Rebrands: New Hobgoblin identity and introducing Nim’s…Naturally

Hobgoblin reveals new visual identity​

Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) has unveiled a new look for the Hobgoblin beer brand.

The updated visual identity puts the Hobgoblin character front and centre across the brand’s packaging and marketing, and has received “overwhelmingly positive”​ feedback from ale drinkers that it has been tested on.

Overall, consumers said that they see the new identity as more modern, eye-catching and characterful, while also honouring the essence of Hobgoblin.

According to Kantar data from June 2024, Hobgoblin has both the highest volume share and highest pack share in the premium ale category, while it also has the highest buyer share with almost one in three of all premium ale shoppers choosing Hobgoblin.

To support the new look, CMBC will be activating the Hobgoblin brand in major retailers with a new campaign that is set to roll out later this year.

Commenting on the new identity, director of marketing for craft and ales at CMBC, Jo Marshall, said: “Our vision is to bring true personality to the Premium Ale category, and what better way to start than with the best-known character in British ale, our inimitable Hobgoblin himself?​

“Our new visual identity takes inspiration from our rich history, but reinvigorates our goblin as a modern, characterful personality to win over new drinkers far and wide. For our brand loyalists who have been with Hobgoblin for many years, have no fear – we may have a new look, but we’re still proud to be ugly!”​

The fresh look has also received praise from Bynder, a global digital asset management firm.

“The rebrand of Hobgoblin ale represents a strategic transformation aimed at revitalising its visual identity and market presence,”​ said Manisha Mehta, senior PR and communications manager at Bynder.

“The updated design puts the goblin front and centre. This move is not just about aesthetics; it’s about reinforcing the brand’s character and enhancing its shelf visibility. To retain current ale drinkers while bringing in new drinkers into the mix, I believe the rebrand aims to ensure that this new look stands out and resonates well with the target audience.”​

Following its acquisition of Britvic​​, Carlsberg also bought out Marston’s and is set to rebrand its UK operation as Carlsberg Britvic once the deals are officially completed.

Nim’s Fruit Crisps rebrands as Nim’s…Naturally

Food and drink manufacturer Nim’s Fruit Crisps has been renamed as Nim’s…Naturally after passing the 65-product milestone.

Founder Nimisha Raja settled on the new name in order to reflect the company’s increasingly diverse range of SKUs, which now range from air-dried fruit and vegetable crisps to drink garnishes, botanicals, ingredients and edible teas.

Based in Sittingbourne, Kent, Nim’s…Naturally employs 18 people at its BRC-accredited factory, is also now preparing to launch a range of air-dried ingredients under its Let’s Cook and Let’s Bake brands.

“When we started it was all about our air-dried fruit crisps and that was reflected in our original identity,”​ said Raja, who launched the business in 2017.

“Whilst our crisps are still hugely popular, our new product development team has been in overdrive and we needed an overarching brand that touched on all the different things we make and supply into retail and food service, including Holland & Barrett, Pret a Manger, Zizzi and a host of others.”​

“The one thing that is constant is that all our products are made using just one ingredient and that is why we wanted to trademark Nim’s…Naturally.”​

A major motivation for Raja was creating a new identity that customers would immediately recognise as representing 100% natural products.

“They don’t need to turn the pack over to look at the ingredients label, they just automatically trust that anything with our logo has been carefully processed to retain great natural flavour and nutritional goodness without absolutely anything added to flavour, preserve or enhance the one ingredient products,”​ she added.

Today, Nim’s…Naturally is sold in more than 1,500 outlets across the UK while every product is vegan friendly and Kosher and Halal certified. The change in name has also seen a tweak to the product labels and the launch of a new website.

“Sustainability is another big purchasing factor these days and this is something we feel really passionate about,”​ added Nimisha.

“We have been working towards achieving zero food waste for some time and finally achieved it in March 2023. This means that all 600 tonnes of fresh produce we use every year goes into our products, with the small amount (0.003%) that doesn’t sent to an anaerobic waste treatment plant and turned into energy.”​

In other news, Mars is reportedly exploring the acquisition of global snacking business Kellanova.​​