South African FMCG manufacturer Premier FMCG has acquired Mister Sweet, the sugar based confectionery division of Lodestone Brands. The deal, which was approved in May by the Competition Tribunal, will see Premier FMCG have a market share of over 13% of the sugar confectionery category by value.

Premier FMCG owns food brands, including Blue Ribbon, Snowflake, Nyala and Manhattan, and the feminine sanitary product brand Lil-lets. With the acquisition of Mister Sweet, Premier FMCG will add the Candy Tops, Champion, Rascals, and Frutus brands to its portfolio. It already owns sugar confectionery products with its Manhattan and Super C brands. Its Manhattan Candies, Manhattan Pops and Super C Fruity C Candies launched in South Africa in March 2021.

Premier FMCG’s sugar confectionery products include gums and jellies, chews, compressed tablets, marshmallows and hard candy. Mister Sweet’s portfolio includes gums and jellies, marshmallows, liquorice, sugar panned products, toffee, peanut brittle and nougat.

Premier FMCG forecasts that its market share of the R1bn ($74m) sugar confectionery category should rise from 7.7% to 13.8% with the acquisition.