• 
• 

Published on February 13, 2008

The campaign aims to lift the company's ranking in the chocolate products market from ninth place at present to No 1 within three years.

Cadbury launched its chocolate products in Thailand in 2006 and now controls only 3 per cent of the market. Last year, its revenue from chocolate products was Bt76 million.

In a market worth an estimated annual Bt2.5 billion, Thai Glico is the leader with a 15.9-per-cent share, followed by Nestle (Thai) with 14.8 per cent.

"If Cadbury wants to be number one in three years, we have to increase our sales revenue fivefold," said Cadbury Adams (Thailand) managing director Anat Julintron.

This year, I expect the company's revenue from chocolate products to rise more than 100 per cent, in order to achieve our goal," he said.

Inspiring the aggressive approach is average annual growth of 22 per cent in the chocolate market, higher than the rate for other confectionery segments such as candy and gum, he said.

Supporting this growth is the spread of modern trade stores and convenience stores around the country and the reduction of tariffs under free-trade agreements, which has reduced overall production costs. Taxes of some materials, which once stood at 30 per cent, are now between zero and 5 per cent.

Besides chocolate products, Cadbury Adams produces other confectionery products such as Halls, Clorets, Dentyne, Trident and Chicklets. The company is market leader in the candy and gum segments with market shares of 31 per cent and 62 per cent, respectively.

It is also market leader in domestic confectionery, with a 32-per-cent market share.

"Cadbury Adams has experience in the confectionery market and knows consumers' desires. Besides, Cadbury's chocolate comes in a greater variety of flavours and sizes than that of our rivals. So we believe we can be the number one," Anat said.

To achieve its goal, Cadbury will spend at least Bt150 million each year on marketing activities, including advertising on buses, in cinemas, and on television and radio.

The company launched two new products yesterday: Cadbury block chocolate in a new 15-gram size and a Cadbury tray containing 36 small, wrapped chocolate pieces. Target groups are working women and university students aged 25-35.

Nalin Viboonchart

The Nation