Kepak Convenience Foods is setting its sights on increased sales of its micro snacking products over the winter months.
As temperatures drop, and shoppers opt for more hot food at lunchtime, Kepak is helping retailers to tap into the lunchtime opportunity with the ‘Hot, Quick & Tasty’ category.
John Armstrong, Marketing Director of Kepak says: “We took a long, hard look at a group of chilled products that suit the quick, hot meal occasion. Products in the category are chilled, prepared in under 5 minutes, need nothing added to them and are for the single serve occasion.”
For ease of merchandising, and recognising that people are now shopping by mission and snacking at all times of the day, Kepak has split the category into the following four sub sectors: micro snacking, micro pastry, quick serve micro meals and chilled soup.
“Many retailers already stock many of these product types. The key to making the most of the Hot, Quick & Tasty category is to merchandise the sub sectors together,” adds Armstrong.
Kepak has boosted the Hot, Quick & Tasty category with the introduction of two delicious new flavours to the fast-growing ZUGO’s Deli Café Panini range.
The category-boosting new flavours, Mediterranean Chicken with Mozzarella and Four Cheese with Sweet Red Onion Chutney, are the latest NPD from Kepak, and will help retailers offer more choice to consumers at lunchtime, including a new meat-free option.
The Mediterranean Chicken with Mozzarella Panini is made using 100% chicken breast with a sundried tomato and garlic sauce. The Four Cheese with Sweet Red Onion Chutney combines Mozzarella, Emmental, Mature Cheddar and soft cheese. Both Panini are made with a stone baked ciabatta.
ZUGO’s Deli Café, now a £7 million brand*, has grown 14% year on year** and adds incremental shoppers to the micro snacking category
The products join the existing range which comprises Chargrilled Chicken, Mozzarella and Pesto Panini, Bacon, Cheese and Mustard Mayonnaise Panini and two pasta pot variants.
John Armstrong, Marketing Director at Kepak says: “According to the British Sandwich Association, Chicken and Cheese are the two best-selling sandwich fillings, so we know that these new variants will be very popular with consumers, creating more profit opportunities for retailers in the dynamic Hot, Quick & Tasty category.”
Kepak urges retailers to stock up on the ZUGO’S Deli Café range to optimise the Hot, Quick and Tasty lunchtime opportunity.
* IRI August 2013
** Retailer Panel – Cross shop analysis – August 2013
Kepak
Tel: 01772 688 300
Twitter: @kepaktrade
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