Aunt Bessie’s aims to turn up the temperature in the frozen aisles with a range of ready-to-bake traditional British scones, cakes and cookies, creating what it claims is a whole new category.
The desserts are cooked from raw in the oven and are aimed at consumers who love the aroma, taste and texture but not the hassle and mess of scratch home baking.
Despite the frozen desserts category declining in value by 7% last year [ACNielsen 52 w/e October 1, 2005], brand owner Tryton Foods believes the unique positioning and high quality of the range can add
£50m to the market.
Comprising a Victoria sponge cake, an eight-pack of chocolate chip cookies and fruit scones and a 12-pack of fairy cakes (all rsp: £1.99), the range goes into all the multiples on offer at £1.49. It is free from preservatives, artificial colours or sweeteners.
John Hendy, marketing controller at Tryton Foods, said: “It raises the bar in terms of freshness and quality. People are always aspiring to home baking and this range makes it easy for lots of adults who find it quite difficult to pick up the old ‘grandma’ skills.”
Presented in parchment-style packaging, the sponge cake is baked in two halves in silver foil baking cases provided in the pack, while the scones and cookies are cooked on a baking tray and the fairy cakes come in individual baking cases.
The company is spending £2m marketing the Ready to Bake range, including TV ads from next month and sampling of 500,000 people. It has also invested £2m in new production lines at its Hull factory.
Aunt Bessie’s is growing at 12% year-on year, with value sales at £139m [IRI 52 w/e December 31, 2005]. Its baked Yorkshire puddings and roast potatoes are performing particularly well.
Cadbury Creme Egg is back on the small screen on Tuesday (February 21) with an evolution of its perennial ‘How do you eat yours?’ approach. Set to an up-tempo version of the song My Way, the £2m campaign features a series of characters enjoying a Creme Egg in different ways, such as a man disappearing over the edge of a waterfall in a barrel and a spaceman and his alien friend floating eggs in zero gravity.
Claire Hu

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