Lancaster Way Business Park
Ely, Cambs
CB6 3NP
Tel: 01353 661999
Fax: 01353 666199
Email: ajones@unimerchants.co.uk
Key personnel
Group joint managing directors
Derek Wilson
Geoff Wilson
Marketing director
Martin Wathes
Group technical director
John McElhinney
Sales director, Trustin Unimerchants
Mike Wilson
Commercial director, Trustin Unimerchants
Jim Conlin
Sales development director, Trustin Unimerchants
Colin Wright
Director, The Foodfinders
Mike Cook
General sales manager, The Foodfinders
Chris Mann
Director, Ryne Quality Confectionery
Peter Sheehan
General manager, Ryne Quality Confectionery
Graham Collins
Key brands
Boulevard
Shikar
Okanagan
Burns & Ricker
The definition of a snack' is now so broad, that many sub-categories also get defined as snacks. This wider definition has been fuelled by consumer lifestyle changes and products that increasingly require selective target marketing.
John Lusty Group acknowledges this problem and seeks to clarify it for both the retailer and consumer. Marketing director Martin Wathes says: "By selecting strong representation in its chosen sector, Lusty, via its Boulevard and Shikar brands, provides the knowledgeable 25-year-old and over age group with sophisticated choice for less formal eating occasions.
At the same time, the ranges continue to appeal to theirmore traditional market of the mature consumer seeking snacking choice and quality for more formal eating occasions.
The Boulevard brand, currently undergoing a major relaunch, with striking new packaging, new products including organic varieties and new product additions, offers a comprehensive 24-product range that spans from Cheese Wafers and Straws, through Cocktail Bakes including a deliciously different Goats Cheese variant, to an authentic Oriental snacking range, produced in country-of-origin, that includes Japanese Rice Crackers and King Crackers and two Thai Rice varieties. Shikar offers innovative variety to the Asian cuisine table with a range of authentic-recipe lentil flour based Mini-Poppadums.
John Lusty Group also satisfies the consumer desire for New World origin snacks with Burns & Ricker Bagel Crisps in five, typically US recipe varieties and chewy Okanagan Fruit Bars from Canada.
Category Manager Andy Jones says: "With the Boulevard and Shikar ranges, Lusty is targeting a very focused group: the premium adult snack market."
New product development is central to all of the John Lusty brands. Jones says: "New innovations are crucial to brand development, to maintain that brand in its marketplace; particularly in a sector where there is so much choice and the life-cycle of any product becomes increasingly short."
"We work closely with our trade partners to encourage trial" he says. "We understand and work closely with their promotional programmes, keeping them informed on new market trends and developments".
John Lusty Group is vitally aware of its responsibility to inject health benefits into its snack ranges.
"The Shikar Poppadum brand features a lighter corn-based variety; while lower fat options are being researched. The Okanagan fruit-bar range benefits from the addition of real fruit juice."
In conclusion, Jones emphasises that the Group's snacks division will continue to offer total role-clarity to both the retailer and the consumer.
"By continuing our product commitment to the premium adult snacks sector, we see ourselves in a clear-cut advisory role to the retailer, when positioning his snacks fixture to achieve maximum impact.
"Basically, our products are directed at the informed 25+ age group, seeking a sophisticated anytime snacking solution; while still satisfying the need for quality, exciting snacks for more formal eating occasions. By focusing on this sector, we are striving to offer clear direction as well as innovative choice, to the retailer who, perhaps seeks a firmer definition of what and what doesn't constitute a snacks and its role in the consuming lifestyle of the public."
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