Healthy heroes

‘New Year, new me’ promises will be at the front of many shoppers’ minds come January. How can you fulfil their needs and help them kickstart their weight loss journey while still enjoying wholesome fare? Gillian Hamill reports

Brand Central

4 January 2021

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While shoppers may be busy stocking their cupboards with mince pies and chocolates, one thing’s for certain: come 1 January, folks nationwide will be looking to start the new year on a healthy footing.

After enjoying an indulgent festive season, many consumers want to kickstart a fitness and healthy eating regime. According to Nielsen, there’s no doubt that health and wellness is on the minds of consumers, retailers and manufacturers around the world — and for good reason. Nielsen’s second Annual Global Wellness Report 2019 found that around the world, consumers are struggling with their health. For example, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 1.9 billion people globally are overweight. However, Nielsen’s data shows that consumers are invested in their health. In fact, 72% of global consumers say they would buy foods that include superfoods, the analyst reports. As a result, retailers, manufacturers, health care providers and even governments are reacting to the evolving health needs and concerns of consumers around the world, but Nielsen states there is still more work to be done. In a previous 2015 survey, Nielsen found that half (49%) of global respondents believe they are overweight, and half (50%) are trying to lose weight.

Interest in in all things healthy is nothing new in Ireland. Over the years consumer interest in healthier options has soared in popularity. Retailers nationwide have been proactive in catering to this demand, and today healthy snacking is easier and more affordable than ever before.

“The vast majority of consumers report eating foods they feel to be healthy at least some of the time, but opinions and attitudes on what a healthy diet is vary greatly,” says Karen Formanski, Mintel health and wellness analyst. “Brands making better-for-you claims need to stay on the pulse of trending diets, yet not lose sight of the tried-and-true, traditional ideas surrounding healthy eating,” she adds. “Brands can reach a wide audience with an overarching message of fresh, real ingredients, along with options curated to specific dietary concerns.”

Celebrating eating well

Unislim Gorge Us Rustic Cut Chips and Skinny Sweet Potato Fries are both great options for tasty mealtimes for health-conscious shoppers

At Unislim, the company’s focus is on celebrating eating delicious, nutritious food.

In a year where everything changed, the one constant we had was food. The nation learned how to make sourdough starters and explored food avenues we would not have considered 12 months ago. With a glimmer of hope, we can now see the faint shimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. With a huge sigh of relief, we can return to the familiar. The Gorge Us range uses only the finest ingredients and the best potatoes. The brand currently has two impressive vegan-friendly products on the market; Unislim Gorge Us Rustic Cut Chips and Skinny Sweet Potato Fries. The Gorge Us family goal is to offer a healthy, delicious, wholesome and great-tasting option for vegans, slimmers, and health-conscious foodies.

Created by Unislim’s top food experts, the Gorge Us range is vegan-friendly, gluten free, low in saturated fats, contain no artificial colours, preservatives or flavourings and has been approved by Ireland’s top dieticians.

Unislim is a family-run, Irish-owned company. It is Ireland’s leading slimming and healthy lifestyle club since 1972. Unislim offers its 50,000 members a personalised and effective weight loss plan, which encourages them to make healthier food choices. With a network of more than 300 supportive weekly classes all over Ireland, there is a class near your store. Visit Unislim.com for more information.

Super stuff

Avonmore Super Milk is enriched with added vitamins D, B, E, extra calcium and folic acid

Avonmore products are enjoyed on a daily basis in households across Ireland. Quality is a priority and something Avonmore is passionate about, ensuring the best tasting milk reaches consumers.

Avonmore Super Milk continues to be a key growth brand for the milk category delivering year-on-year growth over the last number of years. Enriched with added vitamins D, B, E, extra calcium and folic acid, Avonmore Super Milk contains more of these important nutrients than fresh milk. Sunshine helps our bodies produce vitamin D, however in Ireland we don’t get enough sunshine so that’s why we need to top up our levels through foods that offer plenty of vitamin D – like Avonmore Super Milk.

Vitamin D helps the absorption of calcium from food and drink which is important for maintaining bone and muscle health and also helps support a healthy immune system. The brand has been extended to include a Fat Free variant which is available in a 1L format. So now you can get all of the benefits of Avonmore Super Milk without the fat.

Naturally nutritious

With more than 56% market share, Flahavan’s is Ireland’s favourite porridge brand

Whatever level of exercise you do, it’s important to nourish your body and to choose natural foods that deliver slow-release energy for your body – porridge oats do just that. A bowl of Flahavan’s sustains you longer – it’s high in fibre, low in fat and it’s a great source of vitamins and minerals which help contribute to the normal function of muscles and bones, while also contributing to normal energy yielding metabolism. It’s simple – the slow-release energy and fibre in oats makes you feel full for longer and therefore less inclined to snack, which can help with weight management. Natural wholegrain oats have also long been proven to help lower cholesterol, while also providing an excellent source of fibre to support positive digestive health.

Flahavan’s is Ireland’s favourite porridge brand with more than 56% market share* – a testament to its consistent quality, strong brand communications and the loyalty of its consumer base. Traditional porridge remains at the heart of the company’s business in Ireland, with Progress Oatlets and Organic Porridge experiencing the strongest growth in 2020 as a result of shifting consumer habits and more time spent at the breakfast table. While health remains at the forefront of consumers’ minds, then natural, locally-sourced high quality Irish porridge oats will continue to be at the top of their shopping lists when making choices around breakfast.

