The Rugby World Cup in France is set to be the major sporting event of the autumn. As friends and family get together to enjoy the matches, they will seek out their favourite snacks to bring extra fun and flavour to the occasion.
The Rugby World Cup is set to be a major sales builder for the UK’s independent retailers, and wholesalers need to support them with promotions in the relevant categories, including bakery.
Consumers are looking for convenient, easy and quick to prepare food like hot dogs and burgers while they enjoy the sporting action.
The cost-of-living crisis has had a big impact on consumer purchasing and people are looking to make more conscious decisions when spending.
The latest research shows 2 in 5 (40 per cent) of us plan on going out less frequently in 2023 (CGA), and three fifths (61 per cent) are spending more cautiously than before (Attest). When the Rugby World Cup starts in September, it’s likely many rugby fans will be catching the action at home with family and friends rather than going out.
“This provides local retailers, and the wholesalers who supply them, with a valuable opportunity to tap into this shift and boost their sales,” comments Josh Corrigan, Customer Development Director, UK at St Pierre Groupe. “This is where St Pierre comes in with St Pierre Brioche Buns, in 6 packs, St Pierre Brioche Burger Buns, in 4 packs, St Pierre Seeded Brioche Burger Buns, in 6’s, and St Pierre Hot Dog Rolls in 4’s, now established as the No.1 branded Brioche Hot Dog Roll (Nielsen brand data w/e 11/3/23).”
“Times are difficult for many, but we still like to indulge ourselves,” adds Corrigan. “The cost-of-living crisis is spurring consumers to choose premium options as they look for ways to treat themselves well at home rather than going out, and this hunger for premiumisation is driving sales across the bakery category. Retailers can maximise this opportunity for increased sales around the Rugby World Cup, by offering more premium lines such as brioche from St Pierre, as people upgrade on their usual staples.”
One trend that we saw before the pandemic, and which continues to grow, is consumers choosing premium options as they look for ways to treat themselves well at home. Consumers are now routinely trading up on bakery staples to something more premium, and that offers an opportunity for wholesalers and their independent retailer customers.
“People hosting gatherings to watch the Rugby World Cup action at home want to impress,” says Corrigan. “Offering an upgrade to standard bakery – such as through St Pierre brioche – is one way to ensure they do so whilst providing an ideal base for enhancing burger and hot dog recipes.”
A raft of campaigns is running for St Pierre in 2023, highlighting the versatility of the products across all meal occasions, including the wider Big Night In opportunity, which takes in the Rugby World Cup. This is helping inspire and educate existing and new customers about ways they can use brioche to ‘trade up’ and elevate their favourite dishes. All the brand’s marketing campaigns are designed to support a strong promotional calendar with its wholesale and retail partners, too.
“Wholesalers should help retailers capitalise on these shopper trends, by offering more premium lines, such as brioche from St Pierre, as people look to upgrade on their usual staples,” suggests Corrigan. “Wholesalers need to help retailers make sure they’re stocking a range of products that offer quick, convenient, and indulgent wins for these occasions, for consumers to enjoy in the comfort of their homes during the Rugby World Cup and on Big Nights In generally.”
Mark Frossell, Senior National Account Manager at St Pierre Groupe, comments on behalf of Baker Street: “To maximise sales around the Rugby World Cup, 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 Rugby World Cup will encourage shoppers to buy ahead of big matches.
“Wholesalers can encourage retailers to capitalise on food and drink pairings 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 wholesalers, who stand to increase retailers’ basket spend through impulse purchasing.”
One trend for wholesalers to embrace is the increasing popularity of more substantial meals, such as burgers and hot dogs, now super-sized thanks to the rise in ‘Americana’-style, gourmet burgers and hot dogs on UK menus. Consumers are looking for quick and easy ways to create ‘fakeaway’ favourites. Baker Street’s 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.
“To maximise sales around the Rugby World Cup, 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,” advises Frossell. “Consumers are increasingly looking for variety, so offering a range of products that provide quick and convenient wins for occasions like the Rugby World Cup will encourage shoppers to buy ahead of big matches. Wholesalers can capitalise on this further by supporting their retailer customers in cleverly sign-posting shoppers to products grouped by occasion. Cross-selling in this way helps 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.
Matt Collins, Trading Director at KP Snacks, comments: “To drive sales and footfall, retailers should capitalise on the Rugby World Cup opportunity by prioritising CSN Sharing products and introducing themed fixtures and promotions.”
Worth £1.6bn, the CSN Sharing segment is strong and growing at +11% (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).
“At KP Snacks we’re tapping into the rising consumer demand for sharing with a diverse portfolio that will drive sharing product sales and provide shoppers with tasty snacks for all occasions,” adds Collins. “Our exciting range has something for everyone, from popcorn to nuts to pretzels and of course crisps.”
