Nichols plc, the international soft drinks business and home of the iconic Vimto, is revealing a series of exciting launches, brand refreshes and a campaign-first this spring. Always driven by a purpose to make life taste better, Nichols plc is celebrating a bumper year of innovation and newness across huge brands and all channels with Levi Roots Soft Drinks, SLUSH PUPPiE FIZZiE and Vimto. Part of Nichols plc’s long-term strategy is to continue to drive growth through innovation and in delivering soft drinks that speak to incremental consumer needs and occasions.
Angela Reay, Group Marketing Director at Nichols, comments: “With the external landscape evolving at pace, ‘newness’ is critical to delivering long-term sustainable growth and creating value. We also know that equity brands play a key role in maintaining category growth, both through core product range and innovation. These latest updates speak directly to these needs whilst also ensuring that we are continuing to create distinctive consumer experiences.
“There is a continued focus on health, and we’re proud of our UK packaged portfolio, which is 100% HFSS compliant and 52% of our volume sold is now no-added sugar variants[1].”
Vimto ‘Love The Taste or your money back’ ON-PACK PROMOTION
Launching 1st April, Vimto is introducing a brand-new on pack promotion, ‘LOVE THE TASTE OR YOUR MONEY BACK’. The campaign celebrates the much-loved and unmistakable taste of Vimto, whilst offering new consumers a no-risk mechanic to purchase, that is easily accessible via an on-pack QR code on all qualifying packs. Available on selected products across Vimto’s squash, carbonates and still ranges, the mechanic will be activated on a mammoth 27 million bottles and cans. The promotion will be running until the end of June on core flavours, as well as innovation – including Vimto’s new carbonates sub-brand ‘Vimto Discovery’ on both ‘Mango & Dragonfruit’ and ‘Passionfruit & Lychee’ flavours, and on the new Vimto Squash flavour ‘Blood Orange with a Citrus Twist’.
Delivering against both taste and value for shoppers, Vimto is now worth £107.m[2] in the UK and is the 8th most chosen beverage brand[3], the LOVE THE TASTE OR YOUR MONEY BACK guarantee will help to drive even more consumer engagement. ‘LOVE THE TASTE OR YOUR MONEY BACK’ will be supported through a huge £3m investment. The on-pack promotion will be supported throughout May and June through video-on-demand, outdoor, cinema, digital and social.
Angela Reay, Group Marketing Director at Nichols, comments: “We are always looking at ways to encourage new consumers to explore the unique and unmistakeable taste of Vimto. Our ‘LOVE THE TASTE OR YOUR MONEY BACK’ campaign offers a risk-free way for consumers to trial Vimto.”
LEVI ROOTS BRINGS FLAVOUR TWIST TO ENERGY CATEGORY WHILST ALSO ROLLING OUT BRAND REFRESH AND NEW CAN FORMAT
Levi Roots provides a moment of sunshine for customers and consumers through unique Caribbean flavours – with delicious, tropical fruit blends, including ‘Jamaican Sunset’, ‘Caribbean Crush’ and ‘Tropical Punch’ that all “put some music in your glass”. New to the portfolio from the 1st of April, ‘Levi Roots Energy’ will provide a category flavour twist, offering ‘Caribbean Crush with a hint of ginger’ and ‘Jamaican Sunset with pinch of chilli’ – both incorporating natural caffeine, as well as additional vitamin benefits with B6 and B12 fortification – available in a 500ml can format.
With tropical flavours in energy growing +19% YoY[4] and permissible energy also growing +23% YoY, 10% faster than the total energy market, Levi Roots Energy is perfectly placed to help retailers expand the category by tapping into these growing trends, as consumers seek out differentiated and unusual flavour experiences, whilst containing natural caffeine and real fruit juice.
As well as entering the energy category, Levi Roots will also be unveiling a brand-new design for the 500ml PET range this spring, further cementing the flavourful credentials of the range, and championing an image of entrepreneur Levi Roots, optimising shelf standout and appeal.
Also new for 2024, lead flavour ‘Caribbean Crush’ is now available in 330ml can format – helping to meet consumer needs by creating new consumption occasions and more choice.
Angela Reay, Group Marketing Director at Nichols comments: “2024 represents an exciting year for Levi Roots Soft Drinks and the brand is perfectly placed to provide a flavourful on trend choice that speaks to the needs of consumers and in turn customers.”
NEW SLUSH PUPPiE FIZZiE GREEN APPLE – THE ULTI-MUTT FUN FIZZY DRINK
The UK’s most fun fizzy drink[5], SLUSH PUPPiE FIZZiE is launching a brand-new delicious and distinctive flavour for 2024. New GREEN APPLE is the paw-fect new flavour from the loved and trusted brand, building on the success of last year’s SLUSH PUPPiE FIZZiE launch, with the range already worth £2.5m[6] RSV after its first year in market.
Angela Reay, Group Marketing Director at Nichols, comments: “SLUSH PUPPiE is all about making moments more playful for consumers both big and small. This is delivered through exciting flavours, a bold taste profile, unique and vibrant liquids that stand out on shelf, and our iconic pup mascot.
“With Green Apple, we’re building on the success of our SLUSH PUPPiE FIZZiE launch last spring, with a more playful and exciting take on a hugely popular flavour that is in growth.”
Apple performs strongly on purchase intent across the board – but particularly for kids[7], teens and young adults[8]. The new flavour will also help us reach additional audiences beyond those of our existing iconic flavours BLUE RASPBERRiE and STRAWBERRiE.
Nostalgia plays a key role in the continued popularity of SLUSH PUPPiE, whilst ‘newness’ remains critical in driving incremental value across the category – worth over £76m and contributing to 9% of value growth YoY[9].
The SLUSH PUPPiE FIZZiE range is zero sugar and made with natural flavours. Retailers can get their paws on 500ml Green Apple now, which will be followed by a 2L format later this year. The launch is being supported by a disruptive marketing campaign, with in-store activations, social media and PR support.
[1] Nichols FY23 audited accounts
[2] Source: Nielsen IQ RMS data for the Squash, Flavoured Carbonates, RTD Stills, and Flavoured Water categories for the 12-month period ending 24.02.24 for the GB Total Coverage market
[3] 8th most chosen beverage brand in GB” Source: Kantar’s GB Brand Footprint Report 2023, Top 20 Beverage brands
[4] Source: Nielsen IQ RMS data for the Energy category for the 12-month period ending 2023 for the GB Total Coverage market
[5] Kantar Brand Equity tracking, August 2023 (SLUSH PUPPiE FIZZiE over-indexes as the most ‘fun’ flavoured carbonates brand, compared with 13 leading brands)
[6] Nielsen IQ RMS data for the Flavoured Carbonates category for the 12-month period ending 24.02.24 for the GB Total Coverage market
[7] MMR usage and attitudes study, June 2021
[8] Toluna, flavour appeal research, December
[9] Nielsen IQ RMS data for the Total Soft Drinks category for the 12-month period ending 28.01.2023 for the GB Total Coverage market
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