A Famous Cake Meets a Classic Cordial
A new design places one of the UK’s most recognisable celebration cakes alongside an equally iconic soft drink. The mockup shows a Colin the Caterpillar cake re-imagined with a Vimto theme, swapping his usual brown chocolate shell for a vibrant purple coating. The box art combines the familiar M&S Colin branding with the distinctive red and purple livery of Vimto.
The caterpillar’s face remains the same, but his body is now purple, studded with darker purple smarties. The packaging features the Vimto logo prominently, suggesting a full flavour partnership. Vimto’s ‘seriously mixed-up fruit’ flavour—a combination of grape, raspberry, and blackcurrant—is a departure from the simple chocolate of the original cake. It moves the character away from confectionery and into the world of soft drinks.
The Colin the Caterpillar Range
Colin is much more than a single product. Over the past three decades, M&S has expanded the brand into a sprawling range of sweets and party supplies, demonstrating a clear strategy of diversification. While the original M&S Colin the Caterpillar Cake and its smaller M&S Mini Colin the Caterpillar Cakes remain the core products, the character now appears on many other items.
The confectionery lineup alone is extensive. It includes M&S Colin the Caterpillar Softies, Speckles, Fruit Gums, and Cola Gums. For those who prefer sharper flavours, there is also a sour-themed sub-range, featuring M&S Colin the Caterpillar Sourtastic, Sour Stomps, and Fruit Sours. This established pattern of flavour variation, particularly with fruit and cola, provides a solid background for a new fruit-based concept, even one tied to a specific drinks brand.
Brand Crossover Culture
Supermarket aisles are now full of brand collaborations, from Cadbury Dairy Milk Oreo bars to Jammie Dodger-inspired muffins. Consumers are used to seeing two distinct brands join forces for a limited-edition product. While M&S has historically kept its most famous characters, like Colin and Percy Pig, ring-fenced from outside partnerships, a move like this would follow a well-trodden path in the wider grocery sector.
Vimto itself has a long history of brand extension, appearing in everything from ice lollies to Halloween sweets. Its unique flavour profile is instantly recognisable, making it a powerful co-branding partner. A product linking the visual identity of Colin with the distinct taste of Vimto taps directly into this market trend.
What the real range looks like
The current M&S Colin the Caterpillar range is extensive, covering far more than the original cake. It includes sweets like Fruit Gums, Cola Gums, and Cherry Gums, as well as several sour variations such as Sourtastic and Sour Stomps. A crossover flavour like Vimto would be a new direction, moving from generic fruit flavours into a specific soft drink brand collaboration.
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Cake
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Softies
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Speckles
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Cola Gums
- M S Mini Colin the Caterpillar Cakes
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Sourtastic
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Fruit Gums
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Party Cups
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Party Time
- M S Colin the Caterpillar Sour Stomps
Frequently asked questions
- What flavour is a Vimto Colin the Caterpillar?
- The concept suggests a cake flavoured with Vimto, the mixed fruit drink containing grape, raspberry, and blackcurrant. The mockup shows purple icing and branding consistent with the soft drink.
- Has M&S ever made different flavoured Colin cakes?
- M&S has released limited-edition variations of Colin over the years, including seasonal versions for Halloween or Christmas, and a Connie the Caterpillar counterpart. The core range, however, focuses on expanding the brand into sweets and partyware rather than different permanent cake flavours.
- Is the Vimto Colin the Caterpillar cake real?
- No, this product is not real. It is a Snackfish — a mockup created by the design page UK Snack Attack. It is not for sale at M&S or any other retailer.
More like this
- Blonde Chocolate & Salted Caramel Colin the Caterpillar
- M&S Vimto Doughnuts: A Drinks-Cabinet Bakery Crossover
- M&S Baileys Salted Caramel Doughnuts Concept Appears
You have been Snackfished!
Snackfish :
[sn-a-ck-fish] verb
A snack that lies about its legitimacy as an official product online for internet clout and attention. Most commonly fabricated in Adobe Photoshop or using the unofficial Snackfish AI