With a recent study by Leeds University finding that just 1.6% of children’s lunchboxes were classed as healthy enough, the state of school lunches has been thrown back into the spotlight, presenting a healthy sales opportunity for wholesalers.
With the importance of nutritional and balanced packed lunches now high on the agenda, registered nutritionist Hannah Hope says, “Children need a variety of nutrients to thrive. They need a mix of good protein, carbohydrates, plus fruit and vegetables.”
As a fun, portion controlled, real cheese snack and great source of protein and calcium, the nation’s favourite cheese snack and the No.1 cheese snack in the lunchbox category (Kantar), Babybel Original, caters to these nutritional needs, appealing to both adults and kids alike. What’s more, with a 20g serving containing 30% less fat than cheddar and 62 calories, it also adheres to Public Health England’s recommended calorie cap for children’s snacks.
“A lunchtime staple that can be enjoyed by the entire family, Babybel is a must stock for retailers to capitalise on the back-to-school sales opportunity,” comments Ollie Richmond, Brand Manager at Babybel. “A beacon brand, loved equally by adults and kids alike, it’s perfectly placed to cater to the elevated interest in healthier, nutritionally balanced lunchbox options.”
Vegetarian friendly, lactose free and containing only four simple ingredients and 98% milk, the core Babybel range long holds pole position as a lunchbox staple.
Available in nets of 6, 10, 12, 15 and in Original and Light, and this year also saw the launch of a vegan-friendly alternative of the UK’s No.1 cheese snack, Babybel Plant-Based.
Launched following overwhelming public demand for a vegan-friendly alternative of the UK’s No.1 cheese snack, Babybel Plant-Based caters to the year-on-year increase in the inclusion of vegetarian and vegan products in kids’ lunchboxes.
What’s more, with research unveiling over 20% of children in the UK are either already vegan or would like to become vegan in the near future (BBC), the UK being unveiled as the most popular country for veganism (Google), and the plant-based market continuing to grow, Babybel Plant-Based presents a clear sales opportunity for retailers during the back-to-school period, as it’s perfectly placed to meet this consumer appetite.
The new launch is a delicious and dairy free alternative to cheese, with a smooth and creamy texture. Made using a blend verified by the Vegan Society of coconut oil and starch, it is free from artificial colours and preservatives and a source of calcium and Vitamin B12.
As Bel UK strives to meet consumers’ nutritional needs, offering lunchbox options that appeal to both parents and children, it continues to move toward becoming more fruit and plant based in the long-term.
Florette, the No.1 brand in the UK’s £606 million leafy prepared salads market (Nielsen and Kantar) says many retailers are missing out on a seasonal sales opportunity in fresh produce this winter.
Research shows an impressive 10.2m shoppers purchase the leafy salads category in the month of December alone. This represents over 36% of UK households, which shows a real appetite for the category all year round (Kantar).
Martin Purdy Commercial and Marketing Director at Florette UK, says: “Salad is synonymous with summer. As temperatures rise, prepared salad sales grow exponentially with the demand for lighter eating with a fresh accompaniment like Florette becoming a staple. However, many retailers aren’t aware of a second smaller peak we experience each year during the festive period, and so are missing out on potential sales.
“Research shows more than a third (34%) of Brits continue to eat salad through the winter months, including side of plate servings. Let’s not forget that shoppers pair salad with their festive favourites such as the classic prawn cocktail (23%). With this in mind, we recommend retailers ensure they have a good selection available in store to meet seasonal demand.”
The brand is bringing a burst of much needed fun and engagement to the fresh produce fixture this Christmas with limited edition seasonal packs.
The brand’s best-selling SKU’s, Classic Crispy (115g and 170g) will be transformed into ‘Father Crispy’ and Mixed (150g) will undergo a similar festive makeover, becoming ‘Have a holly, jolly Mixed-mas’. The designs will feature across over 2 million packs from Mid-November through to the end of the year and will also feature a ‘30p off next purchase’ coupon, to help incentivise repeat purchase and so drive further sales. The launch follows in the footsteps of ‘Merry Crispy’, the limited edition variant of Florette Classic Crispy 170G which saw 1.1m packs sold over a six week period last year, which is up 2% vs the prior year (Kantar).
Maddie Grinham, Mr Organic Brand Manager, comments: “The biggest healthy living trend right now is transparency. Despite HFSS regulations, there is still a lot of ambiguity amongst consumers around what truly constitutes a ‘healthy option’, with a lot of brands using misleading or vague claims. Generally speaking, shoppers are looking for clarity around both sugar and salt content, as well as products which are high in protein – the latter being especially significant amongst plant-based eaters.”
As the cost-of-living increase, we are seeing a trend of consumer trading down from restaurant food to products that allow them to re-create restaurant quality at home. Also, as the price of meat continues to rise, shoppers are gravitating to plant-based options. Within this shift, fake meat alternatives are also increasing in price, so consumers are instead turning to substitutes such as tinned beans and pulses, which have the dual benefit of being cheaper but also more nutritionally balanced and less artificial.
Mr Organic is known for its tomato range, and our tinned tomatoes, passata and tomato ketchup are very popular. We are also growing rapidly within the pasta sauce sector, and now have the largest range of no added sugar pasta sauces in the UK. These are very popular amongst busy cooks and people looking to reduce their (and their families) salt and sugar intake.
