Mars Drinks & Treats has relaunched its branded cake bar range across UK retailers, bringing back four core varieties alongside two seasonal Galaxy flavours in limited-edition festive packaging.
The range returned to shelves in September 2026, with five individually wrapped bars in each pack. The company is positioning the relaunch within the expanding UK ambient cakes category, which it says is worth £1.536 billion and purchased by almost six in ten UK households.
Familiar favourites and festive flavours
The core portfolio comprises Galaxy Cake Bars, with a chocolate cream centre; Galaxy Caramel Cake Bars, with a caramel filling; Maltesers Cake Bars, featuring malt-flavoured cream, coloured sugar pieces and cocoa-coated honeycomb; and Milky Way Cake Bars, with a creamy filling. Each combines sponge cake with a milk chocolate coating.
For the festive season, Galaxy Orange Cake Bars return with an orange filling, while Galaxy Salted Caramel Cake Bars feature a salted caramel centre. Both seasonal varieties have winter woodland-themed packaging, distinguishing them from the year-round range.
The combination of established confectionery brands and individually portioned cake formats reflects the growing overlap between traditional sweet bakery products and convenient snacking occasions.
Supporting seasonal category growth
Kerry Cavanaugh, General Manager at Mars Drinks & Treats, said: “The Ambient Cakes category continues to go from strength to strength, and cake bars remain a firm favourite with shoppers.”
She added that the return of seasonal flavours in limited-edition packaging is intended to maintain consumer interest throughout the Christmas period.
The cake bars are available through Asda, Booker, Co-op, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Spar and Tesco. Recommended retail prices are £2.50 for the four core varieties and £2.75 for the two seasonal options.
For retailers, the combination of individual wrapping, familiar confectionery branding and festive flavour rotation provides opportunities to serve everyday snacking occasions alongside seasonal demand.
The relaunch also illustrates how established confectionery brands are extending their presence within the ambient bakery and packaged snacks market.
