Tennis gumballs anyone? Since its 2012 launch, Maria Sharapova’s candy line, Sugarpova, has been serving aces. “It started with the name, Sugarpova,” she told Fox Backstage Pass during an exclusive visit on October 28, with Metropolis sitting in. “Then it came with my passion for gummies when I moved to the United States, and saw all the different gummy flavors that I never had seen in Russia before.” Selling 1.3 million bags in 2013 alone, she’s had hits with gummies shaped like lips (labeled “Flirty”) and high heels (called “Chic”). But the biggest sellers have been her “Sporty” gumballs, fuzzy tennis balls that come in a variety of striking colors and flavors.
The tennis powerhouse spent two years perfecting her product, making use of the marketing and development knowledge she’d picked up sitting in planning meetings with major labels like Nike. “The response has been overwhelming, especially in the Asian market,” Sharapova said, adding that more flavors are in the works. “Japan has been one of our biggest markets since we launched, and that’s why it was so important for me to come here and be able to represent it.”
Available in shops such as Plaza, and online at Amazon. Each bag markets for ¥530.
