United Biscuits Reduces Saturated Fat by 50% on Three McVitie's Ranges

Sarah Heynen, Sweet Biscuits Marketing Director at UBUK, comments: This is the biggest thing to happen to the UK Biscuit category in a very long time and is the culmination of three years of hard work and intensive product development for us.

10/12/08 United Biscuits (UBUK), a leading UK manufacturer of biscuits, snacks and cakes, announces a major reduction in the saturated fat content in three of its leading McVitie's biscuit brands.

From November 2008, McVitie's Digestives, McVitie's HobNobs and McVitie's Rich Tea will contain 50% less saturated fat.

The full range of products with a 50% saturated fat reduction include McVitie's Digestives, McVitie's Rich Tea, McVitie's HobNobs, McVitie's Light Digestive, McVitie's Light Rich Tea, McVitie's Light HobNobs, McVitie's Mini HobNobs and McVitie's Mini Digestives.

To ensure the taste and texture of the biscuits remain as great as ever, thorough sensory testing and consumer taste tests were carried out.

Sarah Heynen, Sweet Biscuits Marketing Director at UBUK, comments: "This is the biggest thing to happen to the UK Biscuit category in a very long time and is the culmination of three years of hard work and intensive product development for us.

"We are focussed on responding to our consumers' growing desire to eat more healthily - this initiative, where we have halved the amount of saturated fat in some of our top selling McVitie's biscuits, represents significant investment in our products.

"Most important, however, is that we've successfully kept the same great taste. We would advise retailers get stocked up on the entire McVitie's range to take full advantage of the increased sales and profit opportunities that the saturated fat reduction will present to retailers."

The reduction in saturated fat will be clearly highlighted on packs from the beginning of November.

The brands are already free from artificial flavours or colours as well as from hydrogenated vegetable oil and are a good source of fibre. These claims currently feature on all McVitie's Digestives packs.

This coupled with the new look packaging, which was launched earlier this year, will ensure maximum on-shelf stand out encouraging consumers to purchase.

The saturated fat reduction will be promoted to consumers in January by a heavyweight television campaign and supporting PR.

Alice Cadman, Head of Strategic Projects at UBUK, highlights: "We have made great progress with our health and nutrition programme and will continue to make improvements to ensure we meet consumer needs. Saturated fat was identified as a key target and subsequently changes were first made to our snacks portfolio.

"These include saturated fat reductions in 2006 and 2007 across our leading brands, such as McCoy's and Hula Hoops. UBUK has led the way with its health & nutrition agenda.

"Changes since 2004 include the removal of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, reductions in sodium, removal of artificial colours and flavours and the addition of wholesome fruit and cereals to new products."

With sales up 7% on 2007, the McVitie's biscuit brand is now worth a staggering £390m. In fact, three of the top five biscuits lines are from McVitie's.

To ensure McVitie's biscuits remain a firm favourite with consumers UB is investing £6million in making changes to ingredients and production and communicating about the reduced saturated fat in McVitie's biscuits.