pladis has unveiled its savoury seasonal range for 2024. Headlined by family favourites from heritage brands Jacob's and Carr's, the festive range also features a new addition to the Jacob’s Christmas Caddies line-up.
Following its hugely successful non-HFSS recipe revision last summer – which saw the oven-baked favourite slash fat content by 30 per cent – Jacob’s Crinklys Cheese & Onion will be available in Christmas Caddy format, after becoming one of the top five non-HFSS launches of 2023. It joins the existing line-up of Jacob’s Treeselets, Jacob’s Mini Cheddars Original and Jacob’s Mini Twiglets, which soared into double digit growth during last year’s festive season (+13.9 per cent).
pladis will also be bringing back its ever-popular seasonal selection boxes, after favourites like Jacob’s Savours Selection (+148 per cent helped increase its seasonal market share to 24 per cent in 2023 – clearly signalling a key sales opportunity for retailers stocking up on these signature assortments. After all, Christmas isn’t Christmas without a Jacob’s cracker.
Meanwhile, premium offerings from Carr’s – including the return of the popular Carr’s Seasonal Selection – once again provide retailers with an opportunity to drive higher value sales among shoppers looking to elevate their savoury biscuit selections.
“Jacob’s and Carr’s have been at the heart of holiday snacking spreads for generations. There’s barely a cheeseboard in sight during the festive season that doesn’t come complete with a Jacob’s Cream Cracker,” said Asli Akman, Marketing Director – Savoury at pladis UK&I. “It’s household-name brands like ours that play such an integral role in moments of togetherness during the festive period which are helping the seasonal snacking sales opportunity to become more lucrative year-on-year.
“Last year, take-home sales hit the roof as spend-conscious shoppers chose to celebrate in the comfort of their own homes, versus going big on eating out. When doing so, they were of course opting for our festive favourites that have been part of family festivities for over a century, which led to 7.8M packs of Jacob’s and Carr’s crackers being sold last December alone.
“The cost of living is still high, so we’re expecting to see the same patterns this year. That’s why we’ve focused on bringing back some of the best-selling classics we know will be sought out by shoppers, while also introducing popular products from our core portfolio to inject extra excitement into this year’s seasonal line-up.
“Bringing our very popular Jacob’s Crinklys Cheese & Onion to our growing Christmas Caddies range – sales of which are up by +13.9 per cent – will take sales up another notch. Across the board we’re looking to tap into demand for larger format products ready-made for sharing, whether people are looking to enjoy a savoury snack during a movie night or cap off their festive lunch with a cracker-covered cheeseboard.”
The Jacob’s and Carr’s seasonal products are now available in most major UK grocery retailers, as well as convenience stores and wholesale depots.
pladis 2024 Savoury Biscuits Range
NEW for 2024:
Jacob’s Christmas Caddies
Feast on your share of seasonal snacking sales this festive season as the popular Jacob's Christmas Caddies (200g-280g, RRP: £2.50) return for 2024, now with a brand-new addition.
Jacob’s Crinklys Cheese & Onion (non-HFSS) joins some of Jacob’s favourite Crisps and Bagged Snacks brands including Jacob's Mini Cheddars Original, Jacob’s Treeselets, and Jacobs Mini Twiglets (non-HFSS), ensuring shoppers have plenty of choice when it comes to snacking options.
Already a big hit for the brand and shoppers alike – having reeled in an additional +£3.7M in sales (+43.3 per cent) – the introduction of Jacob’s Crinklys Cheese & Onion to the Caddies line-up will help drive further appeal for Jacob’s core brands in this long-loved signature seasonal format.
Familiar Family Favourites
Jacob’s The Festive Selection
The ultimate selection of crackers to pair with all your favourite cheeses, Jacob’s The Festive Selection returns once again in its standout bright, bold, fully recyclable packaging.
