SLR’s own store trials the latest products to give local retailers an indication of how the biggest product launches can be marketed in store. Here’s Woodlands pick of the best products currently on shelf.
February 2017
Moma Porridge Pots
Why? The oats brand is extending its popular breakfast range with the launch of its new Apple & Cinnamon Porridge Pot, which is gluten-free, dairy-free and Vegan Society approved. The newest addition is quick and easy to prepare and packaged as a single serving, making it the perfect on-the-go breakfast option.
Marketing support: The warm red packaging of the Apple & Cinnamon Porridge Pot provides optimum stand-out on shelf, with a contrasting touch of green to highlight the apple flavour.
RRP: Pots £1.30, sachets 75p, boxes of five sachets £2.99
Woodlands thought: Well-presented product that covers several ‘free from’ angles. We have a large food to go trade in store, so anything that adds extra variety is always good news to us.
Maryland Cookie Bites
Why? Maryland is the nation’s number one cookie brand and has arrived in the fast-growing sharing sector with the launch of its Cookie bites in Choc Chip and Choc Chip Caramel varieties.
Marketing support: The launch is supported by digital activity across social media, dedicated POS and sampling activity.
RRP: £1.49
Woodlands thought: Maryland Cookies are a great seller in store and with this addition to the range we hope to see extra sales from our lunch trade customers and for those looking for a treat to go with their tea or coffee.
Coco Pops Granola
Why? Kellogg’s has announced the launch of Coco Pops Granola, which is made from clusters of puffed rice and wholegrain oats with wheat cereal shapes. The company said the new product contains the lowest sugar level of any Kellogg’s Coco Pops product, with no artificial colours or preservatives.
Marketing support: Kellogg’s is backing the launch with a £2.5m marketing spend, across TV, print and digital advertising, and a digital partnership with parenting blog, Mummypages.
RRP: £2.99
Woodlands thought: Further development of the breakfast category sees Iconic brand Coco Pops offer shoppers something a little different. Popular with both adults and kids, for breakfast or snacking, a good range in cereals is always important.
Whiskas Kitty Casseroles
Why? Whiskas Casseroles is a stew for cats. It is complete and balanced, with natural-looking, meaty chunks providing a new texture sensation for the nation’s felines.
Marketing support: The launch is supported by a £10m media spend, which includes a brand-new TV advert, set to air this month, as well as YouTube advertising and social media activity. Whiskas will also be launching a huge sampling campaign, in addition to in-store activity and POS.
RRP: 12 pack £4.50, £3.75 PMPs
Woodlands thought: The latest in NPD for cats from the superbrand Whiskas should be a winner with pet owners who are looking to vary the diet of their pets. Pet treats and meals continue to grow YOY and this new product should help keep that trend going.
Skittles and Starburst
Why? Wrigley is creating excitement in the confectionery aisles with the launch of limited edition Skittles Fruits and Sours and Starburst Very Berry, available in singles, hanging bags and sharing pouches.
Marketing support: Skittles will air its ‘Discover the Rainbow, Taste the Rainbow’ ad on TV for 26 weeks throughout the year. Starburst comes with a range of POS material.
RRP: Skittles – singles 49p, hanging bag £1, bag £1.30; Starburst – singles 49p, hanging bag £1, bag £1.28
Woodlands thought: Bright and colourful packaging plus a variety of pack sizes make these a top choice. Skittles and Starburst are always great sellers in store so give them plenty of room on shelf to work their magic.
Mr Kipling Easter Cakes
Why? With occasion cakes being worth £138m, Mr Kipling has added a fresh touch to its range with Orange & Lemon Slices and Lemon Bakewells added to its Easter 2017 line-up.
Marketing support: Bright bold packaging makes the new varieties unmissable on shelf.
RRP: £1.00
Woodlands thought: With Christmas gone, the focus is now mainly on Easter as another great chance to ramp up basket spend in store. Mr Kipling is always popular and customers will eat this up.
October 2016
Chupa Chups Halloween bag and Fruitella Spooky Family 
Why? Both are packed with a tasty variety of individually wrapped confectionery, perfect for parties and goodie bags.
Marketing support: With an eye-catching, spookily decorated orange and purple packets, featuring a monstrous mummys and ghastly ghosts, the variety pack is guaranteed to stand out on shelf.
RRP: £1
Woodlands thought: Iconic brands offering great value, both are big sellers and ideal for parties and for giving out to costume-clad kids knocking at the door.
Mini Babybel Halloween characters 
Why? The monster themed mini cheeses add interest and variety to the lunchbox, and are ideal for handing out to trick-or-treaters or serving at Halloween parties.
Marketing support: The recognisable nets are full of hair-raising Halloween characters including a pumpkin, a devious devil and a freaky Frankenstein, all sure to scare shoppers into purchasing.
RRP: Net of 6 at £1.85, net of 12 at £3.15, net of 9 variety pack at £2.45
Woodlands thought: Great product, popular with customers in store, which proves cheese can get in on the trick or treat action too.
Halloween Swizzels 
Why? Swizzels individually wrapped is the number one variety product according to Nielsen data, making its Halloween range the ideal choice for giving out to ghoulish guisers.
Marketing support: Swizzels are offering a creepy collection of Halloween themed packs covered with cobwebs, haunted villages and monsters sure to appeal to even the scariest of little monsters.
RRP: £1 for the Loadsa range, Drumstick Squashies, and Trick or Sweet bags, £3 Trick or Treat Lolly Mix, £4 Monster Treats Bag
Woodlands thought: A must stock for your party packs or trick or treat goody bags – great quality products that will keep the kids, and adults, happy.
Skittles Darkside and
Starburst Trick or Treat 
Why? Skittles Darkside is back for a second year in a haunted hanging pouch and Starburst makes a screaming return with its Trick or Treat tear-and-scare pouch, both ideal to serve at parties.
Marketing support: Wrigley is supporting the launch with Halloween-themed point-of-sale including some creepy cardboard units and chilling clipstrips.
RRP: £1 for Starburst sharing bags and £1.28 for Skittles pouches
Woodlands thought: A firm favourite with our customers, each year we have sold a lot of these special editions, so had to be included in the picks.
McVitie’s Spooktacular cake range 
Why? McVitie’s have gone all out this season with the return of ‘Fang-tastic Orange’ and ‘Batty Blackcurrant’ Jaffa Cake Bars, new Toffee Apple Flapjacks, and retitling their Petrifying Penguin bars and Devilish Digestive Teacakes.
Marketing support: The full range features nightmarish new Halloween packaging, designed to ensure the paranormal products stand out on shelf.
RRP: £1 for all Cake Bars (5pk), £2 for Teacakes (16pk)
Woodlands thought: These well-known brands always do well and the best of the biscuit-related special edition SKUs on offer this year.
Spooktacular Fanta and Sprite Zero
Why? Sprite Zero joins the return of the Halloween themed packs following a successful activation in Fanta lines in 2015, which saw Halloween become, according to findings from Nielsen, the second highest selling seasonal event for soft drinks.
Marketing support: The brand is supported with themed in-store visuals, petrifying point-of-sale material and an otherworldly outdoor advertising campaign.
RRP: 2L bottle £2.05, 6pk cans £3.55
Woodlands thought: With all the sugary treats, these drinks give customers a chance to refresh their thirst without the worry of sugar overload.
September 2016
Guinness Rye Pale Ale
Why? The launch gives retailers the opportunity to tap into the huge premium bottled ale category, which continues to grow by £19m year on year, with a brand consumers already know and love.
Marketing support: The release is a part of Guinness’ Brewer Project campaign, a push by the brand to broaden its repertoire, which is supported by TV and social media adverts.
RRP: £1.99 per 500ml bottle
Woodlands thought: The brand power of Guinness should never be ignored, and this, the latest in their range looks good and should attract interest from our regular beer shoppers who are always looking to try something new and interesting.
Tequila Rose
Why? The 15% ABV sweet, easy-drinking strawberry cream liqueur and tequila mix has seen impressive growth over the past year and can be used in a variety of make-at-home summer-themed cocktails
Marketing support: Ongoing exposure via social media and consumer activations has seen the brand grow by an impressive 40% over the last 12 months.
RRP: £10 per 50cl bottle
Woodlands thought: Popular drink now in a smaller serve, should be a winner all round. The opportunity for home cocktails is a growing market, and one we like to push in Woodlands as it means add on sales such as ice, fruit and mixers.
Irn-Bru Xtra
Why? Scottish shoppers already spend more on Irn-Bru than any other soft drinks brand and this is the brand’s first permanent new product in 35 years. It claims to have all the flavour of the regular variant but with none of the sugar.
Marketing support: Backed by a £2m investment, including a new outdoor ad campaign, which will drive awareness levels and trial, complemented by a range of high-impact POS.
RRP: 49p PMP can available
Woodlands thought: Biggest launch of the year for Scotland, probably. The reaction has been brilliant from customers, so if you don’t already have this in, get it stocked.
