Earlier this year, a new powerhouse in the confectionery and snacking world appeared: pladis. Named after the Pleiades, a seven-star constellation known to the ancients and visible to all, Pladis represents Yildiz Holding’s reorganization of its leading global brands, including De Met’s, Godiva, United Biscuits and Ülker. The twinkling new global giant boasts annual revenues of $5.2 billion and 26,000 employees.

At this year’s, Sweets & Snack Expo, visitors began to see the capabilities of the new company. Formed in January 2016, Star Brands NA, is the operational arm of Pladis in North America, representing the brands from Godiva and DeMet’s.

Greg Woodhouse, head of sales and trade marketing, says the consolidation of Godiva and DeMet’s under one organization in North America, will not only improve efficiencies in the logistics chain, but also offer buyers simultaneous access in the premium and mainstream confectionery segments.

“We will be able to address seasonal and everyday needs with different gifting platforms with a wide breath of chocolates and confections,” he says. “For every seasonal occasion, we will have products with different price points. This also extends to different buying occasions, when there are emotional occasions as well as casual occasions.” 

As an example, Woodhouse cited the availability of valentine's day gift boxes from Godva and from DeMet’s, each providing a different but satisfying experience.

“Shoppers are savvy today; they are looking at price per ounce searching for a good deal,” he says. “The consumer is interested in which product will fit the purpose from a product standpoint and from a price standpoint.” 

And Woodhouse asserts that Star Brands can address bot . E cites Godiva’s Masterpiece se which features some of the company’s favorite chocolates through the years — as an classic and innovative boxed chocolate gift.

The company will also debut a filled tablet as well as a new truffle, one featuring a chocolate domed truffle that contains a wafer interior wall and a full hazelnut within a cream filling from Godiva.

Of course, DeMet’s also rolled out several new products for the Expo, he adds. This year the company is launching a new treat dubbed TREASURES, which combines premium European style chocolate with a whole nut wrapped in a nut-flavored cream. The new TREASURES varieties — Pistachio, Hazelnut and Peanut — come in a rosette shape and are wrapped with a metallic silver foil a 45-count, 1-lb. Lay-down clear box.

The company is also doubling the delight of TURTLES with the introduction Of a Double Chocolate variety, which is a crunchy combination of premium pecans and chocolate caramel, smothered in creamy milk chocolate.

On the seasonal side, the company’s TURTLES Eggs won an award at Sweets & Snacks Expo for Innovative New Product, Seasonal category.

To take advantage of the popularity FLIPZ are enjoying, DeMet’s added a Caramel Sea Salt variety to its current lineup of flavors, which include milk chocolate, white fudge, chocolate mint, dark chocolate, and birthday cake.

“We’re finding that our FLIPZ brand is becoming a favorite in school lunch packs,” Woodhouse says. “Because it contains less sugar and less calories than other treats, it fits in perfectly with moms looking for a snack that fits into the health/wellness category.

Seems pladis is quickly making buyers aware of the new confectionery constellation in the sky.