ERLANGER, Ky. — Global confectioner Perfetti Van Melle announces that U.S. consumers can now get its popular Mentos Pure Fresh Gum in an innovative 90% paperboard bottle that is widely recyclable. The new paperboard bottle – holding 80 pieces of gum – is now available on special displays at more than 3,000 Walmart stores in the U.S.
Consumers will find recycling instructions on the unique paperboard bottle, using typical U.S. curbside services or local drop-off programs. It is the first-to-market Gum category product from a major global confectioner using this recyclable paperboard packaging.
When previewed to the U.S. retail and confectionery industry in mid-2021, the Mentos Gum paperboard bottle was immediately met with prestigious industry awards for innovation from the National Confectioners Association and from the International Association of Packaging Professionals. The package is specifically tailored for Mentos Pure Fresh Gum in a unique partnership between Perfetti Van Melle and Graphic Packaging International with its Boardio® technology designed to ensure the high Mentos standards for product safety and freshness.
“With this innovation, we are building not only on Perfetti Van Melle’s commitment to environmental responsibility but are also giving our U.S. retail customers and loyal consumers another strong reason to say ‘Yes to Fresh’ – offering their beloved Mentos Gum in a unique, new paperboard package” said Craig Cuchra, Perfetti Van Melle Vice President of Marketing for the U.S. and Canada. “We’re thrilled that Walmart, with its commitment to helping people to live better, will help us reach Mentos Gum fans all over the U.S. as the new package option begins to make its way to consumers.”
While Walmart will be the first U.S. retailer to stock the new paperboard bottle in its candy and gum aisle in about 3,000 locations, and through Walmart.com, Perfetti Van Melle U.S. has received high interest from many other retailers.
Perfetti Van Melle Chief Sustainability Officer Andrew Boyd states, “The new Mentos Pure Fresh paperboard bottle is an exciting step in our commitment to environmental responsibility. We will carefully monitor the consumer response to help guide ongoing packaging innovation and to deliver our plastics reduction, recycling, and re-use goals.”
The paperboard bottle is available in two flavors, Fresh Mint and Spearmint in an 80-piece value-sized package.
See how the world stays fresh with Mentos at mentos.com and says yes to fresh on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About Mentos
Mentos is 1 of the 5 most popular refreshment candy brands in the world. It’s available in 160+ countries, providing refreshment to millions of consumers every day with a variety of gum, candy, and mint offerings.
In the U.S. Mentos Gum has been the 2nd fastest growing gum brand over the past 5 years* and is now the #4 gum brand in the U.S. chewing gum category**. In the U.S. mints category, Mentos is the most well-known brand*** with an iconic heritage that carries on with today’s consumers through YouTube and social media. Visit us.mentos.com to see current Mentos products and how we encourage everyone to embrace the unexpected and say yes to Mentos freshness and fun.
Sources: *IRI MULOC Fiscal Year data 2015-2020; **IRI MULOC FY2021 Week ending 10/31/2021; ***Kantar Brand Health Tracker, December 2020
About Perfetti Van Melle
Perfetti Van Melle Benelux B.V. is a privately-owned global company established in March 2001 through the merger of Perfetti SpA and Van Melle B.V. Perfetti Van Melle manufactures and markets confectionery and chewing gum products in more than 150 countries. Today Perfetti Van Melle is one of the world’s largest confectionery groups, marketing highly renowned brands such as Mentos, Frisk, Chupa Chups, Smint, Fruit-tella, Alpenliebe, Golia, Vivident, Airheads, Happydent & Big Babol. The Group has corporate headquarters in Italy and The Netherlands. U.S. operations are solely operated out of Erlanger, KY.
About Graphic Packaging International
Graphic Packaging International, LLC, the primary operating subsidiary of Graphic Packaging Holding Company (NYSE: GPK), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is committed to providing consumer packaging that makes a world of difference. The Company is a leading provider of sustainable fiber-based packaging solutions for a wide variety of products to food, beverage, foodservice, and other consumer products companies. The Company operates on a global basis, is one of the largest producers of folding cartons and paper-based foodservice products in the United States, and holds leading market positions in coated recycled paperboard, coated unbleached kraft paperboard and solid bleached sulfate paperboard. The Company’s customers include many of the world’s most widely recognized companies and brands. Additional information about Graphic Packaging, its business and its products is available on the Company’s web site at www.graphicpkg.com.
###
MEDIA CONTACT:
Holly Ingram
Communications Manager
holly.ingram@perfettivanmelle.com