NPD round-up: Premium indulgence and health

Fox’s expands Viennese biscuit selection

As the nights draw in, hot chocolate sales have been ticking up. According to Kantar data, this hot beverage has been performing well through September, seeing a rise of 28% year on year.

To complement customers’ warming beverages, Fox’s Burton’s Companies (FBC) has launched Fox's Viennese Double Chocolate Fingers.

The new biscuit sandwiches a chocolate filling between two cocoa shells and extends the company’s range of Viennese biscuits which have been proving popular additions to shoppers' baskets

Fox’s Favourites Viennese Milk Chocolate Sandwich Biscuits are now worth £14.3m and growing at 11% year on year, with 1.7m shoppers buying these biscuits last year.

“We know shoppers are looking for new ways to treat themselves throughout the day and into dark evenings. The new Viennese Double Chocolate is not only set to deliver a delicious new treat for Viennese fans, but also entice new customers to the brand and biscuit aisle. The Fox’s Viennese brand is more popular than ever, so now is the perfect time to unveil our latest innovation and help retailers to tap into the brand’s growth,”​ commented Colin Taylor, trade marketing director at FBC.

Viennese Double Chocolate launched into Sainsburys nationwide in 120g packs for £1.90 RRP.

The ‘most natural’ chocolate milk?

A Scottish dairy has launched what it claims is the most natural chocolate milk on the market.

Dubbed ‘brown cow milk’, Mossgiel Farm is making its new offering from waste cocoa husks sourced from artisanal chocolatier Bare Bones.

Bryce Cunningham, founder of Mossgiel Farm (pictured below), explained that the dairy’s unique brewing technique, where cocoa husks are infused into its creamy, organic milk along with raw organic sugar, is set to make it the most natural chocolate milk on the market. 

“We’ve been eager to develop a Mossgiel chocolate milk for some time now, but it was important that we created a drink that is not only natural, but also sustainable,” ​he said.

“Like there's a problem with the dairy industry we're trying to solve, there's also a problem with chocolate milk. It's full of rubbish. We wanted to create something that was quality, using real chocolate not just nonsense and E numbers.​

“We are taking what would otherwise be waste and turning it into a fresh drink – and with not an E number in sight, natural cream on top and completing a zero-waste cycle.​

“Our chocolate milk will separate into a cream top, just like our regular milk, and as far as I know, it’s the only chocolate milk using waste products in its creation.”​

Cunningham explained he grew up hearing tales of people thinking chocolate milk came from brown cows and was inspired. “It always stuck with me – why not make it a reality?”​

In any case, Ayrshire cows which the company source its milk from are brown, so there is some truth to it!

After brewing, the cocoa husks are repurposed into compost and combined with waste coffee from Matthew Algie, cow dung and bedding, to create an organic fertiliser. This compost is then used to nourish the farm’s fields, completing the farm’s zero-waste cycle.

This news also comes at the same time as Mossgiel launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £300,000 for a diary facility. The company has already secured planning permission and this investment would allow it to double its production capacity.

St Pierre targets premium breakfast market

St Pierre has launched a two-pack of All Butter Croissants exclusively into Morrisons.

This extends its range in the breakfast sector, as it looks to attract premium shoppers to the category.

The new product is made from 30% French-churned butter and comes in a larger serving size.  

The exclusive launch into 236 Morrisons stores and 264 Morrisons Daily outlets is being supported with new POS including in-aisle signage and displays on in-store till screens, featuring the brand’s recently launched ‘Eat Avec Respect’ creative.

“Breakfast has the biggest value share of bakery occasions which is the only segment of bakery delivering both value and volume growth. Private label is in decline as shoppers are coming back to brands,”​ said Lauren Meadows, head of UK brands at St Pierre.

“Within breakfast bakery, it is croissants that are delivering the most value growth, growing at 17%year on year. That’s why it makes perfect sense for the St Pierre brand – known for its authentic, quality products – to launch a premium offering.”​

St Pierre, which is part of St Pierre Groupe, has seen impressive growth within bakery, with value and volume growing more than 40%.

Salted caramel peanut butter drizzler

Peanut butter brand Whole Earth has added to its range of squeezy peanut butters, as it embarks into the new territory of sweet desserts and topping occasions.