Nuts offer a delicious treat while watching the tournament at home with friends. The KP Nuts portfolio is worth £93.6m RSV and is growing in value +15.4% (Nielsen). The Flavour Kravers range delivers big, bold flavours to the Sharing segment, with three variants: Flame Grilled Steak, Smokin’ Paprika and Sour Cream & Chive.
Popcorn is an ideal partner to the excitement and entertainment of the Rugby World Cup and Butterkist is the nation’s favourite popcorn brand, with a 36.5% (Nielsen) market share.
“To cater to shoppers looking to make watching the games feel like a special occasion, retailers should stock premium snacks like our hand-cooked Tyrrells crisps,” says Collins. “Growing at +12.4% (Nielsen), Tyrrells 150g Sharing bags are key products to capitalise on, offering classic and tasty flavours with 91 Great Taste Awards to the brand’s name.”
Healthier snacking options shouldn’t be ignored when planning Rugby World Cup fixtures. Popchips is a beacon Better For You brand. Coming in at under 100 calories per serving, popchips provides a more permissible snack option without compromising on big flavour – perfect for consumers who are looking for a tasty healthier product to share when watching the games. Bringing a kick to the Healthier Snacking segment, KP recently launched popchips Hot & Spicy.
Steve Young, Sales Director at Asahi UK, comments: “We are urging retailers and wholesalers to get shoppers excited for the Rugby World Cup with Asahi Super Dry. The brand has partnered with the tournament and is giving consumers the chance to win tickets, exclusive branded merchandise, and beer vouchers.”
The campaign began with promotional pack and limited-edition designs rolling out on Asahi Super Dry’s 500ml and 620ml single bottles; four pack, ten and twelve packs of 330ml bottles; and four- and six-packs of 330ml cans.
Consumers will be able to scan QR codes across exclusively designed packs for a chance to win a selection of final tickets, semi-final tickets, thousands of items of merchandise and beer vouchers. The competition will be backed by PR and social activity, as well as Point of Sale (PoS) for stores, to build momentum ahead of the tournament starting on 8 September.
The brand will also launch rugby-focused advertising and video-on-demand advertising on ITV Hub, All 4 and Sky. This will be backed by digital and social activity and a partnership with the Official RWC 2023 Podcast.
“The Rugby World Cup is one of the biggest sporting events that wholesalers can tap into in 2023,” adds Young. “Japan’s number-one beer will target the 2.1 million premium beer drinkers who are interested in rugby with a six-month multi-channel campaign. 65% of rugby fans say they will most likely watch most Rugby World Cup games at home (Bulbshare). The tournament will have an estimated TV audience of 23 million.”
Asahi Super Dry launched Asahi Super Dry 0.0% in November 2022 across UK and Ireland. It offers consumers an alcohol-free version of the super-premium brand, with the same signature crisp, refreshing, super dry taste that has led to it becoming the number-one selling beer in Japan.
The launch marked a further step towards Asahi Europe & International’s Legacy 2030 ambition that 20% of its portfolio will comprise of alcohol-free products by the end of the decade.
It is available in single 330ml bottles and 4x330ml can multipacks. Rugby World Cup activity will also roll out across Asahi Super Dry 0.0%.
David Relph, country manager UK and Ireland, BuzzBallz Cocktails, comments: “Jointly displaying or promoting products that work well together and using mechanics such as bundle promotions linking them can prove very effective. Drinks linked with snacks for instance. BuzzBallz Cocktails work especially well when linking with American products. Tex Mex food and snacks are particularly well suited, so consider a bundle with tortilla chips, salsa or dips for the full taste experience, or with popular American candies or fiery snacks.”
“We expect drinking in the home to be a major trend for wholesalers and their customers to capitalise on come September. Shoppers want to be able to cater for diverse tastes and preferences so it’s important to offer a range of alcoholic drinks to suit groups,” adds Relph.
“There are huge opportunities for depots and their customers to drive drinks sales in the run up to the Rugby World Cup season. To maximise sales, wholesalers should stock a range of contemporary, eye-catching premixed drinks options, highlighting abvs, price points and quality, to demonstrate the breadth of options available.”
BuzzBallz Cocktails has launched an eye-catching range of 12 packs with convenient shelf-ready packaging featuring a tear-off section for ease of in-store presentation, bringing a pop of colour to drinks fixtures, aisles and chillers.
BuzzBallz has invested in a heavyweight trade marketing, advertising, social and PR campaign designed to drive awareness of the range, particularly among the wholesale sector. Activity will focus on how BuzzBallz Cocktails is carving a new position in the category with its higher abv ‘bar-strength’ premixed cocktails in a single serve format – perfect for the wholesale channel and, in turn, the convenience sector.
In addition, the brand has launched an eye-catching range of 12 packs with convenient shelf-ready packaging featuring a tear-off section for ease of in-store presentation, bringing a pop of colour to drinks fixtures, aisles and chillers.
