Parents are re-thinking the content of children’s lunchboxes as the importance of healthy eating at school and the benefits of good nutrition rise up the social agenda.
“The challenge parents face is to provide healthy, lunchbox meals that their children will enjoy and not discard or return home at the end of the day,” says Whitworths’ Acting Marketing Director Sheraz Dar.
“Mums also need to maintain children’s interest in what they are eating by varying the content of the lunchbox, including healthy snacks, and that’s where both pure dried fruit and added value products have a role to play.”
Parents view raisins as a relevant snack. In many cases they are the first healthy snack eaten by young children, bringing new mums into the category and driving category penetration.
Whitworths targets the children’s lunchbox occasion with its best-selling Sunny Raisin brand – wholesome, juicy raisins available in 42.5g packs and 250g multi-packs featuring 18 snack packs. Sunny Raisin is also available in naturally flavoured and yogurt coated variants.
The company also targets its low in fat Fruits range of juicy raisins and sultanas, juicy sultanas and apricots and juicy raisins and apricots specifically at the lunchbox market.
Whitworths is also hoping to appeal to adult lunchbox users with the launch of nibl, a new range of healthier, indulgent fruit, nut and chocolate mixes.
nibl comes in lunch-box size 45g (rrp 69p) and larger 200g (rrp £2.79p) pack sizes, and is available in the following four variants: Berry Cherry Choc, Jaffa Berry Choc, Fruit, Nut & Berry Burst and Tropical Feast.
“We are confident that nibl’s innovative combination of healthier, yet indulgent fruits, nuts and chocolate will appeal to adults who want to liven up lunchtimes or mid-meal snacking,” adds Dar.
Whitworths estimates that more than ten per cent of all healthy fruit snacking products are now bought for inclusion in lunchboxes. With regard to children, it is clear that mums are actively seeking healthy options.
“That’s fine, but children want food that they’ll not only enjoy but that also has credibility in the playground. The challenge facing companies like ours is to ensure that we meet both groups’ needs,” adds Dar.
Whitworths is working with its retail partners to de-clutter the healthy snacks fixture where mums are currently struggling to find healthy products that their children will like.
The company is urging retailers to make healthy snacks more visible in store.
“Consumers are now actively seeking better for you lunchbox snacking options which also deliver on taste. Clear signposting and effective merchandising will help, providing a significant boost for the lunchbox category,” adds Dar.
Whitworths
Tel: 01933 653000
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