NutriPot
Why? The veggie-friendly pot snack is ideal for the health conscious shopper, providing a nutritious, on-the-go option which contains half of the body’s recommended daily vitamin intake. Available for the price of a sandwich, with flavours including Aromatic Thai Noodles, Moroccan Couscous and Pasta Bolognese, consumers just add hot water.
Marketing support: Substantial marketing including digital and sampling activity to drive consumer awareness and trial.
RRP: £2.49
Woodlands thought: We do really well with dried snack pots, and this new launch is ideal for increasing customer demand. A nice mix of flavours and a nod to the healthier side of things should be a real winner.
Millions (new pack size)
Why? A household name across Scotland, the Millions range offers retailers an excellent range of flavours for the younger shoppers. The latest launch is 30p pricemarked packs as well as a new flavour to add to the range – apple and blackcurrant mix.
Marketing support: Product launch will be supported by a social media campaign across the standard channels.
RRP: 30p
Woodlands thought: Millions are a great seller in store, and this new size should help drive sales further with the clearly marked price point. Adding a new flavour should also grow sales and help keep our dedicated millions buyers happy.
Pedigree Puppy Tasty Bites
Why? Puppy Tasty Bites, geared specifically for puppies, are packed full of essential Omega 3 vitamins and minerals that will help keep dogs both happy and healthy, maintaining natural defences, making them essential for growing pups.
Marketing support: TBC
RRP: £1.50 (promotional price)
Woodlands thought: Another great product from Mars Petcare, which offers an extra opportunity for increasing basket spend. An extra treat to give your dog over and above the normal food range the customer is looking to purchase. Ideal for multi-siting or adding to section with clip strips.
August 2016
Heinz Pasta Shapes & Sauce
Why? Parents seek meal solutions that can be made quickly and conveniently that their children will enjoy, and the Heinz Pasta Shapes & Sauce enables them to dish up a fun, tasty dinner.
Marketing support: Kraft Heinz is supporting the new lines with a fully integrated media campaign to drive awareness alongside engaging in-store activation.
RRP: £1.19 for pasta shapes and £1.55 for pasta sauce.
Woodlands thought: This range gives the shelf something new for customers to try, and adds excitement to children’s mealtimes.
Whiskas Cat Soup
Why? The super-premium Cat Soup segment is a huge emerging space, and consumer research has shown excitement and demand for innovation like this.
Marketing support: The launch is supported by a £10m investment package from Whiskas including a new TV campaign and online sample giveaways.
RRP: £3 for a pack of 12
Woodlands thought: The pet food category is a very mature one, so when something truly new comes along, you have to try it. Also, spending on household pets is at an all-time high as owners look at ways to give their furry friends something new at meal times.
Rowntrees Fruit Pastilles Infusions
Why? With adults making up two thirds of all fruit sugar confectionery consumption occasions, there is a gap in the market for fruit sugar products with a more grown up flavour proposition.
Marketing support: The Infusions launch coincides with advertising from Rowntrees’ £5.6 million masterbrand campaign, which showcases the full Rowntree’s range.
RRP: £1.29
Woodlands thought: With the growth in the pouch sales, this latest range from Nestle looks to be a real winner with both young and old customers.
Mikado Double Dipped
Why? Mikado’s light and crunchy texture has been hugely popular among consumers since its launch in 2009 and the new line is bound to attract chocaholic customers.
Marketing support: The new product is available this month and will be supported by in-store and online activity throughout August.
RRP: £1.35
Woodlands thought: This is a strong brand that is well recognised by shoppers. it’s just a great addition to the range and will appeal to those looking for something a little different from a normal chocolate bar.
Homepride cooking sauces
Why? The new All American Texan Chilli range hops on the back of the ever-growing Americana cuisine market, and the new ‘Extra Veg’ Pasta Bake range will appeal to the more health conscious consumer looking to reach their five-a-day target.
Marketing support: Homepride is going live with £900k TV campaign with extra focus on the All America Sticky range.
RRP: £1.69
Woodlands thought: Pasta sauce is a household essential for most, and Homepride is easily one of the most recognisable brands. The slightly more adventurous customer is bound to step outside their tomato-and-basil comfort zone and try out these new ranges.
Yollies
Why? The world’s first yoghurt on a stick is now available in singles packs, a new format which will help parents buy a healthier, convenient snack for their kids on-the-go.
Marketing support: A series of fun online videos titled ‘Yollies World of Weird’, where children have to guess what’s hidden inside a box by using only their hands to feel the various weird objects, is supporting the new range.
RRP: 59p
Woodlands thought: This is a special treat for parents to buy for kids in store – an interesting alternative to sugared sweets or chocolate. It’s a fun, well-priced product with some great shelf appeal. We expect this to be a firm favourite with our younger shoppers.