Welcome to Episode 12 of Break the Shelf – your front-row seat to the boldest product launches, retail tech innovations, and brand collaborations reshaping the FMCG landscape.

This week is packed with nostalgic drops, creamy delights, and game-changing retail shifts:

🍫 Cadbury LunchBar Caramilk – South Africa’s iconic LunchBar turns 60 with a limited-edition Caramilk variant, layering its classic crispy wafer, peanuts, and chocolate with smooth caramelised white chocolate for a nostalgic yet indulgent twist.

🍫 Lindt Extra Creamy Chocolate – Lindt continues to woo chocolate lovers with its Excellence Extra Creamy Milk Chocolate bar, delivering ultra-smooth texture and rich notes of caramel, vanilla, and honey—crafted by Master Chocolatiers for a truly indulgent experience.

🇿🇦 On the retail tech frontier:

• Checkers Xpress Trolley (Express Trolley) – Checkers is piloting SA’s first smart shopping trolley at two Western Cape stores. Shoppers can now scan and bag items as they shop, monitor a live running total, access product information and personalised offers, and pay directly from the trolley without queuing at a till point. This innovation promises faster, queue-free checkout and empowers shoppers with more control—shaping the future of in-store retail.

• Jamie Oliver x Checkers Simple Truth – International chef and healthy-food advocate Jamie Oliver has returned to South Africa to front a light-hearted campaign for Checkers’ Simple Truth private-label wellness range. He’s joined by a cast of local icons—including Springbok stars Pieter-Steph du Toit and Trevor Nyakane, and comedian Marc Lottering—in a playful “polygraph” style challenge to uncover their “simple truths” about healthy eating. The Simple Truth line now spans 287 items across 49 categories, from organic staples to plant-based options—tapping into growing demand for better-for-you products.

Whether you're launching new NPD, strategising retail entry, or tracking FMCG innovation, this episode brings you the freshest insights to keep ahead.

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