Consumers affected by the cost-of-living crisis are deciding to stay at home and enjoy the ‘Big Night In’ due to the increase in fuel, travel costs and increased prices in hospitality meals.
Consumers are also trying to replicate their ‘Big Night Out’ experience and plan their ‘Big Night In’ at home by investing into premium quality products and diverting their budget to meal deals.
The pandemic has led to consumers mastering their cocktail making skills – they have become accustomed to entertaining and inviting friends and family at home to create their own alcoholic beverages.
Bestway’s Marketing Insight has ‘Frozen’ as a key category where 1 in 4 convenience shoppers purchase Frozen Food as part of a shoppers’ missions for meals to include main meals, side solutions and sweets.
For the Big Night In, customers will be purchasing sharing bags and multi-packs of crisps and snacks.
Multi-pack cans, individual and large bottle sizes of beers to accommodate invited guests and are convenient to have in stock when entertaining at home.
“It will be beneficial to increase footfall to site complementary BNI products such as complementary snacks and drinks as part of a meal deal,” comments Kenton Burchell, Trading Director at Bestway Wholesale.
There has been a growth in own label brands with customers comparing prices of branded and own label products due to the cost-of-living crisis.
Consumers will be focused on the value for money products rather than the quantity.
They will continue to use online services such as food home delivery services due to the cost increase in fuel and travel.
Consumers will also consider purchasing premium products as an indulge mission.
“At Bestway, we ensure that our category tools support our retailers to stock the Must Stock lines that are available to purchase in our depots,” adds Burchell. “We made recommendations for convenient solutions, everyday meal favourites with an additional ‘make a meal of it’ section such as vegetables, chips and sides, as well as finishing touches such as desserts.”
Bestway has marketing brochures available for retailers and customers visiting depots to introduce best lines and promotional deals.
The company also uses POS banners and shelf talkers to show visibility of product lines and promotion throughout the depots.
“Wholesalers should attract retailers by having promotional deals and promotions,” says Burchell. They should work with suppliers to get the best deals to give value for money to retailers and customers.
“Have a robust B2B eCommerce platform to cater for customers’ needs and feed information on product updates, special promotions, seamless ordering process. Create campaigns and events that will make it an enjoyable customer experience when they visit the depot.”
Calli O’Brien, Head of Marketing at Aston Manor Cider, comments: “It’s worth noting that the UK is sensibly planning for tough times ahead. Consumer confidence in the UK is currently at a record low, even lower than the 2008 global financial crisis. This paints a grim picture of the UK public’s mood and as a result, decision making around expenditure is being heavily impacted.”
With this in mind, it is no surprise that 72% of UK households are now impacted by the rising costs of food and drink (Levercliff). 1.3m households are at risk of falling below the poverty line, as analysts report that household costs for families with two children have risen by £400 a month.
“The reality is we are all making savings to varying extents,” adds O’Brien. “Not just to make ends meet, but to also be able to afford the things we value most.”
While this year has caused many to pay more attention to what they are spending their hard-earned money on, it is worth remembering that the average consumer was feeling the pinch even before 2022. Since Covid hit, the number of financially constrained consumers has risen from 23% to 59% (Nielsen).
“Aston Manor’s ethos is all around affordability,” says O’Brien. “We are here for shoppers, helping them to save with our affordable cider, allowing them to focus their spend on what really matters. Our range provides shoppers with an affordable solution, without trading down on quality, so they can be assured they are not compromising when needing to spend a little less cash on cider.”
Larger multi-packs are important to ensure shoppers can keep their home supply stocked up. Product packs such as the Pint cans in Crumpton Oak‘s four-pack, prove popular but also enable consumers to keep their supply stocked up with hygienic single-serve options.
“A third of shoppers only ever buy cider in cans so it is important wholesalers stock both bottles and cans to provide choice for retailers to offer to consumers,” O’Brien continues. “Frosty Jack’s and Crumpton Oaks Cider come in both pack formats and we recommend wholesalers dual stock plastic bottled products alongside cans, to help retailers attract more customers into stores.”
Elise Hockridge, Kopparberg Customer Marketing Manager, comments: “With disposable income stretched, we expect to see more at home occasions. However, as consumers will still be looking to treat
themselves, these occasions will be elevated with consumers looking to emulate their favourite On-Trade experiences. As a result, considering which brands to back and which promotions to run when preparing for Big Night In events is key.”
At a product level, premium brands such as Kopparberg are expected to become even more important to this, mirroring the success seen for the brand in lockdown, where Kopparberg’s growth accounted for half of all that was seen in fruit cider (IRI). For consumers, Kopparberg is the UK’s most loved BWS brand among 18–34-year-olds (Savanta), and as a result helps support consumer confidence in an uncertain financial time as the brand is worth paying more for in events such as Big Night In.
“Big Night In offers consumers the opportunity to recreate the experience of eating and drinking at restaurants and bars, for this reason, a range of pack sizes are important to the event,” adds Hockridge. “The 500ml category allows consumers the opportunity to bring excitement to their drinking occasion through trial, where bigger packs allow them to make a night of their Big Night In and recreate the same experience that a night out would. The recommendation would be to merchandise a variety of pack sizes from bestselling brands within the event space to satisfy the needs of customers with varying budgets.”
Kopparberg is the UK’s bestselling fruit cider brand (IRI) with Kopparberg Strawberry & Lime being the UK’s favourite closely followed by Mixed Fruit (IRI). 2021 saw the introduction of Kopparberg Mixed Fruit Tropical, which has cemented itself as the third bestselling flavour (IRI) and offers a tropical twist on a classic.
Tim Dunlop, Brand Director at Hammonds, comments: “RTDs fit perfectly into the big night in occasion and the category has been revitalised in the last few years. At-home consumption during the pandemic encouraged innovation and new entries and this trend has continued since. Premium cocktails at home is a trend that is here to stay and consumers are looking for simple, versatile cocktail serves that bring excitement to evenings in, and the colourful BuzzBallz Cocktails range is a fantastic option.”
The RTD category has moved away from a fairly one dimensional ‘alcopops’ type of offering and has become much more developed and multi-dimensional, with seltzer, gin / vodka tonic mixer drinks at relatively low ABV offerings at one end, and more serious bar quality offerings at the other.
“Ultimately RTDs offer convenience and consistency which suits the big night in opportunity,” adds Dunlop.
Adrian Hipkiss, Marketing and International Business Director at Boost Drinks, comments: “Energy is the largest soft drink category in the independent channel (IRI) and with £1 in every £3 spent on soft drinks being spent on an energy drink (IRI), making it an incredibly exciting space to operate in. When taking a closer look into the energy sub-categories, it’s the Energy Stimulation drinks which play a significant role in contributing to the growth of the soft drinks category, growing +14% YoY (IRI), and accounting for 26% of all Soft Drink value sales (IRI).”
The past two years of restrictions has seen a shift in energy drink shopping habits. As the nation travelled less and stayed home more, on-the-go consumption became ever so prominent, resulting in a growing consumer demand for 1litre and multi-pack take home formats. Despite restrictions now easing and footfall rising, take home products continue to be a huge growth opportunity for retailers as shoppers continuously seek ready-to-drink, on-the-go energy quality options at everyday value prices (Cousins Davis).
Boost is the only brand operating in 4 functional drink categories – Energy Stimulation, Sports Drinks, RTD Iced Coffee and Protein Shakes (IRI) and within the energy stimulation category, it’s the third largest brand (IRI). Boost Original is available in 1litre, 500ml and Boost’s leading SKU, the 250ml Original Energy. This range of options and pack sizes allows consumers to rely on the brand and purchase a Boost that suits every occasion, whether on the move or stocking up to enjoy at home.
To boost this growth even further, flavours in energy now account for 38% of Stimulation sales (IRI) and have increased 48% vs. 2020 (IRI), showing that there’s a significant thirst for a range of flavour variants to suit all tastes. Boost Red Berry is the largest selling 250ml Stimulation Flavour SKU (IRI), however considering the fact that 39% of Stimulation shoppers actually make their purchase based on flavour (Cousins Davis) alone, it’s important to stock a variety of flavours rather than relying on one or two.
“Overall, to maximise on profits retailers should prioritise stocking Boost as a leading brand within the soft drink growth category, especially as a brand that provides a diverse range of pack formats, flavours and take-home offerings, ensuring retailers can meet the needs of their core consumer groups,” adds Hipkiss.
Matt Smith, Marketing Director for Tayto Group, comments: “Shoppers in Convenience are concerned that they will pay inflated prices for shopping locally and PMPs assure them that this isn’t the case. An additional benefit is that it makes it quicker for shoppers on a ‘grab and go’ mission as they don’t have to search for a shelf ticket – the price is right there on the pack.”
The success of PMPs is borne out by their dominance of savoury snack sales in Symbols & Independents as Smith explains, “With PMPs accounting for over half of snack sales, they are essential for independent retailers to showcase the great value available locally.”
Big bag formats are always a must-stock for the big night out market. £1 PMP packs have been growing twice as fast as the market (+18.9% vs +9.6%, IRI). £1 PMPs have been a roaring success which is why Golden Wonder is committed to offering great value at this must-stock pricepoint.
Last year – in its 75th year – Golden Wonder continued to go from strength to strength by delivering on the brand promise of ‘more punch per crunch’ with Golden Wonder’s £1 PMP Snacks range outperforming the market (+35% vs +21%) and Transform-A-Snack being the star performer (+62%, IRI).
£1 PMP Sharing Crisps continued powering ahead (+38%, IRI). Golden Wonder’s £1 PMP premium range of unique flavours – Mature Cheddar and Spring Onion; Chargrilled Steak and Crispy Smoked Bacon –performed strongly, delivering more than double the sales of the previous flavours (IRI).
“This success is based on offering great branded value on great-tasting products and we are committed to stick with this winning formula – especially during this cost-of-living crisis that challenges retailers as well as consumers,” says Smith. “We recently invested in speaking to some independent retailers to find out from them how to best support the independent retail sector and seek their views on the importance of PMPs, pack sizes, key price marks, POS, etc.”
Tayto has listened to this feedback and used it to shape its plans for the all-important £1 PMP which is under intense pressure from inflation. The majority of independent retailers Tayto spoke to were clear that they would rather stick with a £1 PMP with less weight, than keep the pack weight and increase the price to £1.25 (Plum Ideas). Based on this feedback, and the fact that its £1 PMP snacks range is outperforming the market, Golden Wonder will be sticking to £1 PMPs as the brand is committed to continue offering great value to consumers and market-leading margins for retailers in an increasingly challenging retail market.
Susan Nash, Trade Communications Manager at Mondelez International, comments: “In the past two years we’ve seen a significant shift as shopper dynamics have changed, impacting the buying habits of certain formats. Impulsive on-the-go snacking purchases dropped as shoppers stocked up on bigger packs and looked for treats they could enjoy at home, particularly from those brands they know and love. Chocolate sharing formats, like bags and tablets, are an important part of a retailer’s range when it comes to the Big Night In occasion, so wholesalers should ensure to have them stocked too.”
Oreo is playing a pivotal role in recruiting new shoppers through appealing to families, with 50% of its audience being under 45. Elsewhere, Ritz, the number one savoury biscuit brand, continues to provide a versatile snack great for sharing and nibbling, while offering more options for consumers looking for an alternative to crisps.
Mondel?z International has brought back its Win a Day in Their Boots promotion for the second year, offering chocolate-loving football fans even more amazing experiences through its Cadbury FC platform. Running from January to March across hundreds of Cadbury packs, the Win a Day in Their Boots campaign aims to boost retailers’ sales after Christmas. This year, the campaign returns with new prizes for 2023 which will get fans even closer to the action.
Up for grabs are a VIP hospitality match day and a stadium tour; a training day with club coaches and full training kit for the winner and a group of friends; or meeting a football legend with a behind the scenes day. And new for 2023, there’s also hundreds of instant win General Admission match tickets to a selection of great games.
The 2023 Win a Day in Their Boots campaign is live now in partnership with Arsenal FC, Chelsea FC, Liverpool FC, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, reaching an estimated 35 million football followers across social media.
Swizzels will be running their successful Big Night In campaign for a fourth year offering one lucky retailer a chance to win a cash prize of £1,000 when they buy any three cases from the Swizzels hanging bag range. The range includes Curious Chews, Minions Tropical Chew Bars, Drumstick Choos, Refreshers Choos, Luscious Lollies and Scrumptious Sweets. To enter the competition, retailers need to upload their invoice or receipt via the QR code or on www.swizzels.com/tradecomp. The competition opens on 1 February and closes on 30 April.
As the cost-of-living crisis continues to be a major concern for most British households, at home family and social occasions are growing in importance. With over 53% of consumers reducing spending to pay their bills, value-for-money confectionery continues to be a hugely popular choice for shoppers.
Mark Walker, Sales Director at Swizzels, said: “The Big Night In is now a firmly established trend that shows no signs of slowing down. We anticipate that more people will choose to socialise at home at the beginning of 2023 due to rising costs. Our hanging bags contain a selection of well-loved sweets with something for everyone, making them the ideal product to share on a Big Night In.”
As part of Swizzels’ Big Night In campaign there will be impactful POS displays for cash and carries, wholesalers and retailers, as well as marketing support across customers own trade channels.
Aditi Hilgers, Marketing Manager, Old El Paso, comments: “Old El Paso has been on a mission to bring loved ones together through delicious and fun Mexican meals since 1938. Today, we’re the number one brand in World Foods and outperforming the Mexican category (Nielsen), with our share the highest it’s been in two years at 59.6% (+5.8 ppts vs. LY, Nielsen). We also have the strongest repeat rate (54%) of all major brands (Nielsen).”
The importance of togetherness continues to be an important theme for the Big Night In occasion. Cuisines which encourage people to connect over the dinner table and elevate the standard mid-week meal remain popular, especially as consumers look to socialise and connect with friends and family away from restaurants and pubs to off-set rising costs.
Economic uncertainty and the rising cost of living is causing shoppers to search for ways to save money, with 44% more consumers now eating both main meals at home (Kantar).
“This means that at-home meal occasions will be even more crucial for connecting,” adds Hilgers. “Old El Paso is fun, tasty, informal, and designed for sharing – ideal for connection – and we know that, as a brand, we remain strongly associated with triggers related to shared moments with friends and family.”
Mexican is 32% more likely to feature in “together time” evening meals’(Kantar); it sparks conversation as people pass dishes and can be customised to everyone’s individual taste – so it’s a great experience for everyone! In fact, sitting down to eat Mexican triggers more laughter (+5 pts versus regular dinners) and encourages families to turn off the TV (+6 pt. versus other dinners). It’s the perfect opportunity to get round the table for true quality time.
Old El Paso is encouraging the ritualisation of Mexican with its campaign Fajita Friday. After weekdays and weekends started to merge due to various lockdowns, Fajita Friday was designed to help families, households and friends reclaim that Friday feeling. The campaign kicked off last year across radio, influencers & social, and encouraged consumers to take part in their own end-of-week fiesta with fajitas, family, and fun.
“Across convenience and even within wholesale, aligning to and amplifying the ‘Meal for tonight’ Mission is key. Our in-store activations are normally centred around key times of the year for us, such as Veganuary or the Back-to-School period. These will align with our promotional periods and consumer hot spots,” says Hilgers.
“Cross merchandising across a category like World Foods works well with shoppers. We’ve seen great success when retailers pair complementary categories in bundle deals, for example a fresh chicken and an Old El Paso Fajita Kit bundle has previously delivered +400% uplift vs base sales (IRI).”
Over the last year, independent stores’ sales of Old El Paso have grown +39.6% (Nielsen), mainly via the wholesale channel. Many World Food purchases are impulsive, so high visibility for Mexican, like POS activations and promotions, can drive increased sales in store.