Mr Organic has just launched a new ‘International Beans’ range, inspired by various flavours from around the world. The range consists of 5 products – Mexican Beans with Corn, Brazilian Black Beans, Green Butter Beans, Italian Beans and Moroccan Chickpeas, all of which are designed to be a high in protein and a quick meal solution. All beans in the range are 100% plant based and offer an elevated taste experience, perfect for those looking to add more adventure into their week-night meals.
“In general, we would say it’s always important to listen to genuine shifts in consumer behaviour, rather than focusing too much on ‘trending’topics,” adds Grinham. “It’s also crucial to ensure NPD is always purposeful and answers a genuine consumer need and reflects both the quality and integrity of the brand.”
Mr Organic has a field sales team, which are great for product education and advocating for the brand. The brand believes it’s crucial to focus on relationship building with the various wholesalers and retailers, and also to ensure it develops merchandising and ranging within store.
“Fine food retailers should be focusing on the quality of the products they are stocking, and ensuring they know where the product in the tins comes from,” says Grinham.
For example, Mr Organic oversees the production of its products from seed to jar and can monitor the quality at every stage of the food cycle. For the fine food sector, attributes such as BPA free tins, Organic or B Corp certified brands are increasingly important for the consumer.
“To help upsell, pairing and bundles are always a good way to attract the customers attention,” Grinham continues. “For example, pasta sauces with spaghetti bundles or a homemade hummus kit are a great way to solve a particular need for the consumer. As well as this, playing into trending cuisines and dishes in the market to offer consumers the experience of cooking restaurant style meals at home is increasingly important as we enter a time of reduced disposable income.”
Ed Foy, Founder of PRESS Healthfoods, comments: “One of the key drivers influencing the healthy living sector is the wellness trend, with consumers ever more conscious of their health and diet. As a result, they’re actively seeking out convenient products that cater to their nutritional needs. This also overlaps with a desire to eat a more plant-based diet – a trend which is at an all time high.”
PRESS Healthfoods has a range of plant-based protein and fibre packed soups and ready meals, which are perfect for a quick nutritional lunch or dinner, as well as cold-pressed juices, smoothies and vitamin shots. They also taste delicious, which means consumers don’t have to compromise on flavour.
Sustainability is also an important factor for wholesalers to consider when selecting their stock. As consumers become more aware of how their personal consumption and shopping habits affect the environment, they are beginning to assess the impact of the brands they buy most frequently. As a result, sustainability is becoming a key driver for customers.
“At PRESS, we’re on a mission to create a healthier, happier world, powered by plants,” adds Foy. “Everything we do is about encouraging people to make better choices for themselves and the planet. We don’t pretend to have all the answers, but we do know the choice to live a more plant-based life is a small yet effective and immediate first step towards a more sustainable future.”
At a time when the cost of living crisis is at an all time high, spending habits of Millennials and Gen Z shoppers are changing and the lines between the two are blurring. Both are buying less due to inflation, with up to 27% of Millennials buying more private-label products to save money. That said, they are willing to spend money with brands they trust, who have built brand loyalty with them. Brands can build brand loyalty by fulfilling customer needs, and this links back to the trends: Are you sustainable, plant-based, healthy? If a brand can tick all of those boxes, Gen Z and Millennial shoppers are more likely to spend their money on that brand – even if it is a little more expensive.
“Totally plant-based, PRESS sources the highest quality fruit and veg from G.A.P. Global certified farms, including the ‘wonky’ ones, to ensure we deliver consistent, quality products that are safe, ethically sourced and set the standard for environmentally conscious farming practices,” says Foy. “We work with a nutritionist to develop our ready meals and soups, and everywhere we can, we limit our use of plastic.”
The brand always makes sure that when plastic is used, it is the best option for the planet and is recyclable at home. The bottles used for its cold-pressed juices, smoothies and vitamin-boosting shots are made from 75% recycled plastic and 25% bioplastic (made from sugar cane not fossil fuels). This means less plastic in landfills and lower carbon emissions. The manufacturing of recycled plastic produces 55% less carbon emissions than virgin plastic.
PRESS is proud to be plastic neutral, and has recently partnered with CleanHub, which means that every product sold funds the removal and recycling of plastic waste from our oceans. Therefore, for every kilogram of plastic produced, PRESS commits to taking that exact amount from the environment before it enters the ocean. Since the Clean Hub partnership began in May, the brand has already collected 15,012 kg of plastic – equivalent to 1,501,198 plastic bottles!
Sarah Davies, Marketing Manager at Kerry Dairy Consumer Foods, comments: “Offering a variety of choice is always going to be important to ensure consumer needs are met. As a trusted plant-based brand, Pure is a great option for anyone looking to reduce or cut-out their dairy intake. We are proud to make great-tasting, versatile products from honest, plant-based ingredients as we passionately believe that choosing dairy free should never be boring or bland.”
The range includes Pure Sunflower Dairy Free Spread, Pure Olive Dairy Free Spread, Pure Buttery Taste Dairy Free Spread, and Pure Plant Based Grated.”
Pure Sunflower spread is ideal for everyday spreading on your favourite breads or melting over meat, fish or vegetables. It contains 65% less saturated fat than butter and is a source of Omega 3.
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