The Food & Drink Innovation Network

WINNERS OF PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 2012 ANNOUNCED

newsdesk — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:37:08 +0000

More than 9,000 consumers have voted to determine the results of the 2012 Product of the Year survey, advising fellow shoppers on the most innovative products in the consumer marketplace.

Notable winners this year are multi-tasking products such as Nuromol, Ryvita Thins, and new Aero Finesse.

New takes on established and well-loved brands also continue to resound with consumers this year.

This year’s Product of the Year consumer survey resulted in some particularly interesting findings on Britons’ shopping behaviour:

The downturn is still having its effect; over a third of consumers (41%) are giving up luxuries, such as beauty treatments and takeaway coffees, in order to save money.

The consumer survey resulted in interesting findings on Britons’ shopping behaviour

The majority of consumers (89%) spend less than an hour in the supermarket, reflecting the on-going trend for smaller ‘basket’ shops, and the growth in online shopping.

Only a fifth (22%) of consumers are spending more time in the supermarket than they did two years ago.

CEO of product of the year management, Mike Nolan, said:

“Congratulations to the Product of the Year Award winners for 2012.

“It’s great to see that brands are still developing top rate product innovations despite the tricky economic climate.

“This year’s winners reflect the growing consumer demand for multi-tasking products – it seems doing one job is no longer enough, consumers want more bang for their buck.”

The awards ceremony, presented by comedian and former Brand Manager, Hugh Dennis, was held at One Marylebone in London’s West End, and was attended by some of the biggest manufacturers in the business, including Reckitt Benckiser, Procter & Gamble, GlaxoSmithKline and Nestlé.

AMERICAN CHOCOLATE OUTSELLS LEADING BRITISH BRANDS

newsdesk — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:09:58 +0000

A chocolate range made by American confectioners Hershey’s and Reese’s has taken sweet-toothed shoppers by storm this week, with sales at Asda already outstripping favourites from leading British brands.

Some buyers have said that they’ll go to incredible lengths to keep the chocolate to themselves, with one visitor to Asda’s Facebook page saying that she’ll hide them in the vegetable drawer of the fridge.

Hershey’s and Reece’s chocolates have been favourites in the US for more than 100 years but have only just started to make an impression on UK consumers.

New products in the range have been on sale in Asda for the last week and sales have rocketed.

Asda stores in Chesser, Hunt’s Cross, Bridge of Dee, Shoeburyness, Sheffield, Pudsey and Edinburgh have seen particularly strong sales.

The new arrivals are Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme Bar, Hershey’s Kisses Cookies ‘n’ Creme, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Bars and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures.

Asda’s head of chocolate, Rob Benyon said:

“We have been gobsmacked by the reaction to the launch of the new Hershey’s range in-store and online

“The stock is flying off the shelves, pausing at the checkout and making its way into shoppers’ mouths in record time.

“We’ve doubled the number of Asda Facebook fans in a week on the back of this launch, which is unprecedented.”

Asda has been running a promotion on its Facebook page offering people the chance to win a year’s supply of the chocolate.

Visitors to the page are asked to complete the sentence “If I won a year’s supply of chocolate I would share it with _____________” for a chance to win the prize. Entries so far include:

“My baby bump for the next 7 months, then may let my husband have some after that.”
“With everyone at work and sabotage their new year diets!”
“My invisible friend.”
“The person I see in the mirror.”
“My cat (she hates chocolate).”
“I’d give them out to random people on the street (after asking if they don’t have any allergies) to give a little sunshine to their days.”
“Myself, I’d hide them in the veg drawer where nobody dare venture!”

TATE & LYLE INTRODUCES NEW LINE OF EXTRA DRY STARCHES

newsdesk — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:00:23 +0000

Tate & Lyle, the global ingredients and food solutions provider, has announced the expansion of its range of native starches, with the introduction of two extra dry starch products: Merizett 116 and Merizet 118.

Both have low moisture contents of typically 5% and 7% respectively.

Extra dry starches are used in frozen dough, dehydrated soups, noodles, sauces, desserts, and other dry mixes in which moisture control is critical.

They improve the stability and shelf life of the final product by helping to prevent the development of moisture in the product during storage.

Extra dry starches are especially key for dry mixes sold in tropical markets.

Clotilde Feuillade, Texturants Product Manager at Tate & Lyle Speciality Food Ingredients, said:

“There is an increasing demand in the market for extra dry starches which are highly complex to manufacture.

“We are therefore delighted to introduce two new varieties, helping manufacturers to formulate their products more easily.”

Both new starch references are made from non genetically modified maize and are manufactured in Tate & Lyle’s European flagship starch facility in the Netherlands.

While the plant specialises in modified starches, it also generates value added native starches such as moulding starches Merizet 150 and Merizet 158 for confectionery applications.

Tate & Lyle is a global provider of ingredients and solutions to the food, beverage and other industries, operating from over 30 production facilities around the world.

For more information click here to visit the website.

NESTLE LAUNCHES NEW AERO BUBBLY BAR

newsdesk — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:30:43 +0000

Nestlé Confectionery will be reshaping the singles category with the launch of the new AERO Bubbly Bar.

Engineered to improve the AERO range for the brand’s many fans, the new design replaces the current AERO Peppermint Medium and AERO Milk Medium bars.