*(Source: Kantar Worldpanel, 52 weeks to October 2020)

Making life sweeter

Covid-19 has impacted so much of our lives over the last nine months and it is expected to do so well into 2021; even if the recently announced vaccines do arrive soon. Two most notable aspects of Covid are furlough and working from home and whilst doing so, people are rarely consuming anything out-of-home. As a result, consumers are drinking more tea and coffee at the “home office”. Self-isolation too has played a significant role. Shoppers are purchasing much less on-the-move in places like the coffee shop and much more via supermarkets and local convenience outlets for at home consumption. Both have seen a massive increase in sweeteners sold compared to last year and Hermesetas Sweeteners report increases in excess of 25%.

We’ve learnt also that two of the more vulnerable groups to the virus are diabetics and the obese or overweight. Both use sweeteners to replace sugar for health management reasons. They are two of the major sub-groups of sweetener users and are “heavy users” due to higher than average consumption. In addition, those who have been thinking about adapting their lifestyle for weight management reasons have finally been pushed by government and scientists’ advice towards losing weight. All in all, sweeteners have become a must-stock opportunity for retailers to meet their shoppers’ needs today and for the future. The trends to increased sweetener consumption are not just a one-off blip, they have become more ingrained everyday habits of society as a result of the extended time of the pandemic.

For quality and trusted sweeteners, Hermesetas Mini Sweeteners are Ireland’s number one volume tablet sweetener – and of course for cooking, baking, sprinkling on cereals or into hot drinks, there’s Hermesetas Granulated. Depending on the type of user – small quantity and convenience for personal use or larger volume for family share in home or for individual higher sweetness levels, the great sweet taste of Hermesetas comes in 300, 600 or 1200 tablets pack sizes or 90g jar. The larger the pack the better the value, which is so important for many so Hermesetas recommends stocking at least two sizes of tablet packs. And with all the extra home baking that has been going on as the nation occupies ourselves and our young ones with new pastimes, there is also Hermesetas.com for great tasting recipes using Hermesetas Granulated and for healthier lifestyle tips for all. A great help for sweetener users.

Hermes Sweeteners also provide the SteviaSweet brand of naturally sourced stevia sweeteners.

SteviaSweet is also available in tablet form in a handy one-by-one dispenser and is so convenient. SteviaSweet is the perfect alternative to sugar but with zero calories for a healthier lifestyle. The brand’s website mysteviasweet.com provides lifestyle hints and tips and more. Help your shoppers to a healthier lifestyle and maximise your category sales with a range that provides choice to suit everyone’s pocket and sweet tastes, from the Hermesetas and SteviaSweet brands.

Contact Allegro on 01 858 0600 for further information and purchasing.

Low fat meals in minutes

Morgan’s Seafood Kitchen offers busy consumers healthy, low fat meals in minutes

Morgan’s Fine Fish has used its extensive seafood knowledge to develop Morgan’s Seafood Kitchen, an exciting range of low fat, high protein ‘ready to cook’ seafood meals.

Tapping into the ever-growing demand for healthy convenient offerings, the range includes three tasty meals with clean label ingredients: Katsu Fish Curry, Spicy Lemongrass and Lime Seafood and Caribbean Prawns.

Morgan’s Seafood Kitchen is available in select Dunnes Stores, SuperValu and independent stores throughout Ireland. Priced at €4.99, the meals for one contain a selection of quality raw seafood (salmon, cod, hake, prawns and smoked fish) with fresh locally sourced vegetables, basmati rice and a delicious sauce. Each meal contains an average of 360 calories and is ready in four minutes in the microwave, retaining the high nutritional content of the seafood and fresh vegetables.

To find out more, visit www.morgansfinefish and follow @morgansseafoodkitchen on Facebook and Instagram.

Big citrus taste

Each 330ml can of L’mon contains less than 38 calories

After a full month of indulging which peaks at Christmas, most consumers start the new year with committing to a healthier lifestyle and cleaner diets. However, great taste and enjoyment still remain their top priorities when shopping for drinks.

As consumers are looking for meal accompaniments and alternatives to alcoholic drinks, fizzy drinks continue to be hugely popular but are seen to be a less healthy “guilty” choice, particularly as most are high in sugar.

At Danone, the team doesn’t believe shoppers should have to choose between enjoying a refreshing tasty fizzy drink and being health conscious – why not have both? That’s why Danone created L’mon – to give consumers a tasty, low sugar alternative without compromising on taste.

L’mon, from the makers of Volvic, is a new range of zesty sparkling drinks, made in the UK, that combine sumptuous citrus blends, with at least 25% real fruit juice and British spring water.

Each 330ml can of L’mon delivers the taste experience of a soft drink but without the nasties, with less than 38 calories per can.

All the products are low in natural sugars, with no added sugar*, free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives and only use naturally sourced ingredients.

L’mon is available in three citrusy variants: Lemon & Orange, Lemon & Lime and Lemon & Grapefruit.

When tested with consumers, L’mon scores ‘Outstanding’ as a product proposition and sits at the top 20% of non-alcoholic beverages in terms of purchase intent.**

Adding L’mon to your product repertoire, can help you meet consumers’ needs for tasty and healthier beverages in ‘Dry January’, while it will boost your category growth!

The brand’s website www.sparklinglmon.co.uk/ provides information on the products’ ingredients and nutritionals, and has answers to many questions that consumers usually have.

*(Contains naturally occurring sugars from the fruit juice)

**(Source: Bases research September 2020)

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