Featuring seven classic varieties, the selection box comes in three sizes to suit all price points and is perfectly-placed for festive get togethers – whether shoppers are seeking classic Jacob’s Cream Crackers to pair with their favourite cheeses or generously-seasoned Jacob’s Salt & Cracked Black Pepper Bakes for dipping.
Jacob’s The Festive Selection is available in a 300g box (RRP: £4), 450g festive-themed box (RRP: £4.50), and 800g box (RRP: £7).
Jacob’s Savours Selection
Bringing extra flavour to festive snacking sales, Jacob's Savours Selection Assortment will be hitting the shelves once more this festive season.
Following a stellar performance among shoppers in 2023, the Savours Assortment again features the limited-edition Paprika & Cheese Thins, which joins the original line-up of delicious oven-baked crackers: Cheese Thins; Sour Cream & Chive Thins, and Salt & Cracked Black Pepper Bakes.
Taking the brand beyond biscuits for cheese, Jacob’s Savours flavour-packed Selection (250g, RRP: £4) offers a range of textures and tastes which make it perfect for topping, dipping and snacking.
Carr’s Seasonal Selection
With almost 200 years of rich British baking history, Carr’s is the must-have brand to elevate any festive special occasion – from casual get-togethers to fancy dinner parties. What better way to impress than with Carr’s Seasonal Selection?
An authentic collection of the brand’s finest quality biscuits and crackers – including Carr's Melts Cheese and Carr's Table Water – Carr’s Seasonal Selection is the perfect assortment for shoppers looking to enjoy a first-class festive feast. There are nine different varieties in the Seasonal Selection and seven in the Selection, ensuring there is something to suit all tastes.
Premium Assortments were a key growth driver during last year’s festive season, and the huge sales gains in the month of December mean that Carr's Selection (200g, RRP: £3.50) and Carr's Selection Carton (400g, RRP: £4.50) will be retailers’ tickets to maximising value sales in the approach to Christmas Day.
Scandinavian Tobacco Group UK is pleased to introduce this year’s limited-edition pack for its ever-popular Henri Wintermans Half Corona brand, which is available to retailers now.
The Henri Wintermans Half Corona is easily the biggest brand in the medium / large segment and is now the UK’s fifth biggest selling cigar in value terms, with annual sales worth £16.3m. This new limited edition “Gentleman” pack adds a personal touch to the brand and celebrates its long heritage and continuing success, designed in a timeless pin stripe suit with the logo and information stitched into the fabric, which reflects both the aspirational nature of the product and the attention to detail that goes into crafting these fine cigars. Despite the changes to the packaging, the cigars inside of course remain the same.
“Retailers certainly won’t need me to tell them that sales of larger cigars go up in the build up to Christmas when adult smokers are in celebratory mood and typically have more time to enjoy them,” said STG’s UK Head of Marketing, Prianka Jhingan. “Our Henri Wintermans Half Corona is always a big seller at this time of year and this limited issue Gentleman’s edition pack should only increase sales further. My advice to retailers is to stock up on it, as it is easily the UK’s best-selling medium / large cigar and has a loyal following due to its quality blend and heritage.”
Win £5,000 to donate to a local football initiative
Guinness is kicking off the Autumn with a new Premier League partnership. The four-year agreement will see Guinness become the Official Beer of the Premier League, and Guinness 0.0 as the Official Non-Alcoholic Beer. The partnership comes with Guinness looking to tap into culturally relevant occasions throughout the year and engage with a wider audience, reminding shoppers that football is a lovely game for a Guinness.
To recognise the vital role retailers play within communities, Guinness is giving one lucky retailer the chance to win a prize of £5,000 to donate to a local football initiative. From investing in training, to upgrading sports equipment, or purchasing new football kit, the £5,000 prize will help to improve access and enjoyment of the game locally. To enter the competition, existing Diageo One retailers simply have to visit Diageo One and complete a short form. If not yet a Diageo One member, all other retailers can enter by clicking here, and filling out a short form with their details.
