General Mills UK is set to inject a further boost into the already flourishing home baking category by unveiling a raft of New Year activity including NPD, marketing and promotional activity for Betty Crocker, the UK’s No 1 baking mixes brand.
2009 was a great year for Betty Crocker, with the brand having grown value sales by 46.1% year on year. The brand is set to make 2010 even better with the roll out of some really exciting activity:
– Launch of Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes Mix
– A contemporary new look
– Pancake Day support activity
– National TV advertising campaign
Andy Foweather, Sales Director, General Mills UK, says: “We believe home baking will continue to grow as we go into 2010 with consumers treating more in the home. This is very much reflected in the positive sales growth of the baking mixes category (+5%). As market leader one of our objectives is to drive category development – and we’ll do that by adopting a fresh approach. That’s why we’re kicking off the year with some really exciting activity.”
New – Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes Mix
Available from mid-January Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes Mix includes all the elements consumers need to make delicious cupcakes: including cake mix, icing, sprinkles and 10 cupcake cases.
Ed Culf, Marketing Director at General Mills UK, says: “Cupcakes are currently very in vogue and, as a product offering, last year experienced exceptional growth of 47%. There is a definite role in the category for a quality product that is appealing to adults and easy enough to prepare that the whole family can get involved.”
“Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes Mix offers parents a product that meets the numerous consumption occasions of the modern family,” says Culf. “Whether a weekend or after-school treat or even a tea party or special occasion, Cupcakes are absolutely perfect. They are fun to bake and delicious to eat. Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes Mix has a three-step approach which is quick and easy to prepare.”
Contemporary new look
Coinciding with the new product launch Betty Crocker is undergoing a packaging makeover which is set to enhance the warm emotive feel of the brand.
New-look packs, which roll out across the entire range from January, feature delicious new product photography, colour-coding to help consumers differentiate between variants, and additional GDA information. At the same time, the packaging will retain the familiar and popular Betty Crocker red colouring.
Culf says: “The moment when consumers arrive at the fixture and decide which products to transfer from shelf to trolley is crucial. It is here that the packaging can either help or hinder when it comes to choosing the right product.”
Helping Retailers Maximise Pancake Day
Hot on the heels of the NPD and new packaging is Pancake Day, on Tuesday 16th February 2010. Betty Crocker is building on the success of its ‘Shake to Make Pancakes’ brand in 2009 and pulling out all the stops to make the occasion a major earner for retailers this year.
Spearheading the bespoke marketing campaign will be TV advertising, featuring a Betty Crocker ‘Shake to Make’ Pancakes tag, which will run on the brand’s Devil’s Food Cake Mix advert, in the lead up to Pancake Day.
In store activation will take the form of Pancake Day shippers, some of which will be dual-branded with complementary products. On-pack promotions on Betty Crocker ‘Shake to Make’ Pancakes will drive shopper appeal. Some packs will feature a coupon which entitles consumers to 30p off their next purchase of any product in the Betty Crocker range, whilst others will be price-marked at £1. Online activity will provide consumers with unique pancake-based recipes and ideas.
Pancake Day accounts for over 25% of total annual savoury baking mix sales in the UK. More than 6.4 million pancake/batter units were sold around Pancake Day 2009 (+11% on the previous year).
A staggering 39p in every £1 spent on pancake / batter products was spent on Betty Crocker, making it the UK’s No 1 pancake brand in 20094.
“Pancake Day is a profitable event which is critical in terms of driving volume and value in the baking mixes category,” says Foweather. “It has longer term benefits for the category too – 38.6% of new category buyers who purchased Betty Crocker ‘Shake to Make’ Pancakes for the first time went on to buy again within the broader baking mix category.”
Summing up Foweather adds: “Betty Crocker is the key brand within baking mixes – growing at 46.1% year on year and driving overall category growth. We are extremely optimistic about the prospects of both the category and the brand – during 2010 and beyond. As well as keeping the category fresh and exciting Betty Crocker’s raft of New Year activity has been devised to make the best selling baking mix brand sell even more.”
General Mills UK
Tel: 01895 201100
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