Danone launches new Actimel range
This latest launch comes as the Actimel brand marks 30 years. Created in 1994, the yogurt drink is consumed by 32m households and is available in 26 countries across Europe, North and South America and Africa.
The new Actimel+ Triple range comes at a time when health-centric focused are a must-have in consumer’s baskets and will be progressively rolled out across 20 European countries.
Research from FMCG Gurus indicates that immunity has remained a top priority for consumers over the last years. Other data sourced by Euromonitor also reveals a perceived link between health and immunity, with 62% of people citing a healthy immune system when asked to define health.
The new Actimel range is fortified with essential vitamins D and B6, to support the normal function of the immune system, magnesium to reduce tiredness, and vitamin C for its antioxidant properties.
The vitamin D gap has long been an issue among European consumers – with as many as 40% not meeting their recommended daily intake according to Danone.
In response to these nutritional gaps, Actimel has created a recipe that contain billions of beneficial ferments, including Danone’s exclusive L. casei, which promote the growth of good bacteria essential for gut health.
Actimel uses a unique 72-hour slow fermentation process to allow the L. casei cultures to develop in the best possible conditions. This method results in a higher concentration of these beneficial cultures in each serving.
According to Danone, Actimel is currently the most scientifically studied immunity shot. More than 145 scientific papers have been published on the properties and effects of Actimel and its exclusive L. casei strain.
Produced in Belgium and Spain, the range will be available in four flavours: peach-passion fruit, strawberry pomegranate, blueberry-blackberry, and orange-peach; and has been rolled in response to the increasing demands of health-centric products.
The launch comes at the same time as Danone announces several sustainability efforts, including optimising its factories for 100% renewable energy; larger bottles containing 17% less plastic; lightening the weight of its plastic bottles by 40%; and removing labels from small bottles, saving an estimated 868 tons of plastic last year in Europe.
Cathedral City expands dairy-free range
The Saputo Dairy UK brand is expanding its ‘Our Plant Based’ range, with the launch of a Plant Based Smokey Block.
This launch comes almost two years since its plant-based range hit shelves – which has grown by 65% in the last year to a retail sales value of £9.1m.
Commenting on the launch, Christopher Owens head of marketing for plant-based at Saputo Dairy UK, said: “Building on the success of Cathedral City Plant-Based, we are taking the range into new and exciting territories, offering consumers more of the flavours they love in dairy-free formats. For Cathedral City, it is an opportunity to further cement the mass appeal of our brand, providing on-trend flavours in both dairy and dairy-free options.
Smokey continues to be a champion flavour in plant-based and this latest string to Cathedral’s bow joins the brand’s dairy counterpart, ‘Our Naturally Smoked Cheddar’, that was released in 2023.
The product has been crafted using water infused with a natural woodchip smoke to create a diary-free smokey cheddar flavour, and is available exclusively in Tesco stores.
According to Cathedral City, this SKU will be the only alternative to cheese in UK supermarkets that delivers its flavour through natural methods.
“Cathedral City is the only major brand to bring a plant-based smokey product to UK supermarkets made using naturally smoked water, rather than artificial flavourings, enabling us to stay true to what we stand for – great-tasting and high-quality products. Our Plant Based Smokey Block is great for melting, therefore topping off your favourite burger with a generous slice is the ideal way to give it a try,” added Owens.
Plant-based cheese is now worth an estimated £42.2m, and bought by 8% of UK households. Saputo Dairy UK’s Cathedral City is valued at almost £306m in Total Market and bought by 41% of all UK households.
Caerphilly-based bakery launch gets Government backing
The Welsh bakery, Peter’s, has launched a new range of Epic Rolls supported by sensory testing delivered through the Welsh Government funded Project HELIX.
Project HELIX, which is delivered by three food centres across Wales that make up Food Innovation Wales, provides funded technical and commercial support to Welsh food and drink companies.
Peter’s contacted the ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre at Cardiff Metropolitan University for support with independent consumer research to aid the development of a new snacking range.
Epic Rolls has been the result – a sausage roll aimed at younger shoppers and coming in a variety of flavours, including Cheese Burger, Lip Lickin Chicken' and Gravy and Smoky BBQ Pork.
Consumer feedback for the Epic Roll range was very positive with 85% of focus group participants expressing an interest in purchasing the product.
Peter’s has now gained national listings for Epic Rolls, which launched across all Iceland and Food Warehouse stores, with other retailers to follow shortly.
Commenting, Owain Jones, brand manager for Epic Rolls at Peter’s, said: “ZERO2FIVE’s research clearly supported the development of the product range and gave us the confidence to push on in bringing our roll revolution to the category. We were also able to use the research findings when presenting to retailers, and they really valued the independent insight and feedback."
Young’s launches frozen jumbo cod
The company’s ‘Chip Shop’ portfolio has expanded with a new giant cod as the ‘fakeaway’ trend continues to gain momentum.
Young’s Jumbo Cod Special replicates the portion sizes of the fish and chippy, with the mammoth Atlantic cod fillets addressing the need for an affordable ‘takeaway-like’ experience.
This comes at the same time as research from the KFE Fish & Chips Survey 2024 uncovered that the average cost of fish and chips has risen to more than £10.88.
At 240g per fillet, the Jumbo Cod Special Fillets are over twice the size of Young’s bestselling Chip Shop Large Cod Fillets, and are coated in the brand’s signature crispy batter.
This latest addition to its range follows a strong period of growth for its Chip Shop brand, which is now worth £49.8m, growing by 17.3% in volume over the last year.
“Young’s Chip Shop is loved by consumers for its succulent fillets and crispy bubbly batter, which is reflected in the strong growth we’ve seen for the brand over the past year,” said Matthew Wilson, marketing controller for Young’s Chip Shop.
“Consumers told us they wanted a true jumbo-sized fish from their favourite Chip Shop brand so they could even better replicate the taste of the fish and chip takeaway at home, which is where the inspiration for our Jumbo Cod Special came from.
“With the same taste and texture that shoppers love in a larger format, the new Jumbo Cod Special really does deliver on our promise to offer the ultimate taste of the chippy at home.”
The range is to be rolled out in Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons later this month, with other retailers to follow.
Richmond’s double whammy launch
The well-known sausage brand has introduced a new ‘Extra Tasty’ range, with two new sausage products.
‘Signature Pork’ and ‘Pork & Caramelised Red Onion’ will be available exclusively across Tesco stores nationwide next week (23 September 2024).
Worth over £192m in GB retail, Richmond boasts more than 134 years of business and is consumed by more than 20m people across a third of UK households.
Similar to Young’s, Pilgrim’s Europe – which owns Richmond – has spied an opportunity as consumers cut back on eating out in favour for constructing their own meals (73%).
Despite purse strings being tighter, Kantar’s data finds that many still crave ‘elevated’ treats, spurring a rise in the ‘relaxed adult dinner’ and ‘special dinner together’ occasions.
Moreover, taste remains key in driving food purchase decisions (66%), with this the number one driver for the sausage category.
Richmond has described its new range as new tier to the sausage category, which it says meets expectations on taste without breaking the bank.
The new launches are expected to drive 36% purchase incrementality to the sausage category, the brand adds.
Chris Doe, marketing director at Pilgrim’s Europe, said: “Richmond is a trusted heritage brand that never stands still, priding itself on continuous growth and innovation. The launch of our new Extra Tasty range is our biggest NPD announcement of the year.
“It creates an entirely new tier in the sausage category to meet the growing consumer appetite for bold, delicious flavours while offering an affordable way to elevate every at-home mealtime experience. We’re confident that this range will build on Richmond’s strong taste credentials, elevate consumers mealtimes, and drive sales in the sausage category.”
In other news, Scotch whisky producer Gordon & MacPhail is expanding, as work begins on construction of new warehouse.
