UK's craft brewery Vocation is re-branding its entire range, bringing more personality to the packaging to better reflect the distinct character of each beer inside.
In the newly-revealed design and branding, Vocation name features more prominently, allowing consumers to identify the brand more easily and to enable better trial across its ever expanding portfolio of beers.
The new designs uses bright colours to help differentiate the individual beers while carefully
maintaining the brand’s strong craft sensibility. A new ‘Vocation V’ brand icon has been introduced to add interest and allow for easier identification.
Brand design agency Robot Food, Vocation’s design partner since its beginnings in 2015, has designed the new branding. The newly branded range is available now across most retailers in 330 ml and 440 ml cans. New point-of-sale material, including branded beer runners, parasols and glassware, is also available to all on-trade customers.
John Hickling, founder and CEO of Vocation Brewery, says: “As a brewery we have quietly gone about our business since 2015 in a beer-focused way, not making big noise or banging the drum. What started out as my vocation soon evolved to be the vocation of our small but dedicated team who all have a real pride in the beers that we produce.
Vocation beer
“We’re now growing at 65 per cent year-on-year, and have a wide and varied core range as
well as producing specials and seasonals. Our flagship Life & Death beer is now one
of the best-selling beers in the craft aisle, representing around 30 per cent of our production, yet people don’t know about us. The re-brand is about the maturity and growing confidence of the brand, to shout a little louder and make sure everyone knows about Vocation. It’s simply about wanting to get better beer to more people," Hickling said.
Rick Stenson, managing director for Vocation Brewery, said that the management wanted Vocation beer to look "as good as possible because we care so much about them".
"It’s also important to us to keep the designs fresh and interesting, to best reflect what’s inside, and to keep us at the forefront of the craft beer market. The liquid inside remains the same, we’ve just treated them to a new outfit," Stenson said, adding that the firm is stronger now in the supermarkets now that ever been.
"The big focus for us now is to turn to the on-trade as it starts to recover and open up, and respond to the demand for craft beer in pubs and restaurants. Over the last 18 months we have gained an extremely strong online following through our web sales. We have also gained significant inroads with our export market, with our beers now available in 50 countries around the world," he said.
Vocation Brewery is an independent craft brewery based in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire. It has 60 staff and sells the equivalent of 10 millions cans per year.
World foods and category expert Golden Acre Foods is launching four varieties of its new Hungry Boar premium meat snacks into Booker Retail Partners this spring. The range will be available to independent and convenience retailers from the end of March.
The launch of Hungry Boar will be supported by a heavy weight digital, social and influencer led campaign, sampling activity at consumer events throughout the spring/summer period including at Pub in the Park, and instore shopper activity.
Booker will stock four SKUs - Flamin’ Piri Piri, Loaded Cheese, Chicken and Pork – with £1.99 price marked packs.
Traditionally made with seasoned, smoked and cured pork, Hungry Boar’s thin ‘sticklers’ of seasoned meat are inspired by one of the world’s oldest meat snacks, Kabanos, which originates from Poland and dates back to medieval times.
Aimed primarily at adults aged 25 and over who enjoy an active lifestyle, the Hungry Boar premium meat sticks offer a source of protein with no artificial colours or flavours and are ideal as an individual or sharing protein snack for eating on the go.
Over 150g of meat goes into every 100g of finished product.
Comments Rebecca Cutter, head of marketing for Golden Acre Foods, “The meat snacking category is in need of innovation as there has been little new news in meat snacking over recent years. So we are really excited to be launching our new Hungry Boar range into Booker.
"There is a clear opportunity to bring a more adult meat snacking proposition into the category that is perfect for those looking for a tasty snack to fuel their busy lifestyles.
“Hungry Boar is a snack full of flavour and we’re hugely confident the range will be popular among adults living an active lifestyle who are looking for a tasty meat kick to keep them satisfied for longer.”
Danone Skyr, an Icelandic-style yoghurt known for its deliciously thick and creamy texture, is naturally high in protein, zero per cent fat and a source of calcium, making it the ultimate versatile option for an everyday staple in the fridge. A great breakfast choice, on its own or topped with granola and fruit.
The addition of Skyr into Danone’s dairy portfolio is in direct response to strong consumer demand for Skyr experienced in other markets. In France, Skyr has driven 29 per cent volume growth to the yoghurts category in 2019.
Made with only two ingredients - milk and live cultures – Danone Skyr Natural is naturally high in protein, offering 14g per serving, with no added sugars. The Strawberry yoghurt variant offers 12g of protein per serving and contains no artificial colours or flavours. Finally, the Vanilla and Strawberry Skyr Drinks offer 16g of protein per serving and are perfect for the on-the-go as they last up to four hours out of the fridge. The new range is 100 per cent non-HFSS, aligning with Danone’s wider health commitments, and showcasing its dedication to delivering healthy and tasty innovations to shoppers.
“We are launching this new range at an exciting moment for the UK market, with growing momentum for Natural yoghurts, which have seen 51 per cent value increase over the last two years,” said Zack Cunningham, Head of Category and Commercial Planning Dairy, Danone UK & Ireland.
“Following the evident success of Skyr in the French market, we are confident we have developed a product the UK will love, that combines nutrition with great taste.”
Tom Hickton, Dairy Marketing Director, Danone UK & Ireland, commented, "After seeing the growth of Skyr in other markets, we are thrilled to introduce Danone Skyr to the UK. Our Skyr range offers a tasty option for consumers looking for naturally high-protein, fat-free products."
