North American sweets brand 'Jolly Rancher' launched in India

Kochi: Aiming to tap the growing Indian confectionery market, Hershey India, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Hershey Company, will bring the iconic North American sweets brand 'Jolly Rancher' to the country.

India is the first international market for the Jolly Rancher brand outside of North America in the brand’s 65-year history, a press release said in Kochi on Monday.

The international expansion of Jolly Rancher in India and other iconic Hershey brands around the world is an integral part of Hershey’s global growth vision to achieve USD 10 billion in annual revenue by 2017.

The brand is known for a unique combination of sweet and tart fruity flavours.

Jolly Rancher Lollipops will be the first Jolly Rancher candy introduced in India, the release said.

It will come in three flavours: Green Apple, Watermelon and Mango. Mango was developed specifically for the Indian market.

The three flavours have been tested with Indian consumers who gave them high scores for appeal and delivering uniquely bold, fruity flavours.

"The Jolly Rancher brand is a perfect line of products for sweets-loving consumers in India," said Atul Razdan, General Manager, Marketing, Sweets and Refreshments, for Hershey India.

Jolly Rancher Lollipops would immediately available in select outlets in metropolitan cities. The company is manufacturing the product in its Chittoor plant in India.

The launch of Jolly Rancher brand in India will contribute to The Hershey Company’s focus on global growth.

The Indian confectionery market is one of the fastest-growing markets in the world with a strong double-digit annual compound growth rate of about 18 per cent.