Premier Foods Home Baking Profits on the Rise

Premier Foods is revitalising its Cadbury baking mixes range. The leading brand will reinvigorate the baking mixes category and boost sales with a re-launch that brings a range of new and improved quality chocolate products to market.

26 Oct 2009 --- Premier Foods, the UK's No. 1 food manufacturer, is set to stir up the home baking market with the re-launch of its £17m McDougalls home baking product range and introduction of a new and improved selection of Cadbury baking mixes.

The home baking market is hot at the moment as cash strapped consumers rediscover home baking. All sectors of the £230m category are experiencing value and unit growth (+13% value and +6% volume) , which represents an excellent profit opportunity for retailers.

Premier Foods has over 500 years' experience in the home baking category with its McDougalls, Cadbury and Atora brands, and is driving sales further by investing in NPD and packaging development.

Versha Patel, Premier Foods Head of Category (Sweet), says: "The home baking category is going from strength to strength as a result of the current economic climate. Premier Foods is committed to driving innovative product development in this category that offers quality and value for money to consumers.

We are continually investing in our home baking brands and are confident that the latest product launches from McDougalls and Cadbury baking mixes will help retailers capitalise further on the categories growth."

Flour unit sales are growing at 4% driven by shoppers buying more flour more often. To capitalise on this opportunity, McDougalls is adding three new variants to its Speciality Flour range - Whole Gold, OO Grade Plain and Supreme Sponge Flour.

New Wholegold is an all purpose flour which offers consumers a healthier baking solution containing all the goodness of wholemeal flour, producing a warm golden colour in the finished baked products.

In addition, McDougalls is also introducing three new products to its basic mixes range. Two McDougalls Luxury and Savoury Crumbles, Mozzarella, Basil & Black Pepper and Oaty Cheese & Chive.

Currently there are no savoury crumble products in the market, which mean these unique new products represent a significant £400k incremental sales opportunity for the category.

Mary Young, Commercial Controller for Homebaking at Premier Foods says: "With the current growth of home baking and its seasonal relevance, this is an ideal time to re-launch our well established range and ensure retailers are well placed to capitalise on the opportunity.

The new design makes McDougalls products even more relevant to today's consumer and provides real stand out on shelf. In addition the new products we are introducing to both the flour and basic mixes range are sure to deliver incremental sales to the category and drive frequency of purchase."

This iconic brand is adding a range refresh to inspire and engage consumers, whilst retaining McDougalls' nostalgic stripes.

A refreshed brand logo, on pack recipe ideas, and creative, vibrant graphics portraying the inspiration of baking will give the brand real stand out on shelf. The new look packaging will be implemented across the traditional and speciality flour and basic mixes range.

To support the latest activity, McDougalls is also re-launching the much loved McDougalls' recipe book (ordered by 800+ consumers each month), and is overhauling the brand website as well as running a series of collect on pack promotions.

The brand has also entered in to an exciting new partnership with children's baking fairytale, Flossie Crumbs. The initiative includes a fully integrated communications campaign that will raise awareness of the fairytale and hopes to encourage mums and kids to bond in the kitchen whilst baking delicious cakes.

Premier Foods is revitalising its Cadbury baking mixes range. The leading brand will reinvigorate the baking mixes category and boost sales with a re-launch that brings a range of new and improved quality chocolate products to market.

Within the complete baking mixes market, chocolate variants are extremely important accounting for 55% of total value sales and are expected to be a significant growth driver.

Research commissioned by Premier Foods found consumers want delicious products that are quick and easy to use. The re-launched Cadbury baking mixes range provides everything you need with the unique taste of Cadbury, the nation's favourite chocolate.

The re-launch of Cadbury baking mixes is expected to drive incremental sales and increase frequency of purchase and repeat purchase.

Each product has been formulated to deliver the real Cadbury flavour that will appeal to chocolate lovers across the country. Cadbury Buttons baking mixes will capitalise on the nostalgic parental appeal associated with baking.

The range will consist of four new variants: Choccy Road, Triple Chocolate Brownies, Heavenly Chocolate Cake and Dairy Milk Buttons Tray Bake.

These complement the reformulated current range which includes Cadbury favourites - Chocolate Brownies, Triple Chocolate Cookies, Chocolate Muffins and Creamy White Buttons cakes.