Mondelz International easing you back to school

Lunchbox

Lunchboxes present a major opportunity for the convenience channel, as the trend towards shopping ‘little and often’ means that consumers are increasingly using smaller stores to top up on traditional grocery items. By stocking the right products and merchandising them effectively, retailers can ensure they are making the most of the lunchbox occasion.

Susan Nash, Trade Communications Manager at Mondel?z International, comments: “Retailers should focus on meeting the needs of busy consumers during this time of year, which can typically be quite stressful. By creating a dedicated ‘Lunchbox’ bay, filled with best-selling brands and handy formats, retailers can facilitate a simple shopping experience and ultimately grow their sales.”

Savoury innovation

The UK is the biggest consumer of savoury snacks in Europe worth £2.3bn, and the demand is continuing to grow. Crisps have long been a popular lunchtime snacking option, particularly in single formats that are the ideal size for lunchboxes.

However, consumers may wish to branch out from the traditional fried potato crisp, and deliciously innovative new Ritz Crisp & Thin offers the ideal alternative. The product is available in 30g packs, in two popular flavours, Cream Cheese & Onion and Sea Salt & Vinegar.

Nash says: “Ritz is the world’s number one savoury biscuit brand. Our strong heritage and 81 years of baking expertise means we are uniquely placed to create a new savoury segment to expand savoury snacks within the UK.” The Ritz Crisp & Thin launch will be supported in the UK by a heavyweight £10 million brand marketing campaign.

Lunchtime treat

Consumers may be looking to add excitement into lunchboxes alongside the traditional offering of sandwiches and fruit. Biscuits are a great option that really fit the bill.

Oreo is the world’s best-selling biscuit, now worth £31 million in the UK and growing strongly at 22.2%. The brand continues to benefit from significant UK media investment and recently launched ‘Play with Oreo’, a global campaign with a marketing spend of £1.5 million.

Oreo is a top choice in the lunchbox and Oreo 2 Biscuit Snack Packs are a great way to bring fun back to lunchtime. The handy pack fits snugly in all types of lunchboxes and is available in Original and Chocolate Crème. They are available as a 220g multipack of 10 priced at £1.79 (RRP), so all the family can tuck into a snack pack at lunchtime during the week.

Mini Oreo – which gives consumers all the taste of Oreo in miniature – is also available as a multipack containing six 25g snack packs, ideal for lunchboxes. The handy bags provide a crunchy little treat perfect for sharing or munching in one mini hit. Available in an eye-catching display format featuring distinctive Oreo branding, they stand out on shelf as a fun snacking option.

Nash comments: “Oreo is ideal for lunchtime as a little treat. It’s already a real favourite with consumers, and we hope that our investment in the brand will continue to excite consumers and bring even more new fans throughout 2015.”

Fuss-free snacking

Nash says: “When it comes to packing a lunchbox, smaller formats are key. Retailers should ensure that their offering includes user-friendly products that make lunchtime snacking simple and convenient.”

Mikado is an exciting and unique chocolate biscuit snack, ideal for the lunchbox occasion. Its ultra-thin crunchy biscuit sticks are covered with smooth milk chocolate with one end left uncoated. Nash comments: “Due to Mikado’s clever design, consumers can wave goodbye to sticky fingers for good!”

The product is available in a 3 x 39g multipack for busy consumers who want to plan ahead for the week. All packs have real shelf appeal, and feature a ‘flip top’ opening for convenient snacking, as well as clear nutritional information.

The breakfast opportunity

Nash comments: “Lunchboxes are not necessarily just for lunch. One in three people in the UK skip breakfast during the working week, the main reason being a lack of time, and consumers may want to pack a quick and convenient alternative to grab on the move. Retailers can maximise the morning occasion by stocking on-the-go formats on the counter or near hot beverages and fresh fruit.”

Mondelz International created the breakfast biscuit category in the UK with the launch of belVita breakfast biscuits in 2010. The brand revolutionised the biscuit sector by introducing a new consumption occasion, and has now taken the number one spot in Healthy Biscuits. belVita Breakfast biscuits are available in single 50g portion packs, in three variants: belVita Strawberry Duo Crunch, belVita Honey & Nut and brand new belVita Crunchy Hazelnut. These portion packs are ideal for breakfast on the go.

www.mondelezinternational.com