Kepak bids to double Rustlers sales to £140m
Confirming the news to FoodManufacture.co.uk, Kepak marketing director John Armstrong said:“One element we want to push as a market leader in a relatively young category [the hot snacking market] is further household penetration.”
Predicting that first year sales of the wraps alone (Chicken Salsa and BBQ Chicken and Cheese varieties will cost £1.99 each) would add £10m to Rustlers turnover, Armstrong added that the firm is targeting “audience expansion” as its key growth driver in the sector.
Rustling up new consumers
Armstrong said Kepak saw real potential in marketing Rustlers products to “the grey market, females and white-collar workers”, where the predominant market for foods within the sector is now male and “blue collar”.
Brand developments, marketing and research into new product development (NPD) would also inspire growth, he added, with the bulk of it coming in the UK although Kepak is also targeting international markets.
Despite the growth target Kepak has no current plans to extend its current Preston manufacturing site, said Armstrong, where it can move the firm a long waytowards its targets without expanding capacity.
However, he added that new product formats could mean new sorts of kit, although since this depended on specific new product development it was hard to say precisely what at this point.