POS like a flat pack free standing display unit is a great solution to help drive visibility whilst being mindful of the limited space available in most stores.
The Old El Paso Tortilla Pockets range has been extended with a new Smoky BBQ variant. The SKU combines first-to-market, sealed bottom wraps with the brand’s classic and best-selling smoky BBQ flavour profile and was designed to build on the outstanding success of the Old El Paso Tortilla Pockets range.
Old El Paso Tortilla Pockets are truly anchored in resolving a consumer pain point around ‘mess’ in Mexican and make the meal experience easier than ever. The platform has been a huge success, hitting £8.8M RSV sales in its first 18 months (Nielsen). In fact, Tortilla Pockets Mild Kit and Tortilla Pockets Carriers are two of the top four sellers in all World Foods NPD (Nielsen).
Consumers are using Pockets for more than just a Mexican meal, and it’s this versatility of usage that is one of the key reasons why they’re 60% incremental to the category (Nielsen).
A Penasul spokesperson comments: “The cost-of-living crisis has hit many consumers and families from three or four directions at once: as prices rise and earning power shrinks. For some families that means choosing to socialise and eat together at home. But that has an impact on the family restaurants and staff who work so hard to serve their communities.
“However you socialise, we all need to eat, and to share food with those we love. So whether people are dining out, ordering in or cooking at home, at Seara we pride ourselves on providing the protein that people rely on more than any other: chicken. Our promise is that our chicken will always be tasty, high quality and priced as competitively as possible, to help people stay fed and healthy through these uncertain times.”
Seara’s biggest seller is its chicken chunks which are tasty, healthy, high quality and extremely versatile. The products can be added to almost any dish, be it a casserole, curry or stir fry.
Based on the enduring popularity of its chicken chunks, Seara has developed chicken mini-chunks – for meals, recipes and consumers who require smaller pieces of chicken.
Seara has also been inspired by the popularity of the Japanese dish, karaage. So the brand has developed a karaage range which can be delivered to restaurants or enjoyed at home.
Amy Burgess, Senior Trade Communications Manager at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), comments: “We expect big nights in will continue to be a key opportunity for retailers for the remainder of the winter months and as we move into spring and summer, particularly as shoppers continue to manage through challenging economic conditions. Occasions like this bring friends and families together – whether it’s for a sophisticated evening meal or a relaxed movie night.”
Enjoy with Food and Enjoy Socialising are two of the key growth drivers of CCEP’s Refresh Tomorrow soft drinks category vision – which identified an opportunity for further soft drinks sales growth over the next three years. These at-home occasions took off at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, but with the rising cost of living now a part of everyday life, they’re likely to continue as some people manage spend on luxuries.
UK consumers are increasingly looking to adopt healthier and sustainable diets, with 58% open to changing their eating habits (IGD). That’s why CCEP identified it as one of the key drivers to unlock growth within the soft drinks category in its Refresh Tomorrow category vision. And the restrictions on HFSS products has added extra emphasis on the importance of low and no sugar options.
Soft drinks is far ahead of other HFSS-impacted categories when it comes to sugar reduction. 73% of value sales already come from HFSS-compliant products (Kantar) – significantly more than other impacted categories. And that means there is a big opportunity to upweight low and no sugar variants of soft drinks as they can be displayed at the front of store, near the till point and on aisle ends of larger format stores.
Since 2015, through reformulation, CCEP has reduced sugar across its portfolio by more than 25%, and has introduced low and zero (non-HFSS impacted) variants from nearly all of its brands. As a result, 86% all our soft drink brand ranges are non-HFSS. This includes Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Fanta.
The rise in at-home mixing during lockdown has continued. Nearly half (47%) of UK consumers who were drinking cocktails at home during lockdown said they would continue to do so, while 8% planned to mix their own drinks at home more often (CGA). As such, it is more important than ever for retailers to offer a strong and varied mixers range.
Schweppes – the number one mixers brand in convenience (Nielsen) – offers a range of options for all tastes and occasions. Alongside the renowned Schweppes Tonic Water, it also includes Schweppes Slimline Tonic, as well as flavoured variants such as Schweppes Slimline Elderflower and Pink Soda. These are ideal for those looking for an accompaniment to flavoured spirits or experimenting with at-home cocktails.
“Soft drinks are often a big part of nights in, adding a sense of occasion for those choosing not to drink alcohol, or to be used as mixers,” adds Burgess. “It is important to focus on key soft drink segments including Cola, lemonade, flavoured carbonates and mixers and top performing brands within these.”
CCEP’s range provides options to suit all needs, including products like Coca-Cola. The biggest soft drinks brand in GB continues to drive growth in grocery and convenience, led by Coca-Coca Zero Sugar (the fastest-growing major cola brand in retail, up 12.5% in value, Nielsen). It also includes Fanta, the number one flavoured carbonates brand in volume and value (Nielsen), and Schweppes, the number one mixers brand in convenience (Nielsen).
Rachel Wells, UK Sales Director, St Pierre Groupe, comments: “The cost-of-living crisis is likely to benefit Big Night In sales over the course of 2023. During the pandemic, people couldn’t eat out like they were used to doing, which has resulted in a trend towards premium brands overall. That’s been good news for wholesalers and their retailer customers, because it’s meant bigger spends and margins for entertaining at home, and this remains true in the current climate as people become more discerning with their spending. At St Pierre Groupe, we pride ourselves on offering premium brands and consistent quality, with extended shelf life that guarantees availability and reduces wastage for retailers and the wholesalers who supply them.”
St Pierre Groupe is the fastest growing bakery supplier in the top 10 and is the fifth largest bakery supplier in the UK, with sales growing 27 per cent year on year (Nielsen). In rolls, a key component of the Big Night In, total sales for St Pierre Groupe have grown 84 per cent in the last 12 weeks, to over 10 per cent of the total (Nielsen). The company’s focus remains on investing in additional capacity to maximise sales performance.
“We recommend offering a variety of complementary products, that allow shoppers to ‘elevate’ their regular offering to something a little more special,” adds Wells. “Bakery products that provide long-life, multi-pack formats, like those from St Pierre and Baker Street, can also help to reduce food waste, which is key for retailers and operators alike.”
The St Pierre Groupe brand portfolio includes number one brioche brand, St Pierre, long life bakery name, Baker Street and part-baked category leader, Paul Hollywood. Its brands all benefit from extended life which has boosted success in the wholesale sector, allowing retailers and operators to navigate unpredictable shopping and dining habits – guaranteeing availability and reducing wastage.
“The bakery category is fast-moving and ever-changing,” says Wells. “We invest a huge amount in research and insight so that we can be helpful to wholesalers, and we take notes on what the competition is doing. As a sector, it’s dynamic and we are leading the way, trying new things and working in partnership with our customers to get the best results.”
St Pierre Groupe also offers promotions to help enhance sales during certain times of the year, as well as liaising with customers on case sizes, so the company can remain agile to meet their needs. This also enables St Pierre Groupe to ensure that the formats work across multiple sectors, including retail and foodservice.
“The industry continues to face challenges, but we work closely with our retail, wholesale and foodservice partners to alleviate concerns around supply chain volatility, availability and demand – despite the turbulence caused by the current climate – amongst other things,” continues Wells. “Since the beginning of 2021, we have focused on supporting the wholesale sector with our core ranges. This approach has not only improved the overall performance of our brands, but more importantly, it’s ensured that our wholesale partners have a reliable supply of quality bakery products.”
Current economic pressures mean consumers are cutting back on going out, and the Big Night In occasion is becoming more prominent, with consumers recreating their favourite restaurant meals at home. This accelerated the rise of gourmet burgers and hot dogs, and ‘fakeaway’ meals, which won’t slow down in the present climate.
Burger Buns and Hot Dog Rolls are a key player in the Rolls subcategory, which has seen volume sales hold steady in a difficult year but starting to edge upwards in the last 12 weeks (Nielsen).
St Pierre Groupe prides itself on offering premium brands and consistent quality, with extended life that guarantees availability and reduces wastage for retailers and operators alike.
Josh Corrigan, Senior National Account Manager at St Pierre Groupe comments on behalf of the St Pierre brand: “In the wholesale channel, St Pierre Brioche and Seeded Brioche Burger Buns are our best-selling products, offering consumers a simple way to elevate the everyday at-home – be it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. St Pierre is the UK’s fastest growing bakery brand, up 72 per cent annually (Nielsen), a large part of which is down to our products’ versatility.
St Pierre’s Brioche Hot Dog Rolls are also in triple digit growth, up 151 per cent versus last year (Nielsen). The brand is maintaining sales year-round, and beyond the ‘traditional’ peak season.
The St Pierre brand, which is designed to help elevate the everyday, is a simple yet effective way for consumers to upgrade their bread carrier. The St Pierre Brioche Burger Buns – Plain and Seeded – and Hot Dog Rolls are performing incredibly well, and their combined value sales have grown 83 per cent in the last year (Nielsen). The St Pierre brand now has its 4-pack brioche burger bun and hot dog roll products featuring in the Top 12 value rankings. All pre-sliced for convenience and benefiting from an extended shelf life to help reduce in and out of home wastage, the range has seen an increase of 99 per cent in the last 12 weeks and 137 per cent in the last 4 weeks, as it caters to the current consumer trends (Nielsen Value Sales – L52 Weeks Sept 24th, 2022).
Mark Frossell, Commercial Manager at St Pierre Groupe, comments on behalf of Baker Street: “The Baker Street brand is in growth over all time periods, following new distribution. The resulting increase in consumer awareness spills over into brand awareness in independent retailers, and in turn wholesalers, making the Baker Street brand a must-stock for when it comes to the Big Night In. Sales of Baker Street’s range of Burger Buns and Hot Dog Rolls grew 22 per cent in the last 4 weeks (Nielsen Value Sales – L52 Weeks Sept 24th, 2022), and the brand is clearly on an upwards trajectory.”
The Burger Buns and Hot Dog Rolls, which are cleverly packed to stay fresher for longer, are performing well as they meet consumer needs around creating impromptu take away classics which can be easily handled, whilst helping to reduce food waste. They also cater for the whole family and multiple meal occasions – a very attractive proposition for those wanting to make their food go further.
Jen Danby, Marketing Director at St Pierre Groupe, comments on behalf of Paul Hollywood: “Consumer behaviour has inevitably shifted after the last two years, accelerating trends that remain relevant in the current economic climate. This includes shoppers ‘trading up’ on their usual staples to something more premium, like part-baked bread – particularly when they’re enjoying a Big Night In.”
Sales of part-baked breads soared during the lockdowns as people looked to elevate their mealtimes into something special. Since restrictions lifted, sales of part-baked bread have declined slightly by 10 per cent over the last year but are back in value growth in the last 4 weeks (Nielsen).
As consumers adjust to the current economic conditions, people are still looking to add a premium twist to their meals, whether that be breakfast, lunch or dinner, or informal entertaining on a Big Night In. The Paul Hollywood Ready to Bake range can be tailored to suit any mealtime, from sharing boards to an accompaniment alongside a main meal. It also appeals to those who are looking to serve fresh bread, but don’t want to make it from scratch, offering convenience and versatility.
Convenient pack formats that cater for impromptu meal occasions are crucial for maximising Big Night In purchases. The Paul Hollywood Ready to Bake range includes Crusty Rolls four pack, Multi-Seed Rolls four pack and Rustic Rolls four pack. Their extended shelf life also means that you can cater for smaller households who are looking to add something special to their Big Night In.
The bestselling Paul Hollywood products are the Ready to Bake White Crusty Rolls, Rustic Rolls and Multi-Seed Rolls, which make up three of the top four branded part-baked breads (Nielsen). The Paul Hollywood Ready to Bake range continues to perform well thanks to their high quality and great taste. They can be used alongside a host of Big Night In dishes, or as a carrier for gourmet sandwiches.
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