Pladis launches newly developed Flipz flavours in China as part of McVitie’s expansion efforts

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Pladis is expanding its McVitie’s brand beyond biscuits in China, launching a brand-new locally developed McVitie’s Flipz range in the market, designed for local tastes.

The Flipz chocolate coated pretzel brand, initially launched in the UK and Ireland in 2018, makes its debut in China as part of Pladis’ ambitions to build McVitie’s into a £1 billion global brand.

While limited McVitie’s biscuits are already available in China, Pladis is now expanding the brand with a newly developed offering built around Chinese consumers’ shopping habits and eating behaviours, from flavours and portion sizes to how the products are made and sold.

Launched initially in Shanghai and Guangzhou, the new range combines McVitie’s branding with Flipz’s chocolate pretzel format. It debuts in three flavours selected for the Chinese market: Matcha Honey, Lemon Basque Cheesecake, and Chocolate Hazelnut.

The products have been launched in a smaller, bite-sized format to reflect local snacking habits. They will be manufactured in China through an approved Pladis partner and sold through major e-commerce platforms, including Tmall, JD.com and Douyin, alongside selected retail partners including Costco, Metro, RT-Mart, Yonghui, Lawson and FamilyMart.

This initial roll-out in Shanghai and Guangzhou will be followed by expansion into additional Chinese cities in 2027. The launch highlights Pladis’ global growth efforts, with the company predicting that future international growth will increasingly come from expanding the McVitie’s brand beyond its traditional biscuit range.

In other markets, that evolution is already underway through products such as McVitie’s Joy in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, underscoring the brand’s flexibility across formats and occasions internationally.

Pladis said it sees ‘substantial long-term potential’ in China, where the sweet biscuit market is worth around £5 billion and has grown at a 5.6% CAGR over the past decade. As the world’s third-largest biscuit market, behind only the US and slightly behind Brazil, Pladis noted China is an ‘attractive white-space opportunity’.

The company already operates in China through its premium chocolate brand, Godiva, offering insight into China’s retail market, e-commerce channels and consumer trends. Pladis said this knowledge helped shape McVitie’s growth plans n China while allowing the brand to develop its own distinct position in the market.

David Murray, chief commercial officer at Pladis, said: “McVitie's may be famous for biscuits, but its next phase of growth will not come from biscuits alone. As we grow internationally, we're looking at how the McVitie's brand can play a bigger role across snacking, reaching new consumers through new products and formats.”

He added: “China is one of the world's most exciting snacking markets. We've developed this range around local tastes and shopping habits because we believe long-term success comes from understanding what consumers want, not simply exporting products that work elsewhere.”