists at the combined company to decide on which brand product to offer to Nigerians from the rich portfolio of Kraft/Cadbury.
Tang is joining a Cadbury Nigeria brand portfolio that includes candies- Tom Tom and Butter mint, and chocolate drinks Bournvita and Richoco.
Kraft/Cadbury is supporting Tang with a multi-media ad campaign on TV and Radio. The media is both in national and regional channels. Outdoor is spotty though for the new entrant. The brand is enjoying the very strong distribution muscle of Kraft/Cadbury in the country. Tang is very visible in the market within a short time of its launch as a result of this.
The key target for Tang is school age children. Its the same group that the chocolate maker has been pitching its Bournvita chocolate beverage to for decades. Still, it has to fight the deluge of ready-to-drink beverages that have been in contention for a dominant share of the children’s attention. These include cola drinks, chocolate beverages, flavoured milk drinks and yoghourt drinks. Leading brands here include Coke, Pepsi, Sprite, Fanta,Viju, Hollandia, Bobo, Milo RTD, Fan Milk’s chocolate ,yohourt and ice cream, UAC’s Supreme ice cream, Nutricima’s Yo ,Nunu and Bliss and Nutri-Milk.
It even has to contend with Nutri C, a popular ready-to-drink flavoured vitamin C drink mix.
Can Tang break strongly into the market? It’s a wait-and-see.
