Kantar 100 Master Brands at Home
Kantar's comprehensive list of Ireland's most-chosen brands is created by surveying 5,000 Irish housholds on their supermarket spending habits across all segments. These choices are used alongside a metric which gives each brand a CRP score - Consumer Reach Points - which is further extrapolated into this list we see before us. Read on to see which brands Irish consumers favour in their weeklyl shop, year round!
Print17 June 2019
1. Brennans
The scent of freshly baked bread emanating from the Brennans bakery has been a part of everyday life in Walkinstown, Dublin, for generations. It’s not just the locals who know and love Brennans bread either, it’s the whole country!
Brennans’ distinctive yellow branding, the feel of the smooth wax paper packaging and characterful advertising all combine to make it Ireland’s most popular bread and the number one grocery brand in the country for the second year in a row.
The long-term success of the brand has been based on three key pillars: a distinctive brand, a strong distribution network and – most importantly – a fresh, quality product. While those pillars are still as important today as they were when Joseph Brennan baked his first Family Pan, Brennans has also introduced numerous new and exciting breads in recent years, which have been created not only to meet changing consumer tastes, but to inspire them.
It is this dual approach of keeping it simple and fresh that has inspired its most recent campaign which shines a light on the meaningful, emotive moments Irish consumers have with the brand. Brennans is ensuring it keeps delivering on the brand promise of ‘Today’s Bread Today’.
2. Avonmore
Avonmore Super Milk is a significant growth brand for the milk category delivering year-on-year growth over the last number of years in a relatively flat market.
Enriched with added Vitamins D, B, E and extra calcium and folic acid, Avonmore Super Milk contains more of these important nutrients than fresh milk.
Just one 250ml glass of Avonmore Super Milk is fortified with five micrograms of Vitamin D – that’s 100% of the EU recommended daily intake of Vitamin D. Sunshine helps our bodies produce Vitamin D, but in Ireland we don’t get enough sunshine so that’s why it’s important to top up our levels through foods that offer plenty of Vitamin D – like Avonmore Super Milk. Available in Whole and Low Fat varieties, the brand was extended to include a new Fat Free variant which was successfully introduced at the start of this year.
Ciara Moore, head of customer activation, Jacob’s (Valeo Foods), the sponsor of the ShelfLife Grocery Management Award for Large Supermarket Manager of the Year, received by Tom Worall of Dunnes Stores, St Stephen’s Green
3. Jacob’s
Jacob’s placement at number three on the Kantar 100 Master Brands at Home list is a remarkable achievement for a brand that has been in existence for almost 170 years. Ciara Moore, head of customer activation for the brand, explains how they did it…
Q: While brand recognition and loyalty is very strong in snacking, placing third on this list does not happen automatically. What marketing and activation has taken place over the past year to retain this presence among Irish shoppers?
A: We are seriously proud of our position and very grateful to our customers for helping us get there. The fact that we are in the kitchen
cupboards of more Irish homes than any other brand is something that guides the thinking for all of our planning. Everyday products at home in everyday cupboards is core to the brand’s proposition of creating opportunities to connect every day. We continue to invest behind the brand and build a compelling range in both savoury and sweet snacking. All while hopefully inspiring a smile or two along the way.
Q: Now more than ever, there is awareness among consumers and families of the content of their diets. What view does the brand take of this new recognition and how does it propose to retain that presence
A: There is also an understanding that sugar can be core to ensuring that some products taste great. For most it’s a trade-off; fewer treats everyday but maybe a more indulgent moment here or there. Consumers do look to reduce hidden sugars but we have never tried to hide that sugar is a core ingredient in some of our most loved products. For us the message has to be about opting for a varied diet, offering opportunities for portion control with individually wrapped treats or suggesting healthier toppings for crackers, while also reminding consumers that is ok to allow yourself the indulgent moments when you need them.
Q: There is often a trend toward nostalgia in biscuits, especially with a brand with so long a history in Ireland as Jacob’s. Are there plans to harness the power of the brand’s history in the coming months and years?
A: This is something that we have always tried to do but also something that people naturally do for us. We are lucky enough to have an army of brand ambassadors who comment on our brand and products without our influence. The Mikado biscuit is so iconic and rooted in Irish culture that we had people jumping at the chance to wear a bright pink jumper emblazoned with them. Other influencers have noted that they ‘knew what a fig roll was before they had ever seen a fig’, and The Late Late Toy Show often brings out a plate of our biscuits just for the audience to enjoy during the show. We wish this was something that we could create but it’s something that people create for themselves because they just love the brand.
Q: This year has seen pressure on all industries to reduce their plastic usage as a matter of urgency. Has this requirement reached Jacob’s yet, and what sort of focus is on sustainability at the company?
A: Of course and we understand why this need exists. We have put focus and resource on reviewing both our range and our products to ensure we are compliant. It’s key that what sits at the heart of everything we do and create is a sustainable, responsible supplier of food. In doing this we also need to ensure that we continue to provide the high-quality products we are famous for, in a safe and hygenic way.
Q: Finally, tell us about any new innovations, initiatives or product launches planned for the rest of 2019 and beyond?
A: We have a great new selection of products coming to the market this year! We are expanding our seasonal range and ensuring we continue to champion our tins with a new Elite Chocolate Tea Cake. Our tins are the most sustainable packaging we have – they’ve been used and re-used in households for decades, posing as sewing boxes, childhood drums or Marie Kondo-style organisers. We also continue to offer those more indulgent products with caramel and hazelnut inclusions headlining in our new Jacob’s Elite and Jacob’s Caffé Di Milano products. We are also planning to host Ireland’s biggest street party this year in an effort to connect even more people than ever before. Watch this space for another big year from Jacob’s!
4. Denny
The last 12 months have been busy to say the least for Denny – one of Ireland’s iconic brands found in over 68% of fridges in Ireland.
2018 saw the launch of a new brand positioning and communications platform, encouraging consumers to be brave and ‘Seize the Denny’, opening up a fresh, relevant and more purpose-led brand territory. The campaign was inspired by the brand’s founder Henry Denny, who was one of Ireland’s original inventors! Henry Denny is best known for inventing the bacon rasher as we now know it, before travelling the world teaching his craft. The campaign roots itself in this inspiring legacy.
Supported with a heavyweight media plan including TV, radio, outdoor, digital and shopper activation, the new positioning has landed at
scale with consumers and has been key to the brand’s growth in 2018 and into 2019.
In addition to the communications and repositioning work, another area of focus for Denny has been tapping into new growth spaces within existing segments. The brand created a new Denny master brand architecture in 2018 with two distinct tiers: Everyday and Craft. The Everyday range includes the fridge staples that consumers know and love, like the famous Denny Gold Medal Sausages and Deli Style Ham. The Craft range is a true celebration of meat mastery and embodies the new Denny positioning, combining traditional craft methods with modern day consumer tastes. Products in this range include a Four-Day Dry Cure Ham and Butcher’s Style Sausages made with kitchen cupboard ingredients.
Looking ahead, 2020 will see the Denny brand’s 200th birthday and there are plans to celebrate in style, so watch this space!
5. Knorr
6. Cadbury’s Dairy Milk
Cadbury Dairy Milk is the highest-ranking chocolate brand on this year’s Kantar 100 Master Brands at Home list, claiming sixth place, up from ninth in 2018. Produced by Mondelēz, Cadbury has been making chocolate in Ireland since 1932 when the first Cadbury factory opened in Dublin, with
Cadbury Dairy Milk production starting the following year in 1933.
As the most-loved chocolate brand in Ireland, Cadbury is always focusing on product innovation as the tastes of the nation continuously change. Earlier this year, Cadbury introduced Darkmilk, the richest and creamiest chocolate Cadbury has ever made. Unveiled by a nostalgia-themed marketing campaign, celebrating all things ‘grown up’, the new Cadbury Darkmilk marks the first time in 20 years that Cadbury has developed a completely new type of chocolate. Made with 40% cocoa, the new bar is like no other with a unique taste that provides a hit of rich cocoa combined with a deliciously creamy texture.
Later this summer, Cadbury’s new 30% Less Sugar Cadbury Dairy Milk, will be hitting the shelves in single and sharing bars, having been in development for over three years.
This year, Cadbury also gave chocolate lovers their very own chance to get creative as part of the Inventor competition. Entrants were able to choose up to three ingredients for a chance to have their bar physically created and sold in-store. Roscommon native, Callum Clogher, is one of three finalists, whose bar, Cadbury Dairy Milk Choca-Latte, will be landing in stores very soon!
7. Heinz
8. Müller
Müller, the Official Yogurt of Athletics Ireland, is set to revolutionise the yogurt category with new and improved recipes for its yogurt brands, Müllerlight and Müller Corner.
As the business continues to strengthen its core brands, and inspire people to live healthier and happier lifestyles, Müller is launching its best-ever core Müllerlight and Müller Corner recipes. Made possible following the discovery of a new yogurt culture, the new Corner recipe contains up to 9% less sugar (per 160g serving), more protein and has a thicker and creamier texture.
The new Müllerlight recipe, which remains fat free, is available now. It has a thicker and creamier texture, now has 0% added sugar*, and is suitable for vegetarians and high in protein.
Redesigned packaging will make it easier to identify flavours and nutrition health claims, and the relaunches will be supported by the two biggest multimedia marketing campaigns in Müller’s history**.
Michael Inpong, chief marketing officer at Müller says the brand’s personal mission is to make people happier and healthier by simply adding taste to life. “We’re an established category-leading brand,” says Inpong, “but we need to constantly refresh and reinvent ourselves to stimulate further category growth. “This is a revolutionary milestone for our brand, and for the category,” he adds. “We’ve created our best ever recipes, backed up by our biggest ever marketing campaigns, and we’re continuing to innovate on sugar reduction.”
At the end of 2018, Müller which is continuing to target growing parts of the yogurt category,*** launched its first ever range of natural yogurt – the natural range is fat free, high in protein and includes 0% added sugar.
Müllerlight Greek Style Natural is available now in 450g ‘big pot’ format (RRP: €2.29). Müllerlight Natural is also available now in a single 160g format (RRP: €0.85) and sixpack format (RRP: €4.19).
*(Reducing the total sugar content by up to 28% – per 100g)
**(Source: Müller Yogurt & Desserts)
***(Source: Natural yogurts are +9% value growth and +6% volume pot growth. Nielsen Scantrack 52 w/e data to 21.04.19)
9. Coca-Cola
With continued market leadership in the non-alcoholic ready to drink category, the Coca-Cola brand goes from strength to strength across Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Coca-Cola began the year with the launch of an exciting 3.5-year partnership with the Premier League. The campaign, ‘Where Everyone Plays’, aims to bring football fans closer to the action than ever before. For the brand, it presents an opportunity to celebrate the people who make the Premier League the best in the world, as well as raising awareness of its full portfolio of drinks.
2019 has also been a significant year for diversification, with the launch of the first energy drink released under the Coca-Cola brand: Coca-Cola Energy. Coca-Cola Energy features caffeine from naturally-derived sources, guarana extracts, B vitamins and no taurine. It is available in 250ml cans and in two variants – with sugar and without sugar.
Meanwhile, Coca-Cola is continuing to deliver on its World Without Waste commitments and has made extensive progress across the Irish market to date.
This global strategy sets out an ambition to design more sustainable packaging; to collect and recycle the equivalent of every bottle or can sold by 2030; and to partner with NGOs, customers and stakeholders to help clean up the planet. All the bottles and cans sold within the Coca-Cola portfolio are already 100% recyclable. The company is also doing more to reduce the amount of plastic in its bottles overall and to integrate more recycled content into packs to create a true circular economy for plastic. By the end of 2019, at least 25% rPET will be integrated across its portfolio.
For more information on the business and brands, visit ie.coca-colahellenic.com.
10. Tayto
Tayto continues to be the highest-ranking crisps and snacks brand in Kantar’s 100 Master Brands, and also maintained its top 10 position – which it achieved for the first time in 2017. Tayto is Ireland’s number one crisps and snacks brand and is showing no signs of going anywhere as it continues to grow market share*.
2019 is a special year for the Tayto brand as it celebrates reaching 65 years in the market. Since the brand’s inception in 1954, Tayto has continued to strive forward and there is a unique kind of love for the Tayto brand in Ireland and among Irish people living abroad.
11. Pat the Baker
12. Yoplait
13. Irish Pride
14. Keeling’s
15. Birds Eye
Birds Eye has retained its position as the top frozen food brand within the overall 2019 ranking. Consistent investment in innovation, product quality and packaging design to stand out on shelves and in communications support have all made Birds Eye Ireland’s most-chosen frozen food brand for the sixth consecutive year.
Core categories include staples such as Fish Fingers, Coated Fish, Chicken, Peas, Steaming Vegetables and Potato Waffles with Birds Eye the clear market leader in a large number of segments.
In addition to a consistent pipeline of category-enhancing innovation aimed at both families and adults, Birds Eye has continued to invest in media and communications support across a number of its major brands including Fish Fingers, Chicken Dippers, Chicken Grills, Coated Fish and Potato Waffles. Through dedicated creative, the current ‘Winner Winner Bird’s Eye Chicken Shop for Dinner’ campaign drives awareness and trial, fuelling further growth in chicken through category revenue accretive innovation.
The plan incorporates TV, online video, digital/social, out-of-home and in-store promotional support and will run throughout 2019.
16. Batchelors
17. McVitie’s
McVitie’s has a strong heritage in delivering biscuits to Irish families for generations, underpinned by its strong credentials in baking. The brand continuously focuses on product quality, winning innovation and a strong marketing plan both for NPD and its core range.
Earlier this year, parent company Pladis launched Jaffa Cakes under its Nibbles franchise, containing everything consumers love about McVitie’s Jaffa cakes, but in a sharing nibbly format. The launch has been supported with consumer sampling and shopper marketing activities and has resulted in a strong growth of +29% of McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes brand vs last year.*
Pladis also marked its ongoing commitment to unlocking new occasions for growth in the biscuit category with the launch of McVitie’s Digestives Twists, putting a twist on classic Digestives by adding chocolate chips, coconut and caramel bits to the iconic biscuit. McVitie’s Twists are aimed at attracting younger consumers to the biscuit category and letting them enjoy the taste of McVitie’s Digestives in a modern way.
Recognising the growth of the healthier segment, Pladis is also launching new McVitie’s Granola Bakes, combining toasted oats and seeds with tasty cranberries, perfect for a delicious afternoon snack. The NPD will be rolled out in July in two flavours, Cranberry and Dark Chocolate & Almond. Pladis will continue to support the iconic McVitie’s brand throughout 2019 and beyond with lots more exciting plans to come.
*(Source: Total Scantrack ROI (Mult/Grp/4CT), year to date April 21, 2019)
18. Glenisk
Co. Offaly-based producer of premium Irish milk and yogurt Glenisk continues to be one of Ireland’s fastest-growing brands and remains Ireland’s best-loved yogurt.
Food-first nutrition is at the heart of the Glenisk ethos – with nothing artificial. Ever.
For over 30 years, Glenisk – “the Good Yogurt” – has been producing premium and organic Irish milk and yogurt from its Co. Offaly base. Today, the company employs more than 75 people and produces over 120 million servings of yogurt per year.
As well as leading in the organic dairy space (including the kids and baby category), Glenisk has recently increased its share of the protein yogurt category with its Irish Strained Protein Yogurt range and new range of highprotein granola & yogurt pots, GO20. These ranges are supported through Glenisk’s IRFU sponsorship, fuelling the performance of the Senior, Under 20s and Rugby 7s teams since 2016.
Innovation has been a key driver in Glenisk’s continued success as the brand adapts and grows to meet changing consumer demands. The new GO20 range is particularly targeted at the health-conscious, high-protein consumer, fulfilling their need for tasty, healthy and nutritious food on-the- go. A third product – GO20 0% Fat Vanilla Yogurt & Caramel Chia Granola – has recently been introduced to the range, with a fourth set to launch in July.
19. Green Isle
20. Alpro
Sales of Alpro continue to show solid growth in Ireland’s grocery sector, with the brand hitting the number 20 spot in the Kantar 100 Master Brands listing, representing unprecedented strides from when the brand first ranked at number 70 in 2015.
This comes as the plant-based pioneer continues to build the category to new levels. Valued at €30 million (+9%), plantbased continues to provide retailers with one of the fastest and biggest growth opportunities in food and drink.
As the plant-based sector’s biggest brand, Alpro is leading the way with sales of €20.35 million to account for €7 out of every €10 spent on plant-based food today.
“We’re thrilled with our current status in Ireland’s grocery market and our raft of demand-driven innovation played a significant role in getting us there,” says David Jiscoot, marketing director for Alpro UK & Ireland. “We’ve recently broadened our ‘Unsweetened’ range of products containing no sugars and no sweeteners at all to include a first-to-market Oat Unsweetened drink and a brand-new Coconut Unsweetened drink, in order to capture the interest of healthconscious shoppers.”
21. Fairy
22. Colgate
23. 7-Up
24. Cadbury’s
25. Nicky
At 25 on the Kantar 100 Master Brands at Home list, Nicky remains the number one toilet tissue brand in Ireland. The brand started the year with a 23% share of the market and aims to continue this growth with the help of its loyal customers. Penetration share now stands at 39%, which is the highest in any brand, highlighting consumer loyalty.
Nicky understands that when operating in a demanding environment where shoppers have a lot more to choose from, it is essential to differentiate by producing original, but also innovative products, at high quality and affordable prices. For that reason, Nicky offers a wide range of unique products from scented kitchen towels (Nicky Lemon) to premium fragranced toilet tissue (Nicky Elite), and exceptional value-for-money toilet tissue (Nicky Soft Touch).
Throughout 2019, Nicky aims to add further quality and innovation to its range with new and unique products, in both toilet tissue and kitchen towel. In turn, retailers will have the opportunity to expand their household paper offer and add value to their range.
Ireland country sales manager Shane Cassidy says Nicky is always looking for new ways to improve the range to meet both consumer and retailer’s needs. “For that reason,” Cassidy says, “new product development will be a key focus for us.” This, along with maintaining its market leading strategy to provide product differentiation, drive category value and develop products with its consumers at the forefront of its thinking, will be a huge priority in 2019.
To continue reading the Kantar 100 Master Brands at Home list, please click here.
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