The competition aims to bring communities together and harness the power of sport to do so. As a brand, Guinness continues to invest in driving relevancy and use dedicated support for the impulse channel to tap into the match-day occasion
Five retailers around the country have been chosen to host football takeovers within their stores. Each will have football themed giveaways, Guinness-branded merchandise, free street-food and football-themed games. To get a slice of the match-day action, retailers can download their own "Lovely Game for a Guinness" POS via Diageo One.
“Whether you’re a spectator or a player, football has the power to bring people together," said David Mills, Commercial Sales Manager, Diageo. "Our new partnership with the Premier League represents a huge opportunity for Guinness to engage at not only a global level but also more locally too. Retailers and local football clubs sit at the heart of their communities, and we want to support them and give something back. The £5,000 grant will be awarded to one retailer and their chosen football initiative to make a positive difference.”
To enter the Guinness x Premier League community fund competition, and not already a Diageo One user, convenience retailers must visit Diageo One and fill out a short form with their details between 23rd October 2024 at 00:01am and 20th November 2024 at 23:59pm. Existing Diageo One retailers to visit Diageo One and complete the short form. Winners will be contacted via email and follow up phone call within 48 hours of being randomly selected. For full terms and conditions visit Diageo One.
*Retail businesses UK 18+. Opens 23 October 2024 at 00:01am closes 20 November 2024 at 23:59pm. Purchase not necessary. To enter simply Diageo One and fill out a short form. One winner total. Winners to receive £5,000 cash prize to donate to a local community, made via bank transfer.
Snack manufacturer Kestrel Foods has acquired Indie Bay Snacks from Nurture Brands. The brand will join Kestrel Foods' award-winning portfolio of Forest Feast, ACTI-SNACK and Just Live a Little, continuing its trajectory to become a leading player in the snacking category.
Indie Bay Snacks offers consumers tasty and healthier savoury snacks within the grocery, travel and DTC channels. Its pretzel thins are a lighter, fun way to enjoy pretzels, with 70 per cent less fat than crisps.
"As Nurture Brands consolidates its resources around Rebel Kitchen, EMILY and Jax Coco, I am happy to see Indie Bay go forward and become an important part of the Kestrel Foods portfolio," said Adam Draper, Managing Director of Nurture Brands.
Michael Hall MBE, founder and CEO of Kestrel Foods said, “The acquisition of Indie Bay is aligned to our ambition of creating a fast paced and innovative snacking business. We believe Indie Bay offers consumers and customers something different in our portfolio, and we see great potential for growth through our strong brand, innovation and go to market capability.”
Kestrel Foods' own flagship brand, Forest Feast, has grown over 30 per cent in the last year, a result of increased brand awareness and penetration, and further gains in distribution.
Reviva – the vibrant coffee brand owned by Gulf – has announced it has signed a multi-year deal with the Williams Racing Formula 1 team.
The new partnership is a celebration of a shared commitment to high quality performance. Crafted exclusively from 100 per cent Arabica beans, Reviva’s balanced yet bold and vibrant taste makes it the perfect partner for the Williams Racing team, to keep them fuelled in the fast-paced world of motorsport.
As of 1 January, 2025, when the partnership goes live, Reviva will feature across the Formula 1 calendar, at the Williams Racing motorhome, at flyaway races as well as the Williams Experience Centre in Oxfordshire. The logo will also be prominently positioned on the nose of the two cars, taking the Reviva brand all over the world.
“We are excited to announce this partnership of Reviva Coffee and Williams Racing," said Mike Jones, CEO, Gulf Oil International UK Limited. "Reviva is expanding Gulf’s footprint into the speciality coffee sector, and we look forward to seeing it on the world stage of Formula 1 through the Williams Racing partnership. We are also delighted to extend the partnership between Gulf and Williams Racing, building on what we have achieved in our first two seasons together, and our commitment to continue bringing engaging activations for the fans, including iconic Gulf liveries and F1 demos in our key markets”.
