Focus On: Ambient & Canned by Daniel Selwood
Download feature synopsis here
Publishing: 20th April
Advertising deadline: 12th April
Submissions deadline: 5th April
The Story
You’d be hard pushed to find a food or drink category that isn’t nervously awaiting a fallout from Britain’s (supposed) exit from the EU. With perhaps one exception. Canned and ambient products could actually stand to do well in post-Brexit Britain, with their comparatively high shelf life and low prices becoming increasingly attractive to cost-conscious retailers and shoppers. Some in the industry have already cottoned onto the potential for canned foods this year so how can the category best position itself to profit from cautious shoppers in the year ahead?
Main themes
Brexit: What are the key factors that put canned and ambient foods at an advantage as Britain leaves the EU, and who in the category is capitalising on this?
Ranging: Sainsbury’s stripped its dry ambient soup range in Autumn last year, pulling more than 20 SKUs of the shelf. Is this move by Sainsbury’s indicative of a general trend in retailers to simplify their ambient soup ranges?
Healthy eating: The macro trend of consumers switching to healthier versions of their shopping staples has led many to swap out of canned and into fresh foods. How can brands and retailers challenge the perception of canned as a less healthy option, and what role could NPD play in this shift?
New formats: Big players in the category have switched out of cans of late, introducing pouches and tubs. Why are some of the top names in canned ditching their standard format, and are other brands in the category set to follow this year?
Canned fish: Price increases added more than £26m in additional sales to the biggest sector in the category this year. How did canned fish players justify those price hikes last year, and is that growth sustainable in the year ahead?
Brands vs Own Label: Own label on the other hand managed to add a cool £58m to its value over the same period, making it the sole driver of category growth last year. Is the shift towards own label all about price, and how can brands regain customers this year?
Shopper Intelligence boxout: Using Shopper Intelligence data, explain how consumers are shopping the crisps, nuts and snacks aisle
Kantar data: Using Kantar commentary, we explain the reasons behind the rise and fall of certain sub-categories.
Nielsen data: Using Nielsen commentary, we explain the reasons behind the rise and fall of the top 10 brands.
Innovations: We identify four new products that ideally have not appeared in The Grocer before. including launch date, image and RSP.
Online Listicle to go live on 19 April: What are the main innovations & how are they shaping the market
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