With Father’s Day only a matter of days away, shoppers are already ahead of the game.
In the first of a two-part series of online polls carried out by Product of the Year, consumers were asked what they would be buying their dad this year. Gadgets and tech came up top trumps with 35 per cent of the votes, razors and grooming products (31%), chocolates and treats (29%) and ‘other’ products including a ‘nice bottle of wine’ made up the rest of the votes.
Adding a cheeky twist, Product of the Year also asked consumers what they thought the ‘worst’ Father’s Day gift was? ‘No gift/gifting yourself’ was unanimously agreed to be the worst gift-crime one could commit against fathers on Father’s Day (61%). Other worst presents included ‘novelty ties and socks’ and ‘gardening equipment’.
“Our dads do a lot for us, so it’s important to make them feel special and loved, especially on Father’s Day,” says Helga Slater, managing director, Product of the Year.
“Our poll results show what this does (and doesn’t) look like for consumers as we approach the annual calendar day and hopefully helps brands and retailers stay up to the minute and ready for Father’s Day and throughout the year. After all, treating dads and making them feel special shouldn’t just be a one-day event!”
Fortitude Drinks UK today (22) announces that it has been awarded the exclusive distribution rights for Pampero, the renowned Venezuelan rum brand, in the United Kingdom.
This partnership supports Fortitude Drinks' commitment to bringing world-class spirits to UK consumers and trade partners.
Pampero, a name synonymous with craftsmanship and premium rum, is a celebrated brand with deep roots in Venezuela's rich rum-making heritage.
It is one of the leading Rums in Europe, known for its smooth profile and exceptional quality, Pampero offers a versatile range of expressions that have earned a loyal following worldwide.
With this new partnership, UK consumers can look forward to wider access to Pampero's award-winning portfolio, including Pampero Blanco, Pampero Especial, Pamero Seleccio and the iconic Pampero Aniversario.
The addition of Pampero further bolsters Fortitude Drinks' growing portfolio of premium spirits.
With its established distribution network and expertise in introducing high-quality brands to the UK market, Fortitude Drinks is uniquely positioned to elevate Pampero’s presence across on-trade and off-trade channels.
“We are delighted to collaborate with Gruppo Montenegro and welcome Pampero into the Fortitude Drinks family,” said Nick England Managing Director of Fortitude Drinks UK.
"Pampero’s legacy of quality and authenticity perfectly aligns with our mission to provide UK consumers and partners with exceptional spirits from around the world.
"We are confident that this partnership will deliver strong results and help grow Pampero’s reputation in the highly competitive UK market.”
This move is expected to strengthen Pampero’s footprint in the UK market, following its recent acquisition by Gruppo Montenegro, while offering consumers an authentic taste of Venezuela’s rum-making tradition.
Marco Seminaroti, Europe Director of Gruppo Montenegro comments, “We are delighted to partner with Fortitude Drinks in the UK.
"The Pampero acquisition strengthens Gruppo Montenegro’s international growth ambitions with a brand of strong quality and heritage, the first Venezuelan rum aged for more than two years.
"We are committed to long term sustainable growth and look forward to unleashing Pampero’s full potential in the UK.”
Natural cheese slice brand Leerdammer will launch its new “Incognito” TV advertising campaign on 20 January – aiming to drive memorability with consumers by tapping into the brand’s “Deliciously Different” positioning and comedic tone of voice.
Based on the insight that Leerdammer’s mild and nutty flavour profile is truly irresistible, keeping consumers coming back time and time again, the ad sees a shopper returning to a supermarket sampling counter ‘incognito’ in various disguises, to enjoy multiple tastes of the cheese.
Expected to reach over 7.6m ABC1 25-45 consumers, the campaign will promote Leerdammer’s flagship slices range – Leerdammer Original Slices and Leerdammer Light Slices – across BVOD and YouTube advertising. With a total investment of more than £800k, the first phase of advertising will run from 20 January to 9 February, to be followed with activity in May and September – supported with proximity six-sheets, as well as online and in-store activations.
The new ad scored highly in testing, with a 98 per cent Awareness Index and an outstanding ability to generate sales in the short-term (95 per cent). As well as excellent cut-through potential and strong persuasion, with an excellent ability to build the brand positioning.
“We know that Leerdammer’s mild and nutty flavour profile keeps consumers coming back for more and this new advert brings this to life brilliantly, while playing to the brand’s unique, fun tone of voice,” said Heloise Le Norcy-Trott, Group Marketing Director for Lactalis UK & Ireland.
“We expect the ad to drive brand memorability and strengthen engagement with shoppers – new and existing, in turn increasing purchase intent and basket size. And overall, we hope it encourages shoppers to return ‘time and time again’ for a taste of Leerdammer!”
Kellogg’s has announced the launch of a new Caramel flavour to its Coco Pops Chocos range.
The new addition follows the launch of Coco Pops Chocos in 2023, which was crowned top spot in the cereal category of last year’s Product of the Year awards.
Like the original Coco Pops Chocos, the new variant comprises curved, crunchy cocoa shells, but with an exciting caramel twist.
Food developers have created a balanced blend of rich roasted cocoa and creamy caramel, with the shells expertly cooked and shaped to give their signature crunchy texture.
All of Kellogg’s children’s cereals are non-HFSS including this new Coco Pops variant. It’s also high in fibre, forming part of Kellogg’s continued efforts to help families make healthier choices in the morning.
“We’re excited to be expanding our kids’ cereal line-up with this delicious Coco Pops Chocos addition,” Lejla Damon, shopper marketing & kids brand manager, Kellogg’s UKI said.
“It’s high in fibre, a delicious blend of chocolatey caramel flavour, and wonderfully crunchy. One for the whole family to enjoy!”
Coco Pops Chocos Caramel joins Kellogg’s diverse range of cereals, continuing its legacy of being the ‘OG of breakfast’. This legacy has been amplified by Kellogg’s £75m investment into its Wrexham cereal factory, set to more than double its production capacity – its largest single investment into British cereal production in over 30 years.
The new flavour will be available for shoppers to buy from January. Each 420g pack is £3.29 RRP.
Sweet maker Swizzels has unveiled a brand-new limited-edition product in time for Valentine’s Day, combining two of its most-loved brands into one treat: Squashies Love Hearts.
Offering a fresh twist on two popular classics, the new Squashies Love Hearts combine Squashies’ signature soft texture with the iconic and timeless messages of Love Hearts.
Squashies remain the No. 1 sugar confectionery brand in the market, while Love Hearts see consistent growth, with 950,000 units sold during the Valentine’s period and a 10 per cent year-on-year growth in brand value. Building on this success, Swizzels has combined the two household names to create a fast-moving and profitable addition to any retailer’s offering.
Available in 120g bags and sold in cases of 12, each foam sweet is embossed with a fun message or emoji, making them ideal for sharing with a loved one. Messages include "KISS", "WOW", "FAB", and "LOVE", alongside two cheerful and romantic emojis, adding a playful touch.
With an MRSP of £1.15, the new product retains the classic colours and flavours of traditional Love Hearts, including Pineapple, Lime, Blackcurrant, Lemon, Cherry, and Orange.
Swizzels’ Love Hearts range remains a Valentine’s Day favourite, led by the popular 39g Giant Love Hearts rolls, which outsell any other Valentine’s SKU with 621,000 units sold during the season.
Other fan-favourites from the range include Love Hearts Originals Hanging Bags, the 15g mini Love Hearts rolls and Giant Love Hearts multipacks.
“We’re excited to introduce a delicious and innovative new product that combines two of our most popular brands, delivering the same moreish flavours and signature texture - with an added twist," said trade marketing manager Clare Newton.
“Squashies Love Hearts bring something new to retailers’ offering, appealing to shoppers looking for unique yet familiar treats for themselves or as a special gift to someone else.
“Our Valentine’s range is all about sharing the love, regardless of relationship status - whether it’s romantic love, familial love or friendship and we hope the new Squashies Love Hearts will help to do just that.”
The launch is part of a broader campaign, featuring national research that explores how love and Valentine’s Day have evolved, and examining how the ways people express and seek love have changed over the years.
KP Snacks has today named Tom Grennan, one of the UK’s biggest solo pop music artists, as its official popchips ambassador. The new partnership between the beacon “Better for You” brand and the pop star taps into popchips’ positive, feel-good positioning while enhancing the brand’s relevance.
As an ambassador, Tom Grennan will perform at a special event delivered by popchips in May. Tickets to this exclusive event will be available as prizes in a brand new on-pack promotion running across the popchips portfolio from 27 January until the end of March. Featuring a flash of Tom holding a single popchip and microphone, the on-pack also offers consumers the chance to win cash prizes and tickets to leading UK festivals.
To celebrate Tom Grennan becoming a popchips ambassador, the brand will be supported by a £1m media investment with a campaign running across OOH and social media channels, as well as audio platforms including Spotify.
Building on the passion people have for music, popchips is proud to be the exclusive snack brand partner of the Latitude Festival for the second consecutive year. This year, the brand has extended its festival partnership with the addition of The Isle of Wight Festival, growing its reach within key cultural moments and driving its association with feel-good occasions. To further engage consumers, popchips will deliver exciting new marketing activations across both festivals.
“We are delighted to announce Tom Grennan as the official popchips ambassador," said Alex Callender, Brand Manager at popchips. "As a brand known for its positive energy, we are committed to tapping into culturally relevant moments in our consumers’ lives to drive a stronger emotional connection and boost brand penetration. By sponsoring two key UK festivals, we are taking this one step further, engaging consumers in an exciting setting and giving our leading ‘Better for You’ brand true differentiation.”
Worth £42.7m, popchips is the number two healthier brand in the CSN market with a 14 per cent share of the Healthier Snacking segment. Available in a variety of flavours and formats, the entire popchips range is non-HFSS. The new on-pack promotion will run across the entire popchips range including sharing, multipack, single and price-marked pack formats.