The bar offers a unique bar design, aiming to stand out from the crowd.

The new design sees the bar divided into ten snappable ‘bubbles’, making it less messy to eat and more portionable.

What’s more, each of the ten ‘bubbles’ are designed to melt more easily in the mouth, maximising the taste of AERO’s bubbly chocolate.

As well as offering the peppermint and milk aero bars with the new design, Nestlé confectionery is also launching a limited edition AERO Orange single.

Available in the same design, the AERO Orange Bubbly Bar is available from 20 February for 12 weeks only.

Mixing AERO bubbles with an orange flavour has already proved popular with shoppers.

Launched in January, AERO Orange block has grown to be worth £4m.

The total AERO brand is also seeing significant growth, up 12% to £93m.

Nestlé UK Trade Communications Manager Graham Walker said:

“Enhancing such a famous and well loved chocolate single with this innovative new bar design is sure to pay dividends to retailers.

“Plus, with the extension of the well loved AERO and orange flavour combination into the impulse category, retailers have a real opportunity to renew singles interest for their shoppers.”

NEW SAN MIGUEL FRESCA LAUNCHES IN THE UK

newsdesk — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:20:18 +0000

San Miguel has announced the launch of its first major brand extension in the UK with San Miguel Fresca, a sunshine lager, best served chilled with a wedge of lime.

Developed as a result of a strategic partnership between Carlsberg UK and Mahou-San Miguel of Spain, the brewers have developed a beer with a clear appeal to UK consumers, while retaining all the Spanish character and integrity of San Miguel.

‘Fresca’, a word often used in Spain to describe a thirst-quenching, chilled drink, is being used in a bid to sum up the brand’s core consumer appeal.

The launch is the first major brand extension

Brewed with the same attention to quality as San Miguel lager, Fresca is brewed using hops and barley, delivering a golden lager, hoping to invigorate the UK beer sector for 2012 and to attract new consumers to the lager category.

The 4.4% ABV 330ml premium bottled beer will be available to the on-trade in February 2012 from Carlsberg UK.

In the UK, the brand sits alongside San Miguel, Tuborg, Staropramen and Mahou in Carlsberg UK’s growing portfolio.

The UK launch is being supported with a £6m marketing campaign which will include outdoor posters, press advertising, digital activity and sampling, all of which will be announced later this year.

NEW FLAVOURS IN THE MENTOS 3 LAYERS RANGE

newsdesk — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:11:29 +0000

Following the launch of Mentos 3 Layers earlier this year Perfetti Van Melle is expanding its Mentos 3 Layers range with the addition of a Fruity Fresh blackberry-kiwi-strawberry variant.

The combination of 3 layers of chewing gum that delivers a longer lasting flavour and have proved popular with consumers.

Aimee Reason, Brand Manager at Perfetti Van Melle said: “Mentos 3 Layers offers a high quality chewing gum with great taste and long lasting flavour.

“Where stocked Mentos 3 Layers Fruity Fresh in particular is proving to be a huge success.

“Such consumer demand has resulted in us launching a new Fruity Fresh variant to enable retailers to offer even more choice to their consumers.”

The new flavour launch will be supported via in-store POS to support independent retail stockist distribution.

Mentos 3 Layers – 7 pieces of chewing gum is available in Freshmint and Strawberry-apple-raspberry and now Blackberry-kiwi-strawberry with a recommended retail price of 59p.

Mentos 3 Layers will be supported by a National TV and sampling campaign in 2012 and Mentos are also proud sponsors of American Idol which runs on ITV from January to May 2012.

FIRST DRINKS BEGINS 2012 WITH NEW VODKA BRANDS

newsdesk — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:30:39 +0000

First Drinks has announced that Central European Distribution Corporation’s (CEDC) international vodka brands Green Mark and Żubrόwka will be joining its portfolio in 2012.

Green Mark is the No. 1 vodka brand in the Russian market and one of the top vodka brands in the world, with annual sales of approximately 10 million 9 litre cases worldwide.

It is a genuine Russian vodka with international recognition.

Żubrówka Bison Grass Vodka is CEDC’s flagship export brand.

Green Mark is the No. 1 vodka brand in the Russian market

It is a vodka brand that has over 600 years of tradition and a flavour derived from “bison grass”, an aromatic plant found in Bialowieża a mysterious place in North-East Poland and the last primeval forest in Europe.

Żubrówka is sold in over 50 countries and sold approximately 1 million 9 litre cases globally in 2010.

Chris Mason, Managing Director of First Drinks, commented:

“We are delighted to be working with CEDC, one of the world’s leading vodka producers and we look forward to a long term partnership to achieve our ambitious mutual goals.

“The new vodkas are an excellent fit within our existing portfolio, complementing our current brands.

“We have a strong track record of building premium brands and have big ambitions for 2012 to be in the position to offer our customers the most desired portfolio of authentic vodka brands of any UK distributor.

“As industry leaders in the UK premium spirits market, our strategy is to build on our reputation as premium brand builders and have a full range of authentic vodkas relevant to both the on and off-trade.”

William Carey, President and CEO of CEDC, commented:

“We are pleased to enter into partnership with the strongest distributor in the UK, with great experience in building premium brands in the market.

