Hain Celestial is taking its Linda McCartney brand into the snacking arena with a range of falafel and is adding new dishes to its traditional meal menu as part of a rejuvenation plan for the brand.
The falafel balls, which will be available from next month, are made with chickpeas, broad beans, lemon, coriander and spices, and are being positioned as an ideal source of fibre and protein for consumers on the go.
“Falafels are an increasingly popular snack that will appeal to both traditional vegetarian consumers as well as a broader target market looking for interesting and healthy meat-free choices,” said James Gentle, marketing manager for Hain Celestial.
The company is also extending its traditional range with three new products, including a vegetarian roast with sage & onion stuffing “for Sunday roasts and Christmas dinners”. A chicken-style burger in a light crispy crumb is also joining the menu together with ‘vegetable roasties’ – a combination of butternut squash with water chestnuts, pulses and seeds. The products will come in biodegradeable bags and boxes, as part of the plan to make all the brand’s packaging more eco-friendly.
The frozen ready meals business was once a £40m brand, but in recent years sales have fallen to less than £10m. Following a relaunch of the brand at the end of last year, sales were up 22.4% to £9.6m in the 52 weeks to 8 September [IRI]. Gentle predicted that, together with the three new lines launched in August, this round of NPD would help the brand grow to £15-£20m in the next year.
“Falafels are an increasingly popular snack that will appeal to both traditional vegetarian consumers as well as a broader target market looking for interesting and healthy meat-free choices,” said James Gentle, marketing manager for Hain Celestial.
The company is also extending its traditional range with three new products, including a vegetarian roast with sage & onion stuffing “for Sunday roasts and Christmas dinners”. A chicken-style burger in a light crispy crumb is also joining the menu together with ‘vegetable roasties’ – a combination of butternut squash with water chestnuts, pulses and seeds. The products will come in biodegradeable bags and boxes, as part of the plan to make all the brand’s packaging more eco-friendly.
The frozen ready meals business was once a £40m brand, but in recent years sales have fallen to less than £10m. Following a relaunch of the brand at the end of last year, sales were up 22.4% to £9.6m in the 52 weeks to 8 September [IRI]. Gentle predicted that, together with the three new lines launched in August, this round of NