With the Six Nations kicking off in early February, there is a significant opportunity for retailers to capitalise on the excitement around the tournament and those planning to watch games at home with friends and family. Last year’s Calcutta Cup fixture between England and Scotland attracted 8.7 million viewers, highlighting the opportunity for retailers and wholesalers to grow their sales.
They should make sure their Six Nations offering contains a broad range of products that meets the demands of this more varied audience base and look at how they can create excitement with their displays.
This might include meal deals or bundles with drinks and snacks so fans can get everything they need for the big game in one go.
“Having a strong beer and cider range that offers something for everyone will be key during the tournament,” comments Kevin Fawell, Off-Trade Sales Director at Molson Coors Beverage Company. “Ales are popular among rugby fans so wholesalers should make sure they’re well stocked with options like Sharp’s Doom Bar, the number one amber ale in the UK (IRI), ahead of big fixtures. Last year we launched ten-can fridge packs of Doom Bar, which are perfect for groups gathering to watch the games together.”
Carling, the number one lager brand in Great Britain (IRI), has been synonymous with sport for years, which means it will be in high demand during big games. Wholesalers should make sure they are well prepared to meet hikes in demand at peak times.
“Alongside core lager, wholesalers should also make sure they are stocked up to cater to the ongoing trends towards world lager, catering to those looking for something more premium to enjoy while watching the rugby,” adds Fawell.
To tap into this wider trend, Molson Coors teamed up with La Sagra Brewery near Madrid to create Madrí Excepcional, a crisp, clean and refreshing lager that captures “El alma de Madrid” or “The Soul of Madrid”, which rolled out in the off-trade earlier this year.
Madrí Excepcional delivered the highest value sales of any alcohol brand in its first year following launch since CGA On Premise records began (CGA). This momentum has continued in the off-trade and it has already delivered £32m value sales in retail in the UK (IRI).
Continental-style pilsners such as Staropramen are becoming increasingly popular too, providing a more crisp and hoppy flavour than the styles we traditionally drink in the UK, so will also be a popular choice for those watching the rugby at home.
There will still be plenty of consumers looking to moderate their drinking, and low-and-no beers and ciders can offer something to enjoy during big games. Molson Coor’s low-and-no range offers something for everyone, with lager (Cobra Zero), cider (Rekorderlig Alcohol Free) and ale (Doom Bar Zero).
“Multipacks should be at the heart of your range ahead of any big sporting event as people gather to watch games together,” says Fawell.
Molson Coors expanded its offering of multipacks across more of its most popular lines, including six-can packs of Staropramen, ten-can fridge packs of Sharp’s Doom Bar and most recently new four-can packs of Sharp’s Atlantic Pale Ale, to help retailers cater to this demand. All of these packs are encased in a recyclable cardboard sleeve, making them entirely plastic free.
Amy Burgess, Senior Trade Communications Manager at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), comments: “International tournaments attract mainstream viewers in a way that even Premiership Rugby doesn’t, and even if people are just using the game as an excuse to have a get-together with friends, it’ll still needs catering for. This is what we mean when we talk about the ‘Enjoy Socialising’ growth driver in our Refresh Tomorrow soft drinks category vision – which identifies an opportunity to drive sales growth over the next three years.”
CCEP expects big nights in will continue to be a key opportunity for retailers during the Six Nations, particularly as shoppers continue to manage through challenging economic conditions. Occasions like this bring friends and families together.
“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-Cola Zero Sugar (the fastest growing cola brand, Nielsen) and Fanta, the number one flavoured carbonates brand in GB (Nielsen).
Mixers like Schweppes – the number one mixers brand in convenience (Nielsen) – and adult soft drinks like Appletiser also have a role to play, providing a sparkling alternative to alcohol during matchdays and social gatherings.
“They can also look at creating rugby-themed displays to build excitement in-store in the run up to the tournament, and cross-merchandising soft drinks with complementary categories like snacks so customers can pick up everything they need for a Six Nations party all in one go,” says Burgess.
Lauren Priestley – Head of Category Development Off Trade at Diageo, comments: “There is a fantastic opportunity for the off-trade to capitalise on the Six Nations tournament by stocking high-quality drinks across several categories which lend themselves to sporting moments.”
Beer is high-performing in the off-trade – in fact, both lager and stout are experiencing growth (Nielsen). The beer category is a must-stock during sporting occasions as people may be planning to watch the tournament at home with friends. To maximise this opportunity, it is worthwhile paying attention to the brands and the formats which lend themselves to these moments.
Guinness, for example, is a high-quality and trusted beer choice, and is the is the no. 1 stout brand in Great Britain (Nielsen). With this in mind, Diageo suggests leveraging Guinness’ brand recognition and stocking a variety of different products within the portfolio. Stocking iconic Guinness Draught in a can (4% ABV) alongside other products within the portfolio, such as Guinness Foreign Extra Stout (7.5% ABV) or Guinness Cold Brew Coffee Beer (4% ABV) – the latest addition to the Guinness portfolio – can encourage current drinkers of Guinness to enjoy the brew at home, as well as welcome new adult-drinkers to try the famous stout.
When it comes to beer, stocking a range of formats will be important when encouraging sales. For example, 330ml bottles are great for trial whereas 4-packs and 10-packs are perfect for sharing. That being said, this does not mean that other formats should be disregarded. For example, retailers can drive incremental sales by encouraging people to trade up from a 440ml can to a 538ml format. Guinness has a new 538ml ‘pint can format’ option – also available as a PMP (price-marked-pack) – perfect for adults who enjoy Guinness in the on-trade and are looking to enjoy the stout at home.
“Over the last couple of years, many consumers found ways to create memorable moments at home and we can expect this to continue,” adds Priestley. “The Six Nations tournament presents a fantastic opportunity for wholesalers to tap into the at-home occasion by leveraging a spirits range.”
There is continuing innovation from flavoured spirits, demonstrating their popularity options amongst consumers. The sub-category can help consumers create high-quality serves to enjoy during sporting moments which are easy to make at home. Diageo has launched a diverse range of flavoured spirits across categories, including Smirnoff Raspberry Crush (37% ABV), Smirnoff Mango & Passionfruit Twist (37.5% ABV), Smirnoff Berry Burst (37.5% ABV) and Smirnoff Cherry Drop (37.5% ABV), as well as Tanqueray Blackcurrant Royale (41.3% ABV), Gordon’s White Peach Distilled Gin (37.5% ABV) and Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon Distilled Gin (37.5% ABV).
“We would also advise stocking a selection of premium spirits to help customers create great moments at home whilst watching sporting events in 2023,” says Priestley. “For example, super-premium vodka accounts for 35% of total super premium sales (Nielsen). With this mind, we would suggest stocking some premium and super-premium spirits, such as the Cîroc portfolio which includes a range of different and exciting flavours which stand out on-shelf and encourage customers to create high-quality serves at home. Cîroc Summer Citrus, for example was the number one contributor to value growth in the super-premium vodka category in impulse, having grown +£1.4m in L26wks after its launch (Nielsen). Due to its success, the flavour has now become a permanent flavour within the Cîroc range, tapping into consumer demand for high-quality spirits and exciting flavours.”
Matt Collins, Trading Director at KP Snacks, comments: “The Six Nations Championship represents a major opportunity for retailers to boost sales and footfall as the new year gets under way. As friends and family gather to enjoy the big games together, they will be keen to stock up on their favourite snacks to bring extra fun and flavour.
“To support consumers in their mission to make watching the games feel like more of an occasion, retailers should offer promotions and introduce themed fixtures, paying particular attention to the sharing segment.” At £1.5bn, sharing is the largest segment in CSN, and growing strongly at +9% (Nielsen). As trends towards more cautious spending prevail, consumers are expected to continue to spend more time at home and 49% of shoppers see snacks as a must have for an evening in (Mintel).
Nuts offer a delicious treat while watching the Six Nations games at home with friends. The KP Nuts portfolio is worth £84m RSV and growing in value (Nielsen).
