• January 13, 2009

Mars Snackfood U.S. is launching Fling, a "chocolate finger," available only in California in 2009.

The company is marketing the 85-calorie chocolate-covered meringue as a guilt-free chocolate indulgence. It comes in milk chocolate, dark chocolate and hazelnut. The product goes on sale this month in California grocery, drug, mass merchandise, convenience and specialty stores for 79 cents, per the company.

The tagline will be "naughty but not that naughty" for a regional print, television and online advertising campaign starting in March. The company says it will also do celebrity event, has launched a Web site, www.flingchocolate.com, and will run tasting events in the Los Angeles area.--Karl Greenberg