Leading flavoured still water brand Volvic has refreshed its Sugar Free range with the launch of its brand-new flavour – Kiwi & Lime, offering an ideal accompaniment for the warmer days.
The recipe combines the crisp and refreshing taste of kiwi with the zesty notes of tangy lime and makes for a delicious summer drink.
The flavour combination was handpicked by consumers via a social media poll, which was posted by popular social media star Kyron Hamilton to his huge following. Known for his hilarious ‘Teacher Series’ videos that emulate the classic British school experience, Kyron encouraged his loyal fanbase to decide the future Touch of Fruit flavour, which was none other than an exotic green combination to complement the summer heat.
Volvic’s Touch of Fruit range combines the refreshing taste of natural mineral water with a burst of flavour that helps consumers stay hydrated. The Sugar Free range has grown 46 per cent vs 2YA in value sales and 62 per cent of the volume of last summer’s popular flavour innovation, Peach & Raspberry, was incremental to the Flavoured Still Water category proving successful in recruiting new consumers, the brand noted.
“We’re thrilled to be launching this brand-new Kiwi & Lime flavour in the Volvic Touch of Fruit range following the strong market performance of last spring’s Peach & Raspberry launch,” Gemma Morgan, category marketing director beverages at Danone, said.
“We continue to see consumers trying out new flavour combinations and it was particularly interesting to put the selection of this new flavour in the hands of our consumers with a social media vote. We’re excited to see more customers reach for our sugar free alternative and to stay hydrated while enjoying the delicious, flavoured water taste!”
Volvic Touch of Fruit is available in eight refreshing flavours. Each sugar free serving has less than 4 calories and is great for sharing with friends and family or for keeping hydrated throughout the day.
The new Kiwi & Lime flavour, launched into Sainsbury’s and Asda, will be widely available soon.
This November, visitors to the Co-op Live arena are in for a sweet surprise with the chance to immerse themselves in the world of Swizzels Squashies and to win treats and prizes at a Squashies experience zone.
As the official sweets supplier to Co-op Live, British sweet maker Swizzels will host the Squashies experience zone from November 15 to 30. Over the two-week period, a star-studded line-up of global music and comedy acts will headline the venue.
Visitors to the UK’s largest entertainment venue can gain exclusive access to the Squashies zone where fans are encouraged to squash up and snap a selfie on the first-ever Squashies sofa.
Featuring the signature pink and white colours of Swizzels’ Original Drumstick Squashies, the sofa is set to be a crowd-pleaser, inviting couples, friends, and family to cozy up and savour the moment together.
Fans can also get their hands on thousands of free Squashies and take part in a spin-the-wheel game to fun prizes. There will also be the chance to win tickets to see other global artists perform at Coop Live.
“Our partnership with Co-op Live has proved to be a real success so far, and Squashies have been a popular purchase across the venue," said Sarah-Louise Heslop, Head of Marketing at Swizzels. "Through this experiential event, we hope to sweeten music lovers’ visits to the arena, offering them the chance to sample Squashies, take part in some fun games, and snap and share some pictures on our brand-new Squashies-inspired sofa.”
Since forming a partnership with Co-op Live for its opening earlier this year, several different flavours of Squashies have been available to purchase at the venue, and Swizzels has also provided personalised rolls of its iconic Love Hearts to performers. Visitors to the premium area of the arena are also able to purchase Swizzels hampers containing a mix of fan favourites.
To celebrate the launch of Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold and Pepsi MAX, coming together to create a delicious new RTD beverage, Captain Morgan GB is rolling out a convenience-first support plan in the impulse channel.
Shoppers are not willing to compromise on quality with RTDs and are seeking premium alcohol serves. To help retailers capitalise on the booming RTD category, which is currently in 25 per cent growth in Great Britain , the brand kicked off with a teaser campaign, gifting retailers up and down the country with an exclusive first look and taste of this iconic duo. To drum up further excitement, retailers were offered an array of bespoke POS suites alongside gifted stock to deliver stand-out instore activations and create a buzz on social media. These retailers will be entered into a prize draw, where the retailer that shares the best imagery across socials will have a chance to win six months’ worth of stock.
Running in tandem with the convenience channel activations, a successful consumer launch event "The Mixer" took place at Kachette in Shoreditch, a convenience store frontage, concealed the entrance to an exclusive party venue. Supporting their convenience-first strategy, Captain Morgan GB adopted a guerilla style approach to London-based retailers offering talent line-up posters promoting the event, and a pair of tickets to giveaway to their customers - helping to drive in-store engagement. Retailers and industry influencers then mixed alongside with DJs, Love Island stars and social media influencers to celebrate the launch.
“It’s great that Captain Morgan have recognised that as retailers, we are perfectly placed to deliver a great launch through our convenience stores," said Atul Sodha, owner of Londis Harefield. "The support structure and The Mixer showcased the product – and with so many influencers in the room, it makes the launch relevant for the consumer too, as they can associate with the celebrities. In turn this helps us to be relevant when the product is on shelf. Having the chance to meet the Captain Morgan team also gave us a real insight into how the team is working closely with convenience retailers to make a splash with this launch.”
