Following the sale of its snacks business United Biscuits (UBUK) has unveiled its first-quarter activity in 2013 for its biscuit and cake brands.

The bakery manufacturer said there would be “significantly upweighted NPD” for the McVitie’s brand, with new products and campaigns planned.

More chocolate is being added to McVitie’s milk and dark chocolate digestive biscuit ranges and, in February, the brand will be extending the range to include McVitie’s Double Chocolate Digestives, a chocolate-flavoured biscuit containing chocolate chips and half-coated in milk chocolate.

McVitie’s Chocolate Digestives will also be making their first TV appearance since 2008, as part of a £2.2m marketing campaign.

The firm said its McVitie’s Medley range had achieved sales growth of 26% over the past year, with new products, including a new Rocky Road variant, to launch in the new year.

Other new products include McVitie’s Minis: Mini Pirate Crew and Mini Jungle Friends and Mini Gingerbread Men.

Meanwhile UBUK said McVitie’s Cake Company would aim to build on the success of slice sector, within the cake category, with the introduction of two new products – a McVitie’s Digestive Slice and a McVitie’s GingerNut Slice. Both products are designed to tap into the growing popularity of ‘biscuit slices’ – a new sub-sector to the traditional sponge slice market, according to the manufacturer.

New products will also be seen under UBUK’s go ahead! brand, including a new forest fruits variety.

Jon Eggleton, marketing director at UBUK, commented: “2013 will benefit from one of our biggest years yet in terms of NPD. We’ve invested heavily into new products, new advertising campaigns and category enhancing activity for the nation’s favourite biscuits brand, McVitie’s, and we’re confident our Q1 plans will drive fresh growth into the established biscuit category and in turn boost sales for retailers in 2013 and beyond.”