My Crystal, My Crystal, why have you forsaken me?

Crystal Sweets are very lovely. Even so are the mass market products. Everyone is so used to eating them. We are proud of this brand. The major consumers of Crystal brands are children, teenagers, and young adults. There are three major purchase points of Crystal brands – Supermarkets/Shop, Service Station Kiosks, and Street Vendors. There is no town in Zimbabwe that does not sell the Crystal brand. If there “is” a lion’s share of the market, they “used” to have it. “Used to” because their dominance is fast being depleting in markets that matter – the young people, A.K.A Generation Xtreme ™.

Have you ever noticed the mass market variety now from Street Vendors, Supermarkets, and Kiosks? Because cross-border trader and foreigner invasions, imported confectionaries have become serious contenders in Crystal’s territory. Their strongholds are slowly being possessed by other “knock off” brands per se. the imported sweets are cheaper, bulky, beautifully packaged, and even more convenient.

For five years now, I have watched the confectionary brought by campers at children’s and youth campers. In recent years, I have rarely seen the Crystal brand at camp, even the simple “mint”. There is threat that has even haunted other consumer product manufacturers like Unilever – Zimbabwean Botswana and South Africa Shoppers.

In April 2005, I participated in Unilever’s National “Outlets” Survey, and noted a distribution phenomenon in regards to their “OMO” brand. The “OMO” brand was officially released in Zimbabwe in June 2005, but stocks were already being sold in Bulawayo Tuckshops by April the same year. Botswana and South African consumer products have become a serious threat, that companies like Unilever or Crystal are no longer competing with locals or Chinese cheaper brands, but are now contending with world class brands from out two neighbours.

At camps, youth gatherings, and “diji” (slang for hanging out at malls), Crystal is now competing with brands like Beacon, a global leader of all confectionaries. Be it sweets, chocolates, suckers, or candy bars. As families travel “down south’, they “ALWAYS” buy sweets for their children – in bulk. If you visit King Noel, you will NEVER eat local sweets or biscuits. Their pantry is always loaded with Beacon Candy and South African Ginger Biscuits. At the Youth Encounter camp, I was treated EVERYDAY with confectionaries I have never seen before. I never saw a local “gash” (low class per se) brand. When Tendai Chitapi takes you out, rest assured that you will eat nothing less than good confectionaries.

To graphically bring out the level of competition Crystal now faces, let’s talk about people who frequent “down south”. Whether rich or poor, middle or high class, high density or low, married or single, almost every urban adult travels (or is acquainted to a traveller) to South Africa, Botswana, and other countries. I believe that more than 40% of urban families have a member who travels, and over 30% urban families receive foreign currency every month. There is no traveller who does not buy sweets for “children” or “loved ones”.

Back to campers. “Why then should I, a camper, bring, or even consume, a “wack” brand like Crystal, when every other kid has ‘Beacon’ this, ‘Beacon’ that?”, they would exclaim. Considering how young people influence one another, in no time at all, there were more Beacon and Nestle products on camp than Crystal.

This phenomenon does not only affect Crystal, but other confectionary brands as well, such as Charhons and Lobels. Lobels begun well in the 2003s, when they introduced their new tangy sweets, which were affordable, and well packaged. The competition from the Beacons is slowly driving them out within the young people communities (childish communities).

Crystal is a good brand like I said, but they are slackening in their brand strengthening. This will cost them big time, because their major consumers now have access to world class brands as first choices. Imagine a scenario where a young person watches a movie with a Beacon logo, and sees the same brand at camp or school. Again, imagine what will happen the day Street Vendors start selling Botswana and South African confectionaries.
Crystal is committing brand suicide, by neglecting young people. I promise you, when these same people grow up, into their new families, they will not buy local sweets for their “high class” children. The standards of living are being elevated, so is the perception and behaviour toward brands.