United Biscuits UK is launching a challenger to PepsiCo’s Doritos under its McCoy’s brand, in the form of an unusually ridged tortilla chip that it hopes will become an everyday snack.
McCoy’s Special Ridged Tortillas are being positioned as the chip you don’t have to dip, which UBUK said was an area for growth in the declining tortilla chips market. Four flavours - nacho cheese & sour cream, sizzling steak & onion fajita, hickory smoked ribs and red chilli & lime, will be available from April in 175g sharing bags (rsp: £1.35) and 40g single packs (38p).
They will go up against Doritos, which last year dropped in value by 0.6% (ACNielsen 52 w/e October 1, 2005). Lisa Wakely, McCoy’s brand manager, said there was an opportunity to grow the segment by creating an everyday flavoured tortilla crisp. “The brand will extend the relevance of tortillas into other snacking areas, other than just being served with a dip.”
UBUK also owns Phileas Fogg tortillas, which it said it would continue to offer as a premium snack. The ridge shape is also being used for the launch of Hula Hoop Ridges in April, a move the firm said would boost the crisp’s appeal among older consumers. Four flavours - sour cream & chive, BBQ chicken, totally cheesey and steak & onion will be available.
From this month Hula Hoops will also be sold in limited edition saucy ribs and BBQ beans variants and McCoy’s Tex-Mex in spicy buffalo wings, Mexican chilli and Texan BBQ rib flavours. A Sunday Roast with OXO range, in lamb & mint, beef & horseradish and chicken & stuffing flavours, will be available in multipacks until August.
n UBUK has appointed Goldman Sachs to conduct a strategic review that could lead to the flotation of the McVitie’s biscuits and KP Nuts group.
TV viewers will be seeing double from Monday (February 13) when Ozzy Osbourne makes his TV commercial debut alongside celebrity impersonator Jon Culshaw. The ageing rocker takes tea with his alter ego in a £7m ad campaign to support the re-launch of I can’t believe it’s not Butter, which maker Unilever UK Foods said tastes so similar to butter that consumers will have trouble telling the difference.
Stefan Chomka