There’s an abundance of choice when it comes to the confectionery category in the convenience channel. There is also a myriad of questions that flash through my mind before making an impulse purchase.
Do I want something to chew, suck or savour? Something indulgent or better for me? A solo treat or something to share? Once all that is narrowed down, the final question: what product should I buy?
Confectionery suppliers work hard to make their products the answer to that all-important question. Convenience World spoke to several suppliers to find out how they’re keeping their brands front and centre of the consumer’s mind.
Ferrero Australia Category Development Director Sheri Juchau says Ferrero aims to strengthen brand awareness for its iconic brands, while consistently engaging shoppers with NPD, flavours and formats, communicated through the line to inspire purchase in-store.
“Our research shows that 33 per cent of consumers would buy more from displays, so our POS off-locations are designed to attract attention for NPD and product variants in a range of spaces,” she says.
According to Grocery Corporation Brand Manager Guy Bennett, “new news” continues to be crucial to stand out in the crowd. This is especially true in a category “saturated with so many premium options from strong and established brands”.
“While some brands maintain a heavy media investment to maintain consumer awareness year-round,” he says, “using targeted channels delivers similar results.”
For Robern Menz, collaborations between iconic brands has proven a winning method. A recent example of this, says Marketing Manager Polly Love, was the successful collaboration with Bickford’s Australia and the viral launch of Violet Crumble Milk in October of last year.
“With Violet Crumble never before turned into a milk drink in its 107-year history, the launch of Violet Crumble Milk was ‘shattering’,” Ms Love says.
“It resulted in a reach of over 125 million and supporting social impressions over 32.83 million. All coverage was 100 per cent positive.”
“This launch was a testament to our strategy of acquiring nostalgic Australian brands and bringing them back to life through new ways to enjoy not seen before in the past.”
For more on the confectionery category and how brands are engaging with convenience shopper, check out the September/October issue of Convenience World.