Bringing big, bold flavours to evening sharing, the largest occasion within both nuts and sharing (Kantar), KP’s new Flavour Kravers range was launched last year. Available in three flavours: Flame Grilled Steak, Smokin’ Paprika, and Fiery Caribbean Jerk Sauce, Flavour Kravers look to ignite interest from younger consumers to drive sales, with this demographic over-indexing in bold flavours (Kantar).
Popcorn is an ideal partner to the excitement and entertainment of the big games and Butterkist is the nation’s favourite popcorn brand. At nearly twice as large as its nearest branded competitor, Butterkist enjoys a 35.2% (Nielsen) market share. With popcorn sharing occasions growing +21% and 85% of popcorn consumed at a sharing occasion (2+ people present, Kantar), Butterkist is a delicious treat while watching sports with family and friends.
Mark Frossell, Commercial Manager at St Pierre Groupe, comments: “To maximise sales around the Six Nations, wholesalers should stock up on versatile bakery items like Baker Street’s Burger Buns and Hot Dog rolls, that will encourage shoppers to buy for multiple meal occasions. Consumers are increasingly looking for variety, so offering a range of products that provide quick and convenient wins for occasions like the Six Nations will encourage shoppers to buy ahead of big matches.”
Wholesalers can capitalise on this further by cleverly sign-posting shoppers to products grouped by occasion. Cross-selling in this way is convenient for customers, helping to reduce browsing time. It is also beneficial to savvy wholesalers who stand to increase basket spend through impulse purchasing.
Bakery products that offer long-life, multi-pack formats, like those from Baker Street, can also help to reduce in-store waste.
One trend for wholesalers to embrace is the increasing popularity of more substantial meals, such as burgers and hot dogs. Consumers are looking for quick and easy ways to create ‘fakeaway’ favourites. Baker Street’s Drive Thru range of Burger Buns and Hot Dog Rolls are ideal for shoppers looking to recreate classic burgers and hot dogs, served with a variety of toppings. Baker Street’s recipes have been specifically developed for this purpose, with burger buns ‘built for burgers’ and hot dog rolls ‘ready to handle’ the load.
Food waste also remains a big topic and we are discovering that more people are looking to buy more longer-life food and drink products to help combat this. Baker Street is cleverly packed to stay fresher for longer and guarantees a minimum life of 35 days from delivery to depot, helping wholesalers ensure on-shelf availability and reducing the risk of wastage. This is a benefit for their shoppers too who are looking for food items with a generous shelf-life to help cater for spontaneous meal occasions like watching the Six Nations Rugby games with friends and family.
The brand’s best-selling products are Baker Street Burger Buns and Hot Dog Rolls, which grew 22 per cent in four weeks (Nielsen Value Sales – L52 Weeks Sept 24th, 2022). The range gives both retailers and operators alike extended-life options that allow for variety.
Both the Original Burger Buns and Classic Hot Dog Rolls can be used for a host of tasty meals during the Six Nations period, including traditional ‘American style’ burgers and loaded hot dogs. Since launch, Baker Street has sold more than 25 million burger buns – that’s more than one bun every second.
The branded rolls category is bucking the trend in bakery, up 7 per cent year on year. The Baker Street brand is in long-term growth making it a must-stock for wholesalers when it comes to sporting occasions like the Six Nations.
Matt Gouldsmith, Channel Director, Wholesale, Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I, comments: “This year, retailers can tap into the sporting occasion during the colder months as the Six Nations Rugby tournament is taking place in February and March. Wholesalers and retailers should provide a choice of the best-selling sports drinks throughout the competition to make the most of this opportunity to drive sales. The sports drinks segment is incredibly buoyant, so retailers should cluster them together and place them near similar segments such as energy drinks so that their shoppers can easily see the choice that meets their needs. Lucozade Sport, which is the fastest growing major brand in the market (Nielsen), and other best-selling sports drinks should be placed at eye-level to help shoppers navigate the chiller quickly.”
Sports drink shoppers are loyal, and if retailers don’t have the brand, format or flavour they’re looking for, they may go elsewhere. This means leading brands like Lucozade Sport, which has seen year-on-year growth of almost 38% (Nielsen) in the convenience channel, are an incredibly important part of any chiller.
Comments are closed.