“We believe First Drinks Brands will contribute to further expansion of Green Mark which, as an authentic, high quality vodka from Russia has great sales potential in the UK, where vodka is the largest spirits category.

“We have been very successful in expanding Green Mark’s export in 2011 and we will continue to build this brand’s international presence.

“We also look forward to strengthening the position of Żubrówka which is our key export brand and has already won recognition in the UK market.”

In addition to Green Mark and Żubrόwka, CEDC’s Kauffman, a premium vodka brand and the first vintage vodka in the world will also be joining the First Drinks portfolio in 2012.

In the on-trade, vodka growth is up 7% year on year, whilst in the off-trade the category has witnessed 10% growth.

First Drinks Brands will be distributing Green Mark and Kauffman vodka starting from the first quarter of 2012 and Żubrówka from the third quarter.

First Drinks is wholly owned by William Grant & Sons who have entered into an international alliance with CEDC of Poland, the world’s largest vodka producer.

CEDC already represent the William Grant & Sons portfolio in Poland and Hungary.

HAAGEN-DAZ LAUNCHES FIRST MINT LEAF AND CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

newsdesk — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:16:20 +0000

Luxury ice cream brand Häagen-Dazs is launching a new Mint Leaves and Chocolate product this February, which will be the first mint flavoured offering available in the luxury ice cream market.

The new flavour consists of a smooth mint ice cream, real mint leaves and chocolate fudge pieces, which will be available in the 500ml format.

The new flavour will be supported by Häagen-Dazs’ £3 million brand marketing campaign, including activity across TV, digital, in- store, consumer sampling and PR.

Consumer research for the Mint Leaves and Chocolate flavour has shown positive results, with 86% of shoppers saying they would probably or definitely buy the product, which is the highest purchase intent score any Häagen-Dazs product has scored.

Ed Culf, Marketing Director at Häagen-Dazs commented:

“New and differentiated Häagen-Dazs flavours that have been launched to the market, have shown that they can help to drive incremental sales.

The new flavour consists of mint ice cream, real mint leaves and chocolate fudge pieces

“Our Chocolate, Pralines and Caramel flavour helped the brand achieve 66%2 incremental sales, and with the new Mint Leaves and Chocolate having such positive feedback, we expect an even bigger demand from consumers.

“By maximising in-store merchandising and visibility for the new flavour, retailers can better navigate consumers towards up-sell opportunities, trading from a regular mint flavoured treat, to luxury ice cream.”

Mint Leaves and Chocolate will be launched with an rrp of £4.99 in the recently released new-look Häagen-Dazs packaging, which features a fresh design including an enlarged logo and ingredient photography.

The new packaging is designed to improve the in-store shopper experience, boost product appeal and increase sales.

FRENCH PASTRIES SALES ON THE RISE

newsdesk — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:08:17 +0000

As the most important meal of the day, it’s petit dejeuner not breakfast for Brits, as pastries, such as Brioche and Pain au Chocolat rise in the hearts of the nation – growing at a faster pace than traditional British baked goods.

According to latest research from Mintel, Brioche sales rose a sweet 25% in 2011 – from £31m in 2010 to £38m in 2011.

And sales of Pain au Chocolat increased a mouth-watering 14% over the same two years up from £22m in 2010 to £25m in 2011.

Today, French pastries are consumed by almost a quarter (23%) of all Brits, which compares to 24% of those who eat more traditional bread and baked goods.

While a good old slice of toast remains the nation’s favourite breakfast, eaten by as many as 81% of Brits for breakfast, many of the more traditional bread and baked goods have posted slower growth.

Hot cross buns, for example, have seen modest growth of 7% over the past two years – from £30m 2010 to £33m in 2011.

And it appears other baked items are losing their appeal amongst Brits. Indeed, the market for English Muffins has declined by 3% from £25m in 2010 to £24m in 2011.

The only exception to this trend is the “cream tea favourite” – Scones – valued at £33m in 2011, rising a positive 19% from £28m in 2010.

Alex Beckett, senior food analyst at Mintel, said:

“French baked goods such as Brioche have recorded impressive value growth, suggesting Brits are developing a stronger taste for sweet bakery goods.

“The fact that these goods can be eaten at breakfast could suggest that this growth is to the detriment of sliced bread.

“Bread brands can capitalise on this cosmopolitan trend by introducing a wider variety of sweet baked goods to their portfolios.”

DANONE UNVEILS NEW CAMPAIGN

newsdesk — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:01:31 +0000

Danone has announced the launch of its new campaign, “The little bottle with a lot inside” for drinking yogurt, Actimel.

The £3.2m spend is being supported by a 30 second TV ad, national press, outdoor advertising, an on-pack promotion as well as PR and digital media.

The campaign aims to encourage people to take another look at Actimel and realise there’s more to it than meets the eye.

The campaign is targeted at the whole family; in particular, mums with kids, and seniors.

The ad was first aired on the 2 January and will run across the first quarter of 2012.

Bryan Martins, Brand Marketing Manager for Actimel commented:

“We are very excited about “The little bottle with a lot inside” campaign where, for the first time, we are really showcasing the ingredients packed into the little bottle.”

To complement the campaign, there is an on-pack promotion featured on three million Actimel 12 packs.

