Pioneering Burton’s Biscuit Company is breaking exciting new ground in the UK’s £2.6 billion biscuit market with the introduction of a category-boosting UK first, Maryland Soft Baked cookies.
The move behind the £47 million* Maryland brand, the nation’s favourite cookie*, sees Burton’s introducing American-style soft cookies to the biscuit aisle.
The innovative breakthrough involves a substantial investment by Burton’s in new manufacturing technology and a £3m support package, including national TV advertising due to air in late Spring. “Multi award-winning Maryland Gooeys was the biggest biscuit launch of 2013, introducing one and a half million new shoppers to the Maryland brand**,” says David Costello, Burton’s Biscuit Company’s Head of Customer Category Management.
“We’re confident that Maryland Soft Baked cookies will be even bigger. Maryland Soft Baked stands apart from anything else currently available in the biscuit aisle. This is the sort of genuine product innovation that will really excite consumers, attracting them to the fixture whilst helping to drive growth of Maryland and reinvigorate the category.”
Maryland Soft Baked will be available in two 200g variants, Caramel & Choc Chunk and Double Choc Chunk, with 8 x 25g cookies in each pack, and an rrp of £1.99.
The soft cookies performed extremely well in consumer research, with 82% of consumers finding the concept ‘appealing’ and 65% indicating they were likely to buy the product.***
Eye-catching packaging featuring a gingham-style design will provide clear stand-out on shelf, providing an incremental alternative to the traditional Maryland cookies that shoppers know and love.
The Maryland brand has grown +18% in the last 2 years and is worth £47.7m at RSV.* In recent years, the brand has expanded with the introduction of Big & Chunky (£8.2m) and Maryland Gooeys (£7.5m) alongside Maryland Standard and Minis. The combination of above-the-line investment and strong product innovation has reinforced the brand’s position as the nation’s favourite cookie brand.
* Nielsen Scantrack Total Coverage 52wk ending 8th Nov 2014
** Kantar Worldpanel Maryland Penetration 52 w/e 30th March 2014
*** Buzzback concept testing quant in home testing research, March 2014, sample size 170
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