Samworth Brothers launches food-to-go brand

The chilled foods manufacturer launched the lunchtime ‘Deli Bite’ brand today (August 10) in a bid to exploit growth in the food-to-go market.

Samworth Brothers business development manager Alastair Johns said: “The lunchtime category is a substantial one for us. Within the food-to-go market, sandwiches are up 4.2% on last year and are the staple of any lunch.

‘Big ambitions’

“Sandwiches are the core of this new range but we have big ambitions for the Deli Bite brand and will be looking to expand the range in the coming months. We’re confident the launch of Deli Bite will prove a hit with retailers and consumers alike.”

The company said it planned to exploit the food-to-go sector in “a whole new range of retail outlets and cafes across different sectors.” The range, which consists of sandwiches, wraps, paninis, toasties and pasta salads, will be sold through the Ginsters Van Sales Company.

The mobile-retailer has “nationwide coverage and boasts a dedicated team of representatives delivering seven days a week to thousands of customers”, Samworth Brothers said.

The announcement came two weeks after IGD said the sector’s sales are expected to rise 6.8% this year, and could offer manufacturers “considerable opportunities”. As part of its research, IGD posed three key questions to food-to-go suppliers, to make the most of the growth opportunities.

Samworth Brothers appeared to answer one of those key questions with its announcement. IGD asked “What drives shoppers to make food-to-go purchases?”

‘A clear focus’

The chilled foods manufacturer said: “The new Deli Bite brand has been created with a clear focus on the shopper and consumer. Our research informed us of a couple of key elements.

“Firstly, shoppers want help navigating the food-to-go fixture, so we designed a brand that was simple and clear, with colour coded packs denoting the sandwich flavour. Secondly, and most importantly, shoppers want to see what’s inside the pack – we therefore ensured we have large windows to show the quality inside.”

Meanwhile, food manufacturer Greencore boosted its food-to-go business last month when it acquired The Sandwich Factory from Cranswick. The deal, worth £15M, made strategic sense for Greencore, it said, as it continued to target the growing food-to-go market.