Running from January to March, there is a free gift for consumers with every pack purchased.

Gifts range from mini manicures to gardening, cleaning and car washing.

WERTHER’S ORIGINAL ADDS TWO NEW VARIETIES TO ITS RANGE

newsdesk — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:36:17 +0000

Werther’s Original is extending its confectionery range with the introduction of two new varieties.

The brand will also be returning to the nation’s TV screens with a multi-million pound advertising campaign this spring.

The two new varieties, Caramel Fudge and Chocolate Crunch, have been developed to reinforce the longstanding ‘taste of comfort’, a brand proposition which Werther’s has delivered for many generations.

The new formats also aim to highlight the brand’s commitment to product innovation and will continue to appeal to Werthers’ loyal following, providing consumers with a variety of traditional, comforting treats.

The products are a twist on the traditional format

Werther’s Caramel Fudge (priced at £1.19) offers consumers a selection of soft pieces of caramel fudge covered in Werther’s milk chocolate.

Werther’s Chocolate Crunch (priced at £1.99) delivers crunchy, nutty caramel pieces coated in Werther’s milk chocolate.

Both varieties are individually wrapped to ensure freshness and convenience and sold in 100g bags.

The two products will provide a twist on the traditional texture and format.

The Werther’s brand will further build upon its nostalgic theme when it returns to TV screens this Spring with a £4m ‘sweet shop’ advertising campaign which will showcase the entire Werther’s portfolio.

Andy Mutton, Sales Director at Storck UK said:

“Werther’s Original has always offered a unique range of delicious caramel confections which deliver that nostalgic, comforting feeling of childhood.

“We are confident that our latest launch will significantly influence the buoyant confectionery category, reinforcing our commitment to innovation when it comes to bringing new products to the market.”

The Werther’s Original brand is the most widely distributed brand within the Storck UK portfolio, sold globally in over 80 markets, and valued at £23.6m.

HEINZ LAUNCHES ‘KNOW GROCERY GROW GROCERY’ CAMPAIGN

newsdesk — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:23:51 +0000

Heinz, is announcing the launch of a new initiative ‘Know Grocery. Grow Grocery’ in mid-February that is aimed at helping retailers to maximise profits within the fast growing convenience sector.

According to latest reports, the convenience and impulse sector is outperforming other areas within the grocery market and is currently experiencing a growth rate of+8.9%.

The sector is currently valued at, £32.4bn and is projected to grow by another £10bn in five years.

Despite healthy levels of growth, retailers are missing out on lost sales by unintentionally neglecting grocery shoppers.

By not giving the grocery category the focus that it requires, some retailers are not stocking their shelves with the right products or in the right way.

Research shows that:

· 32% of shoppers think that the items they are shopping for are out of stock or sold out
· 23% are convinced that their local shop doesn’t even sell the products they want to purchase
· 11% of shoppers fail to make a purchase altogether

the convenience and impulse sector is outperforming other areas within the grocery market

As a result, convenience is currently achieving a 10% penetration and even less on impulse purchases.

In response, the new ‘Know Grocery. Grow Grocery’ initiative from Heinz aims to enable convenience retailers to capitalise on these potential growth opportunities.

By following a few simple steps, retailers can increase sales of both Heinz and grocery products.

Heinz will be communicating specific range and display advice via a ‘Know Grocery. Grow Grocery’ website and category management guide, which goes live on 20th February.

This includes information and advice on stocking the right range, displays on-shelf, merchandising and promotions which can be downloaded from www.growgrocery.com.

Ultimately, this hopes to help to add to retailers’ bottom line, by helping them to keep up with the changing competitive landscape and increase overall customer footfall.

Simon Digby, Head of Convenience & Impulse, Heinz, said:

“The grocery category is the backbone of any busy convenience store, but our research shows that retailers could be missing out on huge sales opportunities during the year through a lack of focus on the grocery fixtures.

“Through the ‘Know Grocery. Grow Grocery’ initiative, Heinz is committed to working with independent and convenience retailers by providing them with the tools to enhance their knowledge and expertise within the grocery category.

“Combined with their own knowledge of shoppers’ needs, they will be able to maximise sales opportunities and help to ‘Grow Grocery’.”

For more information, log onto the ‘Know Grocery. Grow Grocery’ click here.

NEW LIMITED EDITION SOUPS FROM GLORIOUS

newsdesk — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:47:55 +0000

Food brand GLORIOUS! is adding to the chilled food aisle this January with the launch of two new limited edition flavours to its fresh soup range.

The two new additions are Oriental Spiced Tomato and New York Chicken Noodle.

Part of the company’s commitment to searching out new tastes from across the world, the new flavours have been developed as an antidote to the season’s cold weather and dark nights and will be in stores from 28 January for a limited time.

Giving consumers a Far Eastern twist on the traditional tomato soup, Oriental Spiced Tomato joins the brand’s Skinny soup range with only 130 calories per half pot and 1.8% fat.

Made with fresh ingredients and spices, the soup is suitable for vegans.

New York Chicken Noodle has been developed based on a traditional homemade recipe

The new New York Chicken Noodle meal soup has been developed based on a traditional homemade recipe to provide a meal or snack.

