Mr Gladstone’s Curious Emporium Rhubarb & Custard and Pear Drops are made with 100% natural flavours and aimed at ‘the beginners’, 25 to 35 year olds.
“I think we have got something that adds value to the category,” Neil Anderson, marketing director at Kingsland told DI. “It has taken a year from a blank piece of paper to creating these products and anything is possible.”
Kingsland decided on the sweet shop theme following consumer research and says additional flavours are in the pipe line, including a bakery range. “Mr Gladstone can be anyone,” Anderson added. “People suggested it should be me but there is a bit of a fatigue in terms of provenance and craft and this is something interesting, innovative and different”.
“This will have its limitations but if this brings consumers into wine then it is a good thing. We want to work with retailers to bring this to the consumer.”
In response to the high sugar level and current drive towards healthy eating and sugar clapdown, Anderson said: “As we developed the product we had an eye on the sugar levels. These have got a high sugar content but it is a lower sugar content than cider.”
He added: “People balance out their lives. People still want to indulge.”
The two varieties - 9% abv - are available in 75ml formats and carry a RRP of £4.99-5.99.