James Vowles, Team Principal, added, "We are thrilled to deepen and extend our partnership with Gulf Oil International, a brand with a motorsport heritage to match our own and one that is synonymous with excellence and innovation. Together we have put captivating fan engagement and developing the next generation at the heart of our partnership, and this extension is another vote of confidence in Williams’ ongoing transformation. The introduction of Reviva as our Official Coffee Partner will mark the start of our next chapter together, bringing together two brands with bold ambition and strong momentum.”
Reviva, which launched in 2023, is dedicated to providing responsibly sourced specialty and premium coffee. Crafted exclusively from Arabica beans to ensure the highest quality, its perfectly balanced flavour profile, with notes of chocolate, caramel, roasted almonds and red fruits provides a smooth, vibrant taste.
“The Reviva Signature range is sourced from Rainforest Alliance-certified farms in Brazil, Colombia and Honduras and is roasted in small batches to maintain the highest levels of freshness and quality," said Sara Trioni, Head of Marketing & NPD for Reviva. "We are passionate about flavour and the expertly crafted specialty coffee has been developed to create an opportunity for enjoyment, refreshment and revival.”
The Reviva range is available in whole beans, ground and Nespresso compatible capsules. It’s ideal for independent cafés, catering, hospitality, hotels and event venues.
Sweet-maker Swizzels has unveiled brand-new limited-edition Naughty & Nice Squashies in time for Christmas.
Squashies continue to be the No.1 Sugar Confectionery brand in the market, which has prompted Swizzels to introduce its first-ever Christmas-themed Squashies to keep up with the increasing demand during the festive period.
The 120g, elf-shaped Squashies are available to purchase now, with a MRSP of £1.15, sold in cases of 12.
The product features two popular flavours: Strawberry Ice Cream and Apple Pie – and boasts a bright, eye-catching design that has been created to stand out on shelves.
Designed to elevate retailers’ festive offering this Christmas, the Naughty & Nice Squashies feature two elves in each bag – one on the ‘naughty’ list and one on the "nice" list – bringing a playful and personalised touch to the festive season.
Swizzels is also bringing back its popular Sweet Shop Advent Calendar which has seen a remarkable 41 per cent year-on-year growth and features 24 fan favourites to delight and surprise throughout the festive season.
The Sweet Shop Favourites range remains a festive staple, including the popular Sweet Shop Favourites Tub, currently the No.1 selling sugar tub along with Sweet Shop Favourites Pouches, and the Squashies Carton.
To cater to the increasing popularity of plant-based diets, and ensure everyone can enjoy a sweet treat, the Swizzels’ festive range also includes several vegan options:
Party Mix, 785g, with a MRSP £5, Sweet Treat Tub, 600g, with a MRSP £4 Sweet Shop Favourites Carton, 324g, with a MRSP £3
“Each year, we strive to enhance our Christmas offering to help the wonderful retailers we work with boost sales," said trade manager Clare Newton. "This year, we’re excited to introduce our brand new Naughty & Nice Squashies, shaking up the Christmas sugar confectionery NPD category.
“This Christmas, we anticipate indulgence to be a key trend, with consumers seeking comforting and delightful treats to enjoy with family and friends. With festive flavours that promise to steal the spotlight, such as Strawberry Ice Cream & Apple Pie, this new product perfectly aligns with the growing consumer interest in unique flavour experiences.
“Our new Naughty & Nice Squashies are designed to add a fun, personalised twist to festive gifting. By incorporating both ‘naughty’ and ‘nice’ elements, we’re embracing the trend for novelty and personalisation in confectionery, which enhances the excitement and appeal of our products.
“We know that shoppers are keen to make a start on their Christmas shopping early this year, so we’re encouraging retailers to stock up on our festive range to cater to those seeking to embrace the Christmas spirit as soon as possible.”