The trade launch is being simultaneously supported by a consumer campaign focussed on research around the belief that chicken soup has a positive effect on wellbeing.

A study of 1,000 adults commissioned by GLORIOUS! found that more than half the population (55%) claim to feel better after eating chicken soup and one in ten (9%) said it was better than paracetamol-based drugs – 28% believe it is at least as effective as over-the-counter medicines.

Afruj Miah, Senior National Account Manager at GLORIOUS!, said:

“Our limited edition launches are eagerly anticipated by consumers and we are thrilled to unveil the latest additions to the GLORIOUS! range, which we’re hoping will be a hit.

“Our limited edition soups reflect our commitment to bold and interesting flavours.

“Both the Oriental Spiced Tomato and New York Chicken Noodle Soup are ideal for this time of the year – providing a bit of warmth, spice or comfort just when people need it the most.

“The consumer research into the wellbeing benefits of chicken soup has also proved really interesting.

“Homemade chicken soup is something that many of us turn to when we are feeling a bit under the weather, however these findings reveal just how much we believe in the healing benefits – with many people preferring a bowl of soup to over-the-counter medicine.

“Available for a limited period only, we are confident that the latest additions to our range will be popular with retailers and consumers alike.”

Developed with fresh ingredients, the limited edition soups are the latest extension to the expanding GLORIOUS! product line which includes soups, stews and pasta sauces.

The 600g GLORIOUS! Oriental Spiced Tomato Skinny Soup will retail for £1.99 and is available from Sainsbury’s, Nisa, Booths, Morrisons, Budgens and Dunnes.

The 600g GLORIOUS! New York Chicken Noodle Soup will retail for £1.99 and is available from Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Booths and Budgens.

For more information click here to visit the website.

OCEAN SPRAY EXPANDS ITS RANGE

newsdesk — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:05:39 +0000

Ocean Spray, distributed by Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd (CCE), is expanding its range of products to meet growing consumer demand for natural, healthy drinks.

New Ocean Spray 100% Juices will be available in three variants; Cranberry Blend, Raspberry & Blackberry with Cranberry and Blueberry & Pomegranate with Cranberry, each containing blended 100% juice.

Products made from 100% juice have seen greater demand in recent years as consumers seek healthier products for themselves and their families, and four in ten new products now launched contain no additives or preservatives.

Ocean Spray 100% Juice is set to appeal to a broad range of consumer groups with every 250ml serving of containing one of five-a-day portions of fruit and 100% recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C.

Bruce Scott, Cross-Franchise Brands Senior Manager at Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd, commented:

“The launch of 100% Juice from Ocean Spray is exciting news for the still juice-based drinks category as it meets a number of high frequency occasions, as well as several consumer requirements including ‘100% juice’, ‘1 of 5 a day’ and ‘suitable for the family

“Ocean Spray occupies a unique position with consumers, providing a solution for the growing number of shoppers who are buying ‘healthier’ or ‘better for you’ products, and we’re certain the new range will be a big hit with current consumers whilst bringing new consumers into the category.”

In 2012 the Ocean Spray brand will be supported by a £7m marketing spend, including three TV advertising campaigns launching with Blueberry in February, then 100% Juice in May and the core range in the second half of the year, to build maximum awareness and encourage more people to trial the Ocean Spray range.

TROPICANA LAUNCHES NEW BREAKFAST CAMPAIGN

newsdesk — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:47:56 +0000

Tropicana is launching an integrated marketing campaign which will include a new television advert.

The substantial marketing investment and consumer engagement programme, aims to maximise opportunities for retailers.

The Brighter Mornings campaign includes a new 30-second TV creative which uses an array of early morning scenes to portray the journey from waking up to actually coming alive.

The advert positions Tropicana as “the perfect way to start your day” while reinforcing its natural credentials with the strapline ‘tap into nature’.

Peter Charles, PepsiCo marketing manager, said:

“The breakfast occasion is growing and as 57% of orange juice is consumed in the morning, it is vital for retailers to stock Tropicana, the nation’s favourite juice brand, to maximise the opportunity.

“Tropicana is already enjoyed in nearly 8 million households, and our new TV advertising campaign is set to drive even brighter sales.”

Tropicana is working in partnership with local retailers around Trafalgar Square to maximise this investment and squeeze the most from their breakfast sales through bespoke QR code technology, meal deals, POS material and sampling.

Retailers nationwide are encouraged to stock single serve bottles of Tropicana alongside products like Quaker Oat So Simple Pots to offer meal deals for the 55% of consumers who leave home without breakfast and are looking for solutions on the go .

By merchandising these deals effectively, retailers can drive linked purchase sales and increase basket spend for a brighter start every single day.

KERRYGOLD BRINGS BACK SOFTER BUTTER

newsdesk — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:43:06 +0000

Kerrygold has announced that it’s Softer Butter is back in 155 Sainsbury’s stores around the UK due to consumer demand.

Unlike most other spreadable butters which are made spreadable by the inclusion of vegetable oil, Kerrygold Softer Butter is 100% pure Irish butter, and combines the natural creamy taste of real butter, with the convenience of a spreadable.

Alison Palmer, Brand Marketing Controller for Kerrygold said:

“Consumers love the pure taste of Kerrygold Softer whether it is spread onto their toast, melted into a jacket potato or drizzled over vegetables.

“We are thrilled to announce this popular product is back and want to thank all our customers who got in touch with us and helped to get this product back in stores.”

Kerrygold Softer (250g) is now available in 155 Sainsbury’s stores nationwide with a RRP of £1.80.

For more information click here to visit the facebook page.

Just like all Kerrygold products, Kerrygold Softer is made from the milk of grass fed cows sourced only from the farms in their Irish Farmers’ Cooperative.

Many of their farms are small and family run and have often been in the family for generations.

The farmers have a key stake in the business, influence how it is run and ensure the standards of quality and purity are maintained.

WAITROSE UNVEILS NEW ‘YOU COUNT’ RANGE

newsdesk — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:11:32 +0000

Waitrose has extended its Love Life own-label range with new ‘You Count’ products taking pride of place on-pack, displaying the number of calories contained in each item.

The range extension, which launched into stores this week, consists of 64 products for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacking.

Waitrose says the aim of You Count is to help consumers cut their calorie consumption.

As part of the launch, Waitrose has posted meal plans online and in the supermarket’s Love Life magazine to help consumers stick to a daily target of 1,500 calories.

Waitrose nutritionist Joanne Lunn said:

“The range makes it really easy for you to keep track of the number of calories you are eating each day.”

The products, ranging from cereal bars to macaroni cheese, went on with introductory reductions of 20% to 25%.

KRAFT LAUNCHES NEW PHILADELPHIA WITH CADBURY

newsdesk — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:11:14 +0000

Kraft Foods has taken the Cadbury chocolate brand in a new direction, by combining it with cheese for the first time.

The company is bringing together two of its brands and launching Philadelphia with Cadbury, a chilled chocolate spread made from Philadelphia Light and Cadbury chocolate.

Kraft believes the new product has the potential to do very well and is targeting £10m in sales in the first year.

The new cheese and chocolate spread is being launched on 1 February and will be appear in the chilled dairy aisle next to plain Philadelphia Light.

It is launching in a 160g tub and a 120g four-pack of mini tubs, both with an rsp of £1.62.

Kraft is supporting the launch with a £3.2m marketing budget in 2012 and is targeting 2,000 tonnes in volume sales – equivalent to about £10m – in the first year.

If they reached this volume of sales, the new Philadelphia with Cadbury would have the same market value as Garlic & Herb, currently the biggest-selling flavour in the Philadelphia portfolio.

Kraft already offers chocolate variants of Philadelphia in Italy and Germany, using Milka chocolate and targeting the breakfast occasion.

In Germany, Philadelphia with Milka has generated €22.2m in sales since its October 2010 launch and has a 6.6% value share of the chocolate spread market.

Kraft Foods UK marketing manager Bruce Newman said:

“The UK product would be positioned as a snack.

“The breakfast market in countries such as Germany is more developed, and our consumer research firmly identified Philadelphia with Cadbury as a snack.”

WHO NEEDS HEALTH CLAIMS?

newsdesk — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:39:09 +0000

It’s seminar time again and we’re starting the new season with the topic that’s top-of-mind for the majority of us which is, of course, the New European Health Claims Regulations which will be effective in Quarter 4, just in time for Christmas!

Even the seemingly innocent products, without even a touch of health positioning about them, can have some healthy inference which shouldn’t be there.

Or looked at the other way, for some products we can say more about their benefits than we might think.

So with under twelve months to go we’re sure that you’re well ahead with re-vamped and maybe re-named brands, new packaging, re-written websites and updated messaging.

But our researchers tell us that as the legislation is unfolding we should have a cross-industry check-in to discuss the finer points of what we need to stop saying what we can keep saying and what we might want to start saying in relation to health and what you sell.

So we’ve asked regulatory expert Dr Nino Binns, and Nutrition Business guru Julian Mellentin to pull together a special briefing day which they will be co-chairing.

Called Who Needs Health Claims? it’s on Wednesday 21st March at our usual venue in Daventry Northants and we’ll be drawing on a whole raft of case studies to inspire us so that we’ll understand how to market healthy foods without health claims and how to make the most of the claims we can use.

We’re offering a 10% discount if you book before the end of January.

We’re also giving you an extra 20% off that price if two of you book on together at the same time, or even 30% if three of you want to make it a team event!

AGENDA

THE REGULATORY MAZE.
Dr Nino Binns Bsc (Co-Chair).
Consultant in nutrition & regulatory affairs.
• New Health Claims Regulations.
• When do we have to comply?
• What’s allowed and what is not?
• More to come – nutrient profiles.

WHO NEEDS HEALTH CLAIMS?
Julian Mellentin (Co-Chair).
MD, New Nutrition Business.
• Case studies galore for success with and without health claims.
• What can we learn from other markets.
• How to capitalise on opportunities – think out of the box.
• Regulatory perspectives – are they legal?

GAINS AND LOSSES IN THE HEALTH CLAIM ARENA.
Janice Harland, Director, HarlandHall Associates.
• Energy – just what can be claimed now?
• Digestive health – a marketing success story, but who are the winners for claims?
• What’s on the horizon for weight loss claims?
• Movement – muscle, bone and joint health – more than just calcium?
• Other key health/wellness areas from the Ten Top Trends.

THE ROLE OF PR IN COMMUNICATING HEALTH BENEFITS.
Caroline Cooper, Director Health, MSL London.
• Conveying health with or without a health claim.
• Driving the conversation – engagement, word of mouth, advocacy.
• Looking at case studies … what works.
• Top tips for a healthy PR campaign.

GLOBAL AND LOCAL PRODUCT & MARKET TRENDS.
David Jago, Global Insights Director, GNPD Mintel.
• Trends for new wellness products.
• Line extensions with/without health claims .
• Success of products without and without health and nutrition claims.
• Foods vs. supplements – where are the strong trends.
• Top Ten Trends – true for the UK?

RETAILERS, CATEGORIES, SHOPPERS AND CONSUMERS.
Ed Garner, Communications Director, Kantar Worldpanel.
• Do health claims drive sales?
• Who is buying what in the wellness market?
• Who is influenced by nutrition/health claims?

BRANDING FOR HEALTH CLAIMS.
Claire Nuttall, Director, 1HQ.
• Challenges facing name-changes.
• How to change your name and not lose your audience.
• Optimum branding for the next generation of health claims.

PLUS CASE STUDIES.
Fonterra – Graceful ageing – the ultimate trend.
Plus others to be confirmed.

PLUS.
• Three table team brainstormings so you can work with peers on how to take forward your new ideas.
• End of the day Q & A … a chance to pose your questions to the panel of experts.
• A chance to win a Magnum of Finest Champagne.

TIMINGS.
Doors open for early birds: 8:00 am
Breakfast for all from: 8:00 am
Seminar begins: 9:00 am
Coffee/Buffet Lunch/Tea: TBC
Seminar finishes: 4:45 pm latest

PRICE.
£425 + VAT.
(Don’t let the low price fool you, we’re a non commercial best practice club and run the best attended seminars in the industry).

DISCOUNTS.
10% early bird discount if you book on before the end of January.
IN ADDITION.
20% discount for booking two places at the same time.
30% discount for booking three places.

For more information or to book a place on this seminar, click here to visit the webpage.

FLORA RE-LAUNCHES FLORA ORIGINAL AND FLORA LIGHT

newsdesk — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:34:09 +0000

Flora, the spread brand from Unilever UK, is re-launching Flora Original and Flora Light, following a huge €35m investment into a new production facility.

The investment aims to further enhance both the taste and health credentials of the products.

The new cool-blending process preserves the natural goodness of the seeds used in the recipe producing a spread, packed with the goodness of Canola, Linseed and Sunflower.

Health and healthy eating is an increasing priority for shoppers who no longer accept products that have excellent nutritional values but lack flavour.

Alastair Mckerrow, brand manager for Flora in the UK, said:

“The growing consumer demand for healthy, delicious products led us to make the significant investment in Flora Original and Flora Light, with both new products comparing favourably on taste in consumer research as well as boasting 80% less saturated fat than butter.

“Currently Flora is the largest brand in the £1.2bn Butters and Spreads Market and grew 9% last year.

“With a household penetration of 53% in the UK we aim to grow the brand and category further by encouraging the use of Flora for spreading in sandwich occasions.

“In particular, we’ll be focusing on tapping into the lunchtime in-home and lunchbox sandwich occasions, where the opportunity for growth is strongest.”

The new Flora is available from January 2012 and will be in full distribution by the start of March 2012.

The new look pack has a colourful design in a bid to increase stand out on shelf and draw shoppers’ attention to the new improved Flora.

In addition to the investment into the production process, Flora is investing £10m in marketing spend for 2012 which will include a TV ad campaign launching in March and an MMS campaign to drive the use of Flora in sandwiches.

THE JUICE BREWERY ADDS BLACKCURRANT FLAVOUR TO ITS RANGE

newsdesk — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:25:55 +0000

The Juice Brewery is adding a new Blackcurrant flavour to its brewed zero alcohol adult soft drink range, Hopper Soft Brew.

Following the success and growing popularity of its existing Apple and Citrus varieties, a new Blackcurrant flavour will be launched from February 2012.

Hopper Soft Brew is the first ever brewed zero alcohol soft drink, made from malted barley and hops, fruit juices and spring water, which have been traditionally brewed, but the fermenting process halted before alcohol production takes place.

The result is a soft drink that is marketed at the adult palate.

Soft Brew zero alcohol soft drink

It also pours like a beer with a frothy head.

Tina Beattie, Chief Executive at The Juice Brewery commented:

“The UK take home market is a huge opportunity for Hopper Soft Brew, especially with the increasing trend for entertaining in the home and the growing popularity of fruit beers.

“We offer a unique proposition to non-drinkers, designated drivers and those who are looking for an authentic tasting adult soft drink and a change from the usual sweet and sickly alternatives.

“Our new Blackcurrant flavour will offer more consumer choice and bring a new audience to the growing Soft Brew category.”

Hopper Soft Brew, which contains less than 100 calories per 275ml bottle and no additives or preservatives, is available from Waitrose and will be stocked in Sainsbury’s from March 2012.

RRP is £1.26 per bottle.

