Pladis is stepping up its push in China with the launch of McVitie's-branded Flipz pretzels as the group looks to expand its presence beyond biscuits and chocolate.
In a statement, Pladis said "China is one of the brand's biggest long-term growth opportunities" as it aims to develop McVitie's into a £1bn ($1.35bn) global brand.
Chief commercial officer David Murray 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."
The London-based group already sells Godiva branded chocolate in China and McVitie's biscuits and has adopted a similar approach in Saudi Arabia and Egypt with products such as McVitie's Joy.
A Pladis spokesperson told Just Food the company is making a "multi-million-pound investment" in building McVitie's in China across product development, manufacturing, distribution, e-commerce and brand-building, but said it would not disclose sales forecasts or current revenues.
According to the company, the pretzel products went on sale in August in Shanghai and Guangzhou, with further expansion into other Chinese cities planned for 2027.
Pladis said McVitie's Flipz is being produced in China by an "approved" manufacturing partner, although it did not provide further details.
Flipz pretzels are being sold through the e-commerce platforms Tmall, JD.com and Douyin, alongside retailers including Costco, Metro and RT-Mart.
The initial Flipz line comprises three flavours: matcha honey, lemon Basque cheesecake and chocolate hazelnut.
Responding to a Just Food question on the flavour choices, the spokesperson said the products were developed "specifically for Chinese consumers, rather than adapted from an existing European range".
The spokesperson said Pladis researched retailers, snack shops, bakeries, cafés and tea shops in China to assess flavour familiarity and identify gaps in the market.
The representative added that the company also tested consumer preferences on sweetness, intensity, aroma, texture and aftertaste before coming up with the three flavour varieties.
The spokesperson added that the smaller, bite-sized format and channel mix were also shaped by local consumer research.
Manoj Loya, the managing director for Pladis in the Asia Pacific, said in the statement: "China is a strategically important market for Pladis, with one of the world's largest and most dynamic snacking audiences.
"By developing McVitie's Flipz around local tastes, local channels and local snacking habits, we are creating a proposition that is designed for China from the outset. It is an important strategic opportunity for McVitie's and for Pladis as we continue to grow our brands across Asia."
Founded in 2016, Pladis employs 16,000 people across 27 bakeries and factories in 11 countries, with its brands sold in more than 110 countries.
The China move comes after Pladis said in July 2025 it would invest £68m across its UK operations, including £21m at its Stockport site for a new chocolate moulding line and £33m at Aintree for projects including new ovens and infrastructure.
In July, Pladis said it was launching a reformulation strategy to try to capture demand for HFSS and functional snack products.
The company "pledged" to double volumes of products with "lower levels" of sugar, salt and saturated fat by 2030.
Included in the global initiative with the same target and timeframe are protein and fibre, all of which will be supported by "improving existing recipes", new product launches and "expanding successful ranges into more markets".
"Pladis ramps up China ambitions with McVitie's Flipz pretzels" was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand.