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soft drinks

The growth of a number of key brands within soft drinks - through a focus on NPD and healthier nutrition credentials - makes for refreshing news

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Brand Central

18 April 2011

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At a glance: SOFT DRINKS

  • Vimto has achieved a brand value in the UK of £55.1 million with sales up 19% year on year, growing three times faster than the total soft drinks category (Nielsen Total Coverage MAT 19.02.11)
    Ballygowan is the number one water brand in Ireland
    Deep RiverRock’s 750ml sports-cap pack currently holds the position of number one impulse sports-cap water in Ireland (Source: AC Nielsen MAT NI DJ 11& MAT ROI 26th Dec 2010)
    Shloer is Ireland’s biggest selling adult soft drink brand (Source: Nielsen Scantrack: Republic of Ireland Take Home Defined Adult Soft Drinks, Volume Litres MAT to 27.12.09)
    Volvic Touch of Fruit is the biggest brand in the flavoured water market with the highest awareness and loyalty (Nielsen)
    The Volvic brand, with sales of £113m, is one of the top 10 soft drink brands in the UK.
    Fruice Dilute is one of the top 10 dilutes brands in Ireland (Nielsen ROI Scanning Multiples MAT 26.12.2010) 

A new report by Euromonitor International states that “Soft drinks growth rates are expected to remain relatively stable over the coming years, with rising demand for healthier beverages, especially within bottled water and functional drinks, fuelling sales.”

Interesting areas of development within the overall category include the premium soft drinks sector. Although small, this market is growing quickly. Market analyst Mintel describes the premium soft drinks sector as more upmarket, adult soft drinks which usually come in premium packaged glass bottles and generally contain natural, more unusual and better quality ingredients. According to the analyst, demand for more adult/better quality soft drinks has grown from, among other things: a rise in ABC1s, meaning that as many as seven in ten now think it is “worth paying extra for quality goods” (TGI data).

The energy drinks sector has also witnessed impressive growth in recent years. Meanwhile, the carbonates sector has a large, youthful constituency and according to Mintel, its core consumers care least about the health issues that have latterly enveloped the market. Despite this, ‘healthier’ soft drinks have nevertheless recorded far faster growth and NPD and marketing is trying hard to reposition fizzy drinks as ‘natural’ and ‘healthy’. This trend is helping carbonates to shed some of their acquired reputation as being ‘bad for you’.

Irn Bru’s strong growth will be further boosted by a summer marketing campaign that includes national television across Ireland

Irn Bru’s strong growth will be further boosted by a summer marketing campaign that includes national television across Ireland

Barr necessities

A.G. Barr is one of the largest independent manufacturers of soft drinks, with a portfolio of must stock brands including Irn-Bru, Barr Family, Rubicon and Rockstar.

A.G. Barr grew significantly in 2010 ahead of the soft drinks market.  To maintain this momentum in 2011 the company has developed a marketing campaign that will drive consumer purchases across all of its key brands. 

Irn-Bru represents a sales opportunity for Irish retailers. The growth and momentum that the brand is achieving is attracting incremental consumers to the soft drinks category.  This growth will be further boosted by a summer marketing campaign that includes national television across Ireland.

Earlier this year the company changed the name of Diet Irn-Bru to Irn-Bru Sugar Free, however the name change to Sugar Free does not mean a change to the secret recipe which will remain exactly the same.

Barr Cherryade

Barr Cherryade

Adrian Troy, A.G. Barr’s head of marketing commented: “Diet Irn-Bru has always been Sugar Free and after two years of successful campaigns reinforcing the Sugar Free benefit, we felt it was the right time to make this name change. We are seeing a growth in the low calorie soft drinks market and it is important the benefit of our product is clear to consumers.’’

Barr Family has been A.G. Barr’s success story for 2010 with bigger and better plans for 2011. Barr Family is currently available in six flavours of 330ml cans; Cream Soda, Cherryade, Cola, Lemonade, Limeade and Shandy. Value is all about offering a good quality product at the right price, which is what Barr Family represents.

Rocking the energy sector

“The energy sector is growing fast” says A.G. Barr’s head of marketing Adrian Troy. “This growth has been driven by the ‘buzz energy’ category, comprising beverages specially formulated to give consumers stimulation and energy. This can be sub-divided into standard 250ml energy drinks (e.g. Red Bull), 500ml drinks such as Rockstar and 55ml energy shots.

Rockstar will attract new consumers to the energy drinks sector this year through a number of prominent sponsorships

Rockstar will attract new consumers to the energy drinks sector this year through a number of prominent sponsorships

“Much of this growth has been generated by the large energy format,” Troy adds. “Retailers need to ensure they give these drinks enough space on fixture and offer plenty of choice within the category to maintain this growth.”

There are plenty of options available within the 500ml category: Rockstar, for example, has developed a range of five 500ml can flavours: Original, Guava Punched, Juiced, Recovery and Cola.

“Rockstar Recovery meets a specific consumer need and can therefore offer an incremental profit opportunity for retailers,” explains Troy.

Rockstar aims to boost profits for retailers throughout 2011 with an exciting NPD programme. It will also be attracting new consumers to the sector with a number of sponsorships, including a multi-year sponsorship agreement with reigning MotoGP world champion, Jorge Lorenzo. This move will be celebrated with a variety of special activities and promotions for both consumers and retailers.

It is also available in a 1L pack, which was the first big branded 1L energy drink to be launched and the brand will be launching a range of new products later this year.

Rubicon has an unrivalled range of authentic exotic juice drinks including the 1L range of plain packs.  Rubicon is all about offering the consumer something different, particularly with flavours like; Mango, Passion and Guava. The brand has been going from strength to strength in Ireland and has just achieved national listings in Tesco, Dunnes and Superquinn.
For more information, visit www.agbarr.co.uk or telephone 01 6250620.

Ballygowan offers consumers 500ml, 600ml, 1L and 2L formats across its core range, alongside a broad range of multipack options

Ballygowan offers consumers 500ml, 600ml, 1L and 2L formats across its core range, alongside a broad range of multipack options

Leading the way in water

Despite the recession in Ireland the consumption of bottled water continues to grow. Consumers’ rising health awareness is not only attracting new consumers but encouraging existing drinkers to increase their bottled water intake.

Ballygowan is the original Irish bottled water and the number one water brand in Ireland. As the number one bottled water brand in Ireland, Ballygowan has a pack solution for every occasion.  It offers consumers 500ml, 600ml, 1L and 2L formats across its core range. Ballygowan also has a wide range of multipack solutions for the growing ‘stock-up’ shopping occasion – 6 x 1.5L, 6 x 50cl and the Ballygowan Kids Funsize multipack which offers great value for kids’ lunch boxes.

Ballygowan is also leading the way with innovation and giving consumers a new perspective on value by empowering them to make a difference with Ballygowan Pink which raises money for Breast Cancer Awareness. The Ballygowan ‘B Part of It’ campaign has raised over E200,000 for the charities. To continue the momentum and increase awareness, Ballygowan has supported the campaign throughout February both above-the-line and below-the-line.

Support for Ballygowan Pink will continue through the summer and once again Ballygowan is proud to sponsor this summer’s Women’s Mini Marathon.

As the market leading brand and the original Irish water Ballygowan is committed to growing the Irish water market.
You can ‘B part of it’ and follow Ballygowan at www.facebook.com/BpartOfIt.

Deep RiverRock’s 6 x 500ml is a popular pack for consumers to take home and store in their fridge

Deep RiverRock’s 6 x 500ml is a popular pack for consumers to take home and store in their fridge

Purer than you

Deep RiverRock is a leading, quality, pure Irish water bottled from source locally in Co Antrim.  It contains naturally occurring essential minerals such as Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium. Deep RiverRock’s ‘Purer than you’ slogan reflects the youthful and mischievous image associated with the brand. This brand image is cleverly portrayed in Deep RiverRock’s advertising, including the recent “Town of Deep RiverRock” TV ad and St. Patrick’s Day outdoor campaign. 

Deep RiverRock comes in a range of packs suitable for a variety of occasions including single and multi-pack sizes in still and sparkling and both plain and flavoured options. The brand’s 750ml sports-cap pack currently holds the position of number one impulse sports-cap water in Ireland (Source: AC Nielsen MAT NI DJ 11& MAT ROI 26th Dec 2010). This is the ideal size for on-the–go consumers with healthy active lifestyles. Deep RiverRock’s 6 x 500ml is a popular pack for consumers to take home and store in their fridge allowing them to re-hydrate anytime. Deep RiverRock has been the proud title sponsor of the Belfast City Marathon for the past five years. This year the event celebrates its landmark 30th Marathon on 2 May. 

Extra sparkle for Shloer range

Spurred on by the runaway success of Shloer Rosé, Ireland’s biggest selling adult soft drink brand* is launching another new variant with Shloer Summer Fruit Punch being rolled out in the Republic of Ireland from this month. 

Billed as a ‘light, refreshing, no-alcohol punch perfect for summer’, the new limited edition variant is being distributed by SHS Sales & Marketing alongside the existing Shloer range.

Like the other variants in the Shloer line up, Shloer Summer Fruit Punch is packaged in 75cl glass bottles.

The launch will be supported with a TV and press advertising campaign breaking in April in Ireland for the first time and running during the summer months. 

Consumers who have signed up to receive regular updates from Shloer will receive a Summer e-newsletter featuring details of the new Shloer Summer Fruit Punch along with  tips for summer entertaining, BBQ recipes and competitions to win summer-themed prizes.

Free point of sale materials are available from the Shloer POS Hotline on + 44 800 9173450.

*(Source: Nielsen Scantrack: Republic of Ireland Take Home Defined Adult Soft Drinks, Volume Litres MAT to 27.12.09)

Vithit witnessed sales increases of over 75% between January and March

Vithit witnessed sales increases of over 75% between January and March

A real hit

Vithit, the Irish owned vitamin drink has enjoyed a large increase in sales since its advertising campaign on TV3 in January.  With sales increases of over 75% between January and March, this is one Irish brand that is bucking the recessionary trend.
As the biggest selling vitamin drink in Ireland, Vithit has enjoyed increasing success over the past 10 years and is now selling in over 1,300 retail outlets nationwide and growing monthly.  The Gleeson Group distribute to all convenience stores nationwide. Vithit is listed with Centra, Spar, SuperValu, Mace, Costcutter, Gala, Topaz, Applegreen, Wrights of Howth, Avoca, and many more.

Asked what makes Vithit different, MD Gary Lavin, says “Vithit contains less calories than an apple and 100% RDA of seven vitamins. Once people realise they can drink a bottle of health, rather than sugar, they will make the choice. Our sales show conclusively that Irish people demand healthy products and are switching from sugar and salt based drinks full of calories. Our biggest surprise over the past two years, is that shops in rural communities are now selling close to the same rate as city locations, which tells me the healthy message is getting through.”

Vithit is available in three flavours,  including Berry Boost, which has just 15 calories per bottle and seven vitamins, Ginseng and Guarana.  Mandarin Detox offers 600mgs of Green Tea, just 35 calories per bottle and 100% RDA of seven vitamins.  Citrus Revive has less than 17 calories per bottle and 100% RDA of seven vitamins.  Available nationwide through the Gleeson Group.

Fruitful endeavours 

Volvic natural mineral water is launching a new limited edition Summer Fruits flavour within its popular Volvic Touch of Fruit range.

Summer Fruits follows the successful launch of Touch of Fruit Blackcurrant last year which brought new shoppers into the category and delivered further growth for the flavoured water sector.

Touch of Fruit is also launching a new sports cap format to provide tasty hydration for on-the-go consumption. The new sports cap will be launched for the leading Strawberry and Lemon Lime Original variants.

The new flavour and new format will be available in-store from April 2011, and both will be featured in forthcoming Volvic Touch of Fruit advertising activity this summer.

Volvic Touch of Fruit is the biggest brand in the flavoured water market with the highest awareness and loyalty, according to Nielsen data, and the range contributes to the Volvic megabrand’s position as the top brand in the total bottled water market.
For more information, retailers can call Danone Waters’ sales desk on 0800 975 6000. 

Appletiser: Nothing added but a touch of sparkle

Appletiser: Nothing added but a touch of sparkle

Deliciously good for you

Stylish and sophisticated, Appletiser is the perfect drink for the discerning modern woman seeking healthy indulgence. Appletiser is preservative free; colourant free and additive free. It is 100% juice with a touch of sparkle which naturally cleanses the palate. The sugar in Appletiser is natural coming only from the fruit in the form of fructose which is low GI. And uniquely for a sparkling drink – a 150ml glass of Appletiser officially counts as one of an individual’s five a day.

Look out for the Appletiser StyleFix Roadshow which will be hosting a series of fashion shows around the country.

The roadshow will be kicking off at Mahon Point Cork on 16 April and continuing across Ireland until November. Consumers will also be able to see Appletiser at Irish Most Influential Awards on 31 March  and for the sophisticated foodies out there, the company will be hosting the Appletiser VIP tent at Taste of Dublin.

Best bits in the world

Since Club Orange burst onto the scene back in 1945 the iconic brand has been bringing real fruit bits to generations of Irish consumers. Few can lay claim to such a cult following and now one of Ireland’s most successful, lively and best loved iconic brands is getting a refresh with new campaign – The Best Bits In The World.

Club orange has a refreshing new campaign – The Best Bits In The World.

Club orange has a refreshing new campaign – The Best Bits In The World.

The new look and feel of the Club brand and packaging brings out the vibrant and energetic side embracing the past and the future of Club. Whilst the look and feel of the brand has been re-energised Club hasn’t compromised on the key essentials – naturalness, refreshment and most importantly ‘The Real Fruit Bits’.

Whilst other brands may rest on their laurels, Club continues to bring real bits to the table, lifting the mood and embracing its cult status. This year Club is sure to create a few headlines with a bold new campaign on the horizon in May and a brand new look that will hit stores from April 2011.

Club, distributed by Britvic Ireland, has three crucial flavours which include Club Orange, Club Lemon, and Rock Shandy.
Join the Club, keep up to date with all ‘The Best Bits in the World’ and witness the new brand explosion on www.facebook.com/ClubSomeBitsAreCrucial.

Miwadi Double Concentrate offers consumers value-for-money because it makes twice as much squash as regular concentrates

Miwadi Double Concentrate offers consumers value-for-money because it makes twice as much squash as regular concentrates

Double the Miwadi goodness

Miwadi, Ireland’s number one squash brand, with *40% value share of the squash market (AC Nielsen MAT Jan 2011), now offers consumers an even greater choice with Miwadi Double Concentrate.  New Miwadi Double Concentrate comes in a handy 1L bottle but now makes twice as much Squash – with 40 servings of Miwadi in every bottle.

As well as making twice as many glasses of squash, Miwadi Double Concentrate comes in a new innovative bottle which has been ergonomically designed for easy pouring.  The new smaller bottle is also easier to store at home and will fit neatly into the kitchen fridge.

Starting in May and running right through the summer, Miwadi Double Concentrate will be supported by a national multi media campaign including new Miwadi TV advertising, press and outdoor advertising.  The launch will be supported with heavyweight promotional activity and in store sampling activity in supermarkets throughout the country.

New Miwadi Double Concentrate is available in a range of five fruity favourites – Orange, Blackcurrant, Summer Fruit, Tropical and Orange & Pineapple.  Meeting consumer preferences, the range is available in No Added Sugar only.

Miwadi Double Concentrate is available in all major stores and supermarkets nationwide from the beginning of April with an RSP E2.59/£1.99

Evian’s new 1.5L bottle uses 11% less materials in its production, and has a more sophisticated look and a new grip for ease-of-use

Evian’s new 1.5L bottle uses 11% less materials in its production, and has a more sophisticated look and a new grip for ease-of-use

Evian’s environmental commitment

Continuing its commitment to an ambitious environmental policy, Evian has launched a new 1.5L eco-designed bottle. This has been available in the UK since January 2011. It has been light weighted by 11% compared to its predecessor. And to further reduce its impact on the environment, the bottle contains recycled plastic – the objective is to reach 50% recycled plastic during the course of 2011. The launch of this eco-designed bottle is an important step for Evian, which has set an objective to reduce its own carbon emissions by 40% between 2008 and 2012.

Not only does the new Evian 1.5L bottle use 11% less materials in the production than the current bottle, but also has a more sophisticated look and a new grip to improve ease of use.

Fruice Dilute’s marketing will clearly educate the consumer on the double strength offering in a fun and engaging way

Fruice Dilute’s marketing will clearly educate the consumer on the double strength offering in a fun and engaging way

A top ten dilute

Fruice Dilute is already one of the top 10 dilutes brands in Ireland (Nielsen ROI Scanning Multiples MAT 26.12.2010).
‘Fruice Dilute’ 750ml launched in April 2010, is the first branded double strength dilutable juice in Ireland. Launched under the trusted ‘Fruice’ brand name, Fruice Dilute has challenged market leaders with a proposition which offers a unique selling point – a double strength formulation (making twice as much ready to drink juice as standard dilutables – but without costing twice as much). This year a 1.5L range will be launched as value becomes an increasingly important purchase trigger for consumers.

The brand will be supported through an innovative IMC campaign comprising of ATL and BTL.

The Fruice Dilute TV advertising developed in Ireland is based on the ‘sport stacking’ phenomenon. This year Fruice Dilute has teamed up with Speed Stacks to sponsor the Irish Sport Stacking team which will represent Ireland at the World Sport Stacking Championships in Dallas, Texas in April. Indeed the ad features James Carrigan, one of last and this year’s All Ireland Champions. The ad was a success and will air again this year.

7UPGoing up

7UP is the leading lemon and lime consumer soft drink in the Irish market, and this April sees both 7UP and 7UP Free undergo a re-launch with a brand new look and feel. The new design features a larger and bolder 7UP logo with a contemporary style, while the background celebrates the lemon and lime credentials.

The new look was first unveiled at the 7UP Free ‘Bring Them Back for the Craic’ party last month in the Tivoli Theatre in Dublin. The ‘Bring Them Back for the Craic’ competition offered one Irish person the chance to bring seven friends 7UPhome from anywhere in the world to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The homecoming party was held in honour of the eventual winners, Wexford team Paddy’s Down Under, and approximately 1,000 party-goers enjoyed headline act The Coronas and support act Delorentos, while enjoying complimentary 7UP Free all night.

The new look is in-store across all pack formats from now and the re-launch is being supported by a heavyweight outdoor and digital campaign to drive awareness of the new branding.

Emma Hunt, Vimto senior brand manager

Emma Hunt, Vimto senior brand manager

Q&A with…

Emma Hunt, Vimto senior brand manager

Give a brief description of your product range

Vimto is unique – totally different from the standard orange, cola or lemonade choices on the market. It is a mix of raspberry, blackcurrant and grape with a secret blend of herbs and spices. The brand also introduced Cherry Vimto last year, which adds a smack of cherry to the original flavour, and it’s already made a significant impact on the market.

The range includes Cordial, Fizzy and Still products to cater for all occasions. Retailers in Ireland can get their hands on 500ml bottles of Fizzy Vimto Original, Cherry Vimto and 500ml Vimto Original Still, which are perfect for teens ‘on the go’. There’s also a 725ml Cordial and a 2L Fizzy bottle in Vimto Original for families and friends to share.

Since its launch in January in a 500ml sportscap format, Vimto has already witnessed 24% sales growth in the UK

Since its launch in January in a 500ml sportscap format, Vimto has already witnessed 24% sales growth in the UK

When was Vimto first founded and how are your products currently performing within the UK?

Vimto was created over 100 years ago by John Noel Nichols in his hometown of Manchester and has gone from strength to strength over the years by extending and developing its range, quickly adapting to market trends and launching exciting marketing campaigns that consumers love.

Rather than scaling back on activity during a recession the Vimto brand has benefitted from increased investment year upon year to keep awareness high and ensure it is a brand retailers can have the confidence to stock.

As a result Vimto has achieved a brand value of £55.1 million with sales up 19% year on year, growing three times faster than the total soft drinks category*. It’s doubled in size over just five years to become the fastest growing soft drinks brand**.

Within our ready to drink range we’ve recently heavily invested in the production and launch of a new look bottle for our 500ml Still in a sportscap format and since its launch in January we have already seen 24% sales growth***. In general, Vimto is growing across both the carbonates and dilutes categories*.”

Your ‘Seriously Mixed Up Fruit’ campaign has won a prestigious marketing award from the Marketing Society Northern Awards in the UK. Why has your campaign proved so successful?

Vimto’s ‘Seriously Mixed Up Fruit’ campaign was devised following extensive consumer research to help reposition the Vimto brand and to increase relevance to groups of consumers, with teenagers providing the biggest opportunity for growth.

The campaign strikes a chord with teens and is based on what the product offers and uses language very much in tune with the audience. It has enabled us to explore a whole host of new creative and media opportunities, whilst building on the core brand strengths that have helped us to grow three times faster than the market.

We’ve supported the campaign with major marketing investment that reaches our teen audience through multiple touch points including brand new TV and radio adverts that sees the three fruits on their latest mission to get seriously mixed up to create Vimto. This is complemented with an extensive digital, PR and sampling programme.

Vimto1How do you plan to market your products in the Republic of Ireland?

Vimto has had a presence in the Republic of Ireland for many years but we recognised there was limited awareness and availability of the brand and certainly room to grow. As a result we have just launched a major campaign in advance of the summer trading season to increase availability for retailers for the key products in the range. We’ve launched a partnership with GM Marketing who will help us to boost distribution and they are confident that Vimto has a lot to offer the Irish market and retailers, based on their 20 years experience in the industry.

Have you conducted research into the Irish market – do you believe your products will be well received?

From the fantastic success and continually growing popularity that Vimto is achieving in the UK we know that it has the potential to be successful in Ireland. It is a very strong offering for retailers to stock backed up by marketing investment that will create consumer awareness.

Vimto2We want to be able to make sure we offer Irish retailers and consumers exactly what they need and that’s why we’re working in partnership with GM Marketing from the outset.

Will Vimto appeal to consumers on health grounds?

Vimto has a wide portfolio which includes a No Added Sugar range for those who are looking for a healthier option.

What are Vimto’s goals within the ROI market?

The aim for Vimto in the Republic of Ireland is to build its brand awareness, grow its share of the market and give retailers a brand that will boost their soft drinks sales.

*     Nielsen Total Coverage MAT 19.02.11
**   Nielsen Total Coverage Top 25 Soft Drinks Brands MAT 19.02.11
*** Nielsen Total Coverage latest 8 weeks 19.02.11

 

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