Bronte Product Group

Source: Burton’s Biscuits

Burton’s inherited the Bronte brand as part of its acquisition of Paterson Arran in 2019

Burton’s Biscuits has launched into the OOH sector with a dedicated foodservice division.

The new operation would look to strengthen the company’s OOH proposition under a ‘Burton’s Foodservice’ masterbrand, increasing listings and distribution while supporting existing customers, it said.

This was the company’s “biggest ever” investment in the channel, which coincided with the rebrand of its Bronte biscuits range, it added.

Burton’s inherited the Bronte brand as part of its acquisition of Paterson Arran in 2019.

Its repositioning, which will see the introduction of new “indulgent flavours” such as Cappuccino Shortbread and Raspberry, White Chocolate & Coconut Cookies, would “build on the success of the long-established brand, strengthening its presence in the competitive biscuit market”, it said.

The rebrand was part of Burton’s wider strategy, which included a three-year NPD pipeline intended to bring “the company’s most loved retail brands to the channel in foodservice formats”, said Burton’s director of foodservice product and marketing Nykki Bezer.

“The brand equity from Burton’s iconic retail brands is largely untapped in foodservice and offers a considerable area of growth for the business”, she added.

“As we return to the workplace, travel and leisure venues, consumers are looking for snacking options provided in a safe and convenient format.”

Burton’s ability to individually wrap products would also help it “meet the sector’s needs”, Bezer pointed out.

It follows the recent acquisition of Burton’s Biscuits by Ferrero in June.

The Italian confectionery giant fought off fierce competition from Valeo Foods Group and Bain Capital to acquire Burton’s Biscuits from Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan for a price understood to be around £300m.