How is the UK popcorn category performing?
Popcorn is an exciting category, worth £179m and performing particularly strongly in sharing, the largest occasion in CSN. Evening Sharing occasions are growing +7% YOY1, with Butterkist over-indexing in this area specifically2.
The popcorn segment is already synonymous with the ‘Big Night In’ sharing occasion whether it’s a movie experience or a simple family night at home, and Butterkist, the nation’s number one popcorn brand, is the category leader and the perfect sweet treat to accompany any sharing occasion.
With 64% of consumers now having a regular ‘Big Night In’, popcorn represents a critical opportunity to drive category and retailer sales, as this trend shows no signs of slowing.
What are the major category drivers?
Worth £2bn, Sharing is the largest segment in CSN and is growing3.
At-home sharing occasions are on the rise, with in-home consumption occasions up +10% this year4, representing a major driver for category sales for popcorn as a popular, go-to snack for in-home occasions. The Butterkist range features classic flavours including Crunchy Toffee Popcorn, the best-selling branded popcorn SKU in the UK, perfect for at-home sharing moments whether it’s time together at home in front of the TV or cosying up for a mid week movie night.
How is the Butterkist brand performing?
Butterkist is the nation’s number one popcorn brand, capturing nearly a third of the market overall, with a share of 31.8%3. Our performance remains strong, with core SKUs like Butterkist Salted and Butterkist Sweet & Salty both growing +4.3% YOY3.
At almost twice the size of the nearest branded competitor, Butterkist is synonymous with great quality popcorn and is also famous for its long-standing connection with movie moments and the nation’s go-to popcorn for film nights.
Tell us about the second part of the Wicked partnership this year. What kind of activity will the partnership include?
We’re really excited to be collaborating with Universal Pictures again by partnering with Wicked: For Good, the epic conclusion to what has quickly become a global cinematic phenomenon.
Through the partnership, all Butterkist core flavours across sharing, microwave and PMP packs feature an exciting on-pack promotion offering consumers the chance to win a family trip to experience the Northern Lights. Hundreds of Wicked: For Good x Butterkist themed prizes, including branded popcorn buckets and water bottles, are also available. The partnership and on-pack promotion are also being supported by a robust marketing plan.
How can wholesalers best capitalise on the popcorn category?
Wholesalers can maximise their popcorn sales by stocking the right range of best-sellers for retailers to shop. This means ensuring availability of top-performing SKUs like Butterkist Crunchy Toffee.
As well as stocking the right flavours, wholesalers need to focus on key formats like price-marked packs (PMPs). With 73% of snack shoppers saying value for money is a key consideration5, and 62% of retailers confirming PMPs increase sales6, ensuring a strong PMP offering will help wholesalers meet retailer demand while capitalising on this high-performing format.
To drive engagement and take advantage of trends and major cultural moments, wholesalers should also make the most of promotions like our Wicked: For Good partnership. Promotional packs should be clearly displayed in depots to drive purchase.
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