HOVIS TO ROLL OUT NEW ON-PACK MESSAGE

newsdesk — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:21:06 +0000

Hovis are changing their bread packaging in a bid to leverage its distinct attributes – of the three major bread brands, only Hovis has 100% British wheat and no artificial preservatives.

The new packaging will include a consistent blue band to flag their work with Britain’s farmers to produce loaves with flour baked from 100% British Wheat and ‘no artificial preservatives’.

In addition the pack will now also incorporate elements of a union jack behind the Hovis logo to reinforce its British credentials.
Supporting the ‘Only Hovis’ message will be a £1m TV campaign which will run from 10 Feb to 31 March.

The TV adverts planned for the New Year will reprise the ‘Go on Lad’ ad featuring a young boy’s journey through time, highlighting quintessential British scenes such as the Queen’s Silver Jubilee, in a year which will be focused on British.

Sioned Winfield, Hovis Brand controller at Premier Foods, said:

“Hovis is the only major national bread brand that uses 100% British wheat and no artificial preservatives.

“This is a key differentiator and will make Hovis more competitive vs the other bread brands.

“We are going back on air with our iconic ‘Go on Lad’ to drive consumer awareness and urge retailers to take advantage of the profit opportunity this offers.”

The new pack design will be in store from mid December and the TV kicks off in February.

CAVIRO LAUNCHES ROMINO WINE RANGE INTO THE UK MARKET

newsdesk — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:15:46 +0000

Italy’s wine co-operative, Caviro, has announced the launch of its premium wine range, Romio, into Morrisons stores across the UK.

The Romio Chardonnay Grillo Sicilia IGT and the Sangiovese di Romagna DOC Superiore are classic Italian varietals that offer wine at a competitive price point (£6.49).

Caviro works with a select group of local producers from Italian regions to produce Romio Wines.

The co-operative uses its capabilities as a globally recognised producer, to offer these boutique Italian wines to markets such as the UK.

The quality of the Sangiovese di Romagna DOC Superiore, from the eastern coastal area of northern Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, was recognised with a ‘Silver Best in Class’ at the International Wine and Spirit Competition, 2011.

The Chardonnay Grillo Sicilia IGT is described as being “fresh and dry with flavours of ripe peaches and a buttery undertone and stands up exceptionally well to similar white wines at the same price point.”

Both Romio wines are available from January 2012 in Morrisons stores nationwide (RRP £6.49).

HEINZ LAUNCHES CUP SOUPS IN THE CONVENIENCE CHANNEL

newsdesk — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:09:32 +0000

Heinz, is bringing its new cup soup format – Heinz Squeeze & Stir – to the convenience channel.

Made from a concentrated purée, each recipe contains ‘one of your five a day’, has no artificial colours, flavours, preservatives or MSG and is low in fat.

The Heinz Squeeze & Stir range is available in lightweight, squeezable sachets, with a RRP of £0.59.

Made from a concentrated purée

Consumers need to squeeze the soup into a cup, add boiling water, stir and enjoy.

The range has been designed to provide a solution to a mid-morning or afternoon snack, as well as an accompaniment to a sandwich.

Available to convenience store retailers from the start of February, the Heinz Squeeze & Stir range includes the following varieties:

· Cream of Tomato (70g)
· Mediterranean Vegetable (70g)
· Cream of Tomato with Basil (70g)
· Minestrone (70g)

Matthew Cullum, Marketing Controller Heinz Soups, said:

“The Heinz Squeeze & Stir range, offers consumers the opportunity to prepare a delicious and nutritious snack in the time it takes to boil a kettle.

“The Squeeze & Stir range includes some of our most popular varieties and provides one of your five a day in each recipe.

“As Heinz Squeeze & Stir has been well received by consumers buying the major multiples, we hope launching this innovation in convenience stores will drive incremental sales for the category, as well as increasing sales for our retail partners.”

Heinz currently has a 38.9% value share of the total UK soup market which is worth £581.

Heinz continues to lead the wet ambient sector of the soup category (worth £325 million) with a value share of 68.6%.

The dry/instant soup sector is worth £91 million annually and is currently showing growth on a 52 week basis of 3.7%.

TETLEY UNVEILS NEW BLEND OF BOTH

newsdesk — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:07:45 +0000

New Tetley Blend of Both is a full flavoured everyday tea that tastes like a standard cuppa, but also includes all the natural benefits of green tea.

Green tea is reputed to offer many health benefits including boosting metabolic rate (which in turn can aid weight loss) and contains antioxidants which may help to fight free radicals and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

But green tea can be an acquired taste, so Tetley has developed ‘Blend of Both’ which offers the goodness of green tea, but with the taste of a regular tea bag.

And now Tetley Blend of Both is challenging the nation to “Simply Switch”: just swap three cups of standard tea a day for Blend of Both – and that’s the equivalent of drinking one cup of pure green tea.

Blend of Both is an everyday tea that tastes like a standard cuppa

And because consumers can drink it with or without milk, they will still get the feeling of a regular cup of tea.

Tetley Blend of Both is available in packs of 80 exclusively from Tesco, with an RRP of £2.55.

Visit www.tetley.co.uk for more information.

Tetley is a growing global tea brand with a presence in 70 countries around the world.

It is the market leader in the UK and Canada and in total 75 million cups of Tetley tea a day are drunk worldwide.