"Danone Skyr stands out in the market with its thick and creamy texture and mild taste. We believe it will be a popular choice among health-conscious shoppers."
As the result of extensive market testing, consumers found Danone Skyr had a smooth texture compared with competing products, as well as a milder taste.
The new product will be available in a variety of pack formats and flavours including 800g Natural (RRP £3.30), 480g Natural (RRP £2.25), 150g Natural & Strawberry (RRP £1.10) and 270ml Vanilla and Strawberry drinks (RRP £1.50).
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Sweet Vintage Apple and Mango: Kopparberg’s Bold New Cider Flavours
Kopparbergis launching two new ciders onto the market, shaking up its vintage range with the launch of Sweet Vintage Apple Cider, and turning up the tropical vibes with its latest flavour launch – Mango.
Following the success of Sweet Vintage Pear, this new Sweet Vintage Apple addition delivers a sweet, full-bodied apple cider at seven per cent ABV – capturing the essence of perfectly ripened apples in every sip.
Sweet Vintage Apple offers a fresh, high-ABV alternative to traditionally dry vintage ciders. Staying true to Kopparberg’s signature flavour, it’s the ultimate choice for cider lovers looking for a sweeter, higher ABV experience.
“Our Sweet Vintage Apple Cider is all about bringing bold, refreshing flavour with a sweeter twist than other, more dry offerings within the vintage category," said Axel Tulip, Senior Customer Marketing Manager at Kopparberg. "At seven per cent ABV, it’s the perfect choice for those who love a fuller, sweeter cider without compromising on the unmistakable Kopparberg character.”
Kopparberg has the highest penetration of any beer or cider brand. Now, Sweet Vintage Apple gives drinkers a bold new way to enjoy the refreshment they expect – available in a 500ml can, it delivers the perfect serve every time.
Meanwhile, landing in stores from 10 March is new Mango flavour. This 3.4 per cent ABV cider is set to shake up the category, delivering a bold new taste that fruit cider lovers won’t want to miss.
Blending the tropical sweetness of mango with the crisp refreshment of Kopparberg’s signature apple cider, this new release brings a fresh twist to the fruit cider aisle. Designed to meet the evolving tastes of drinkers, Mango offers a vibrant, refreshing tropical taste, Mango is available in both a 330ml can and a 500ml bottle.
“At Kopparberg, taste is everything—we know what drinkers love, and no one understands young adult consumers and taste trends better than us," added Axel Tulip. "With demand for new, exciting flavours on the rise, we’re hyped to bring Kopparberg Mango to market in 2025. It’s all about giving cider lovers more of what they crave – bold, refreshing flavours from a brand they know and love.”
Kopparberg Launches Sweet Vintage Apple and Mango Ciders in 2025
KP Snacks’ iconic bear-shaped snack, Pom-Bear, is back on TV this month.
With a new media investment, Pom-Bear has returned to TV for six weeks, driving brand awareness. First launched in September 2024, the engaging ad captures a playful moment between a father and daughter as they enjoy a pack of Pom-Bear, tapping into the brand’s fun, family-friendly identity and encouraging parents to enjoy light-hearted moments with their children.
Featuring the tagline, “Put a little Pom in your Day,” the creative is designed to boost awareness of the brand which was expanded last year with new Cheese and BBQ flavours. Following the advert’s first run last year, the brand saw strong growth, up +17 per cent YOY.
“At Pom-Bear, we believe in adding a little fun to every day with great-tasting snacks," said Rachel Horrell, Senior Brand Manager at KP Snacks. "We’re thrilled to see the brand returning to TV with an advert that reflects the joy of family snacking occasions, continuing to improve brand awareness. The advert has been really well received by consumers, creating a sense of warmth and happiness which has driven an uplift in sales.”
Pom-Bear is worth £35m and growing ahead of total bagged snacks.
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Becky Allan, Marketing Manager at Takis, discussing the launch
Cult snack brand Takis is set to spice up aisles up and down the country with the launch of Blue Heat – the latest addition to its bold and intensely flavoured range of rolled tortilla chips. Following huge success in international markets, the striking blue snack that is the brand’s number two flavour in the US, will be available nationwide from 5 March onwards, rolling out through the convenience channel via wholesalers.
The launch taps into the continued demand for spicy snacks in the UK. The bagged snacks category continues to grow and is now worth £4.19bn in value, and within that, the “Heat” segment is out-performing total crisps at +nine per cent value sales in the last year. Takis is perfectly placed to cater to this demand as the brand is outperforming the market, growing in value sales by 10 per cent in the last year.
“There is no denying that UK consumers love a bit of spice,” said Becky Allan, Marketing Manager, Takis, said: Gen Z in particular are leading the way with this and becoming more adventurous in their snack options. Takis Blue Heat has already seen incredible success in international markets, garnering a huge cult following. With its unmatched intensity across heat, flavour and visual appeal this new launch is set to resonate strongly with UK consumers and drive further growth within the category.”
Already a fan favourite across the globe, Takis Blue Heat delivers an explosive combination of chilli and lime flavours, designed for those who crave adventure in their snacking experience. The bold new offering joins the brand's popular lineup, which includes best-sellers Fuego and Dragon Sweet Chilli.
Retailers can get their stock from the below wholesalers:
Booker Wholesale UK: 55g PMP (£1.25) from 5 March
Bestway: 100g (£2) from 10 March
Dhamecha Group 55g PMP (£1.25) and 100g (£2) from 10 March