Fentimans has set its sights on accelerating growth with the first major packaging update across its portfolio in 23 years, stressing its ‘botanical’ credentials.
The Hexham-based brand will roll out new bottles across all of its drinks over coming months, featuring neck tags bearing its canine mascot and the phrase ‘Botanically Brewed, Exquisitely Crafted’.
Fentimans had “needed to get more ambitious” said owner Eldon Robson. “A lot of people didn’t perceive that Fentimans was not just a soft drinks company but a mixer company, so this is about marrying the two.”
Refining the tagline to reflect the drinks’ production process had been fundamental, said Robson. “Our marketing will focus on our position as botanically brewed beverages. I think it is something that confuses the consumer. It’s been our biggest strength and our biggest weakness in a way, because it’s how we make everything but it’s bloody difficult to get people to understand.”
Bottles have been slimmed down and made taller to boost their presence on shelf, he said, though serve sizes will remain the same. The 200ml and 125ml bottles have been changed from green to flint glass, to make the liquids inside more visible.
The brand has enlisted Ian Bray, former MD of London brewer Fuller, Smith & Turner, to take over as CEO from 1 April, to oversee its development.
Bray, who previously held roles at the likes of Wrigley and Müller, had “a wealth of experience”, said Robson. “I’ve been looking for somebody senior to come in and give us a shake-up. When you’re a small company, you need these more experienced people to guide you.”
Fentimans plans to invest £1.2m into the launch, with a significant push kicking off at the end of February.
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