David Mills, Commercial Sales Manager, Diageo comments, “Engaging with convenience and impulse retailers across the country is part of our long-term strategy here at Diageo, as we recognise the importance of the channel in driving distribution and launching innovation. RTDs perform particularly well in this channel as they’re easy to consume on-the-go so it made perfect sense for us to develop a bespoke activation plan to support the activity.
The initial launch of Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold mixed with Pepsi MAX has created a real buzz within the industry and we’re excited about the potential of this fantastic new addition to our RTD portfolio.”
To bring some spice to your store with Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold mixed with Pepsi MAX register for Diageo ONE to access marketing advice and bespoke POS solutions.
Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold and Pepsi MAX is available across all major retailers and wholesalers, in 330ml cans, 250ml slimline cans, and multipacks of 6 x 250ml can. The launch is being supported by OOH, BVOD, digital, social and disruptive sampling.
Imperial Brands has announced the launch of Paramount, a new cigarette brand designed for adult smokers who seek exceptional value without compromising on quality.
To support the launch, Paramount is offering additional support to retailers to enable them to sell at £11.50 or less per pack should they wish to.
Paramount features premium, full-flavour Virginia sun-ripened tobacco, meeting the needs of the majority of UK cigarette smokers, where over 90% of cigarettes sold are Virginia blends1 and 83% are full-flavour tobacco2.
Now available through UK Wholesale and Independent Retail channels, Paramount’s introduction reflects the growing demand for value options in the UK, with the value sector expanding by 5% in the past year3 and now representing 30% of the UK cigarette market4.
With great offers in wholesale to support the launch, Paramount is a top choice for value-seeking consumers. The brand is available in both full flavour king-size and super king-size formats, catering to a wide range of UK smokers.
The UK launch of Paramount follows the success of its debut in Germany, where it is currently the fastest-growing cigarette product since hitting the shelves5. Paramount has also launched successfully in a number of other European markets.
Yawer Rasool, Consumer Marketing Director UK & Ireland at Imperial Brands, stated: “The demand for value products that still offer high quality continues to grow. Paramount will be our best value product in the UK market – synonymous with great value and proven success on the Continent.
“Many smokers of value products are open to trying new brands if the price is right. Given its success in key European markets, we anticipate strong demand for the Paramount brand across the UK.”
Yoplait yoghurt has launched Yop 500g Strawberry into Booker Cash & Carry ensuring the availability of the UK’s only drinking yoghurt for independent and convenience retailers across the country for the first time.
The flavoured milk category is experiencing huge growth and is expected to be worth £671 million by 2028. The total category is currently being driven by the convenience sector accounting for £262 million and accounting for 44 per cent of total category sales.
In a recent taste test, more consumers preferred the taste of Yop to its flavoured milk competitors.
“Yop is unique," said Ewa Moxham, Head of Marketing at Yoplait UK. "It offers a delicious flavour and as it is a yoghurt drink rather than just flavoured milk, it keeps consumers fuller for longer and our 500g format is perfect for on-the-go consumption”
Yop Strawberry 500g is suitable for adults and children, has a uniquely smooth texture and is a source of Protein, Calcium and Vitamin D, critical to help children and teenagers build healthy bones.
“We are delighted to be listing Yop Strawberry 500g as it offers our customers a real point of difference and great value for money,” said Hannah Wlodarczyk, Category Manager (Designate) – Butters, Spreads, Yoghurts & Desserts at Booker Group.
Fox’s Burton’s Companies (FBC UK) is bringing retailers a premium proposition of Fox's Fabulous Chocolatey Milk Chocolate Shortcake Rounds in a new price-marked pack (PMP) format. The luxurious treat from the number one big cookie brand features crumbly shortcake biscuits coated in a generous amount of smooth, rich milk chocolate. The new format will meet the current demand for accessible products that deliver on the taste and quality that Fox’s is known for.
There is a £5m opportunity for symbol and independent impulse outlets to sell more biscuits with Fox’s , particularly with the premium proposition of the range, and this is made more accessible to shoppers with the new PMP offering. The wider premium treat segment of sweet biscuits is worth £383m and is growing by 10.8 per cent year on year. Shoppers are using biscuits as an opportunity to treat themselves and to lift their mood, presenting a further £13.8m growth opportunity for retailers in the biscuit category.
“Value continues to be a key factor for shoppers and PMP formats give them reassurance and confidence that they are not being overcharged," said Colin Taylor, Trade Marketing Director at FBC UK. "As a result, price-marked packs present an ideal opportunity for retailers to take advantage of this and allows them to tap into the premium treat segment – encouraging consumers to trade up.”
“As the colder weather and darker nights draw in, sharing is especially important for the big night in occasion. Fox’s Chocolatey Rounds are the perfect treat for these delicious moments of enjoyment, particularly as the pack size means it’s perfect for sharing with others. The Fox’s PMP portfolio can help retailers make the most of the opportunity in this category.”
Fox’s Chocolatey Milk Chocolate Shortcake Rounds PMP are available from 18 November throughout wholesalers nationwide.