The new Salted Caramel Drizzler is part of Whole Earth’s Drizzler range, which includes Classic Roasted Super Smooth and Golden Roasted Super Smooth. It has a golden roasted peanut butter base and is made with plant ingredients that are rich in protein and fibre.

According to Whole Earth, the Drizzler range – which it introduced in 2022 – is the only squeezy peanut butter in UK supermarkets, providing consumers with a more convenient way to get their peanut butter fix.  

Moreover, all bottles in the Whole Earth Drizzler range are made from 100% recycled plastic and can be recycled again.

“Our Drizzler range provides consumers with a whole new way to enjoy peanut butter – whether it’s drizzled over fruit, porridge or more. Until now, we’ve been missing a sweeter variant that lends itself to other eating occasions, but still reflects Whole Earth’s commitment to naturally nutritious food. We wanted to offer people a healthier alternative to sweet toppings on desserts like pancakes or ice cream,”​ said Nicola Turner, Whole Earth brand controller at Ecotone UK.

“We know that NPD plays an important role in bringing excitement to the spreads fixture for both new and existing consumers. Salted Caramel as a flavour continues to be in high demand, and Drizzler felt like the perfect format for it. The Drizzler range is a real star on social and peanut butter lovers have hailed it as ‘a game changer’ for enjoying peanut butter in the mornings as well as throughout the day.”​

The launch follows Whole Earth’s partnership with Team GB as part of the brand’s ‘Goodness Behind the Greatness’ campaign which aimed to raise awareness of peanut butter as part of a healthy, active lifestyle.

Through this partnership during the Paris 2024 Olympics, Whole Earth worked with athlete ambassadors to grow awareness over social media, reaching 61m impressions on TikTok.

The Salted Caramel Drizzler is available from Waitrose stores, £3.79 RRP (320g).

Pea-based, zero sugar milk alternative

Swedish alternative milk brand Sproud has added a sugar-free barista offering to its line-up of pea-based drinks.  

Using a new formula, Barista Zero is designed to offer a smooth, creamy texture, but without sugar or added sweeteners.

As a plant-based milk alternative, Barista Zero consists of Sproud’s signature ingredient, yellow split peas, which it claims provides twice the amount of protein than oat.

‘Barista Zero’ will make its debut on 11 November in Berlin at the European Coffee Symposium and will be available to purchase in the UK via its website.

Already used by Joe & The Juice and leading coffee shops worldwide, Sproud has its sights set on further conquering the hospitality and at-home barista market with this new launch that boasts long-lasting microfoam suitable for latte artists.

“Our team has been working on this product for the past year, so we’re all really excited for people to finally taste it. We have a great relationship with baristas, and therefore wanted to create an uncompromising product they could rely on for all their customers,”​ commented Sara Berger, CEO of Sproud.

“We’re confident that Barista Zero not only meets the expectations of professional baristas, but also supports consumers increasingly seeking low-sugar alternatives in the plant-based category. As the newest product in our pea-based milk alternative lineup, Barista Zero reinforces our commitment to manufacturing plant-based milk alternatives that balance health, taste, and environmental responsibility.”​

The launch follows the announcement that British television presenter and radio host, Maya Jama, was to join the company as a co-owner and investor.

Kallø expands into granola

Kallø – probably best known for its rice cakes and stock cubes– has launched two new organic granolas.

Kallø Organic Three Nut Granola and Kallø Organic Superfruit Granola (£3.99 RRP) are available from Waitrose and aim to offer a new breakfast or ‘healthy’ snacking option.

Kallø Organic Three Nut Granola ​is made with a blend of hazelnuts, almonds and cashews, while Kallø Organic Superfruit Granola ​features dried cranberries, blackcurrants and blueberries. The base for both products feature organic oat flakes and wheat flakes.

“Between our snacks and stocks products, Kallø has been able to offer naturally different options for most meal occasions, but we’ve been missing a really strong breakfast choice that represents everything Kallø stands for,”​ explained Caroline Mitchell, Kallø granolas brand controller at Ecotone UK.

“Cereals represent a big untapped opportunity with 95% of UK households buying cereal. But there are few options that give consumers a more sustainable choice. This is where Kallø can offer a true point of difference.” ​

Kallø’s new granolas are also high in fibre with 6.1g per serving, contain no preservatives, artificial colours or flavours, and come in fully recyclable packaging.

In other news, meat processor Kepak has acquired Summit Foods.​​