“It is essential to allocate key space, give good visibility and to stock an interesting and varied range. BuzzBallz Cocktails, with their unique packaging and positioning, bring strong visual interest and pull customers into the category,” says Relph.
BuzzBallz has a variety of solutions from floor standing units, innovative wall-mounted fixtures, counter top displays, and chiller racks. The brand also has signage options and shelf talkers so there’s plenty of theatre in depot and POS support to drive purchase.
“Depots can capitalise on these opportunities by refreshing their drinks fixtures,” suggests Relph. “Purchase decisions will be based on convenience, shelf appeal, interest and price and BuzzBallz Cocktails taps in to each of these areas.”
Lauren Priestley – Head of Category Development Off Trade at Diageo, comments: “Beer is an all-year-round must-stock, providing a golden opportunity for retailers in every season. When considering which brands to stock, we recommend stocking Guinness which is currently the no. 1 stout brand in Great Britain (Nielsen).
Many people may be planning to enjoy the “black stuff” over the summer, especially during sporting events, so making sure a range of Guinness products are available and in a range of formats will be key.”
Guinness Draught in Can, for example is available in 4pack, 10pack, 15pack formats meaning that with space permitting, retailers can offer customers a large choice. The famous stout is now also available in 538ml ‘pint can format’ – perfect for adults who enjoy Guinness in the on-trade and are looking to enjoy the iconic stout at home.
“To fully capitalise on the opportunities that Guinness presents, we suggest stocking a few other Guinness products alongside Guinness Draught in can, to encourage customers to explore the range,” adds Priestley. “There are a range of choices within the Guinness portfolio such as Guinness Foreign Extra Stout (7.5% ABV) which can make a beer range exciting for consumers and help to welcome new adult-drinkers to the brand.”
For consumers looking for more choice when socialising at home, they can now opt for a range of high-quality non-alcoholic drinks. Guinness 0.0, for example boasts the smooth taste, perfectly balanced flavour and unique dark colour that Guinness is known for, Guinness 0.0 offers Guinness with everything except alcohol.
“To help customers navigate a no & lower range, we recommend stocking non-alcoholic options from already established and trusted brands,” says Priestley. “Gordon’s 0.0%, for example is the top selling non-alcoholic spirit in the off-trade (Nielsen) and the brand recently launched Gordon’s Premium Pink 0.0% to provide consumers with even more choice. Well-known brands that have launched a non-alcoholic alternative are able to leverage the brand recognition and welcome adult-drinkers to the category, as it provides people with taste and quality assurances.”
Kenton Burchell, Trading Director at Bestway Wholesale, comments: “Advertise and promote the Rugby World Cup sport in one location together with product promotions for the following: savoury snacks, sharing packs of crisps, soft drinks; beers – multipack cans, large bottles, and Alcohol-free options and Ready to Drink; Frozen food – Pizza, chips, sausages, burgers, next to ice cream tubs and ice.”
Soft drinks, beers, crisps & snacks and frozen food including pizzas, burgers, chips and iced desserts are likely to benefit the most from the tournament.
People who will watch the game and entertain at home will want a ‘no fuss’ food preparation with less hassle on cleaning up at home.
Bestway has the marketing insights, and planograms to support retailers with merchandising the must stock lines for every category.
“With the Rugby World Cup, retailers need to take the opportunity to boost the category and merchandise for sports occasions the bestselling products of the Crisps and Snacks category next to alcohol including Beers, and Soft Drinks,” suggests Burchell.
“Consumers celebrates big sporting events, and Bestway continues to promote a range of products associated with sports to help our retailers increase their growth margin and take this opportunity to meet customer demand. This would include promotions of drinks, snacks and ready-made meals with desserts to complete the combination.”
According to IWSR (drinks market analysis) report beers continue to dominate the UK No/Low market, growing 8% in 2022 and are forecast to grow at 7% volume CAGR, 2022-2026.
IWSR (drinks market analysis) report on the growth of the wine category pointed out that premium and above Prosecco has driven a strong demand in the UK with growth of 5%.
Premium-priced RTDs have grown faster over the past two years on a smaller volume base, with a higher price for new product lines.
The high cost of living conditions and post Covid has made the ‘home occasion’ a trend for home deliveries, consumers watch TV streaming services and create their mixology at home.
“Bigger sharing bags are perfect for social and evening snacking with consumers watching sports on TV. With sharing bags consumers will also purchase dips to complement their snacks,” says Burchell. “Retailers should merchandise sharing bags near beers, wines, spirits, and soft drinks to attract customers for impulse buys and increase basket spend.”
“Wholesalers should use promotional materials to promote special prices, create theatre in the depot, and plan marketing campaigns to promote new products and services,” adds Burchell.
Bestway has digital screens to promote brands, it creates theatre to attract customers, and promotional radio lets customers know about special promotions.
The Bestway promotional emails and WhatsApp messages deliver first hand news to customers about special deals and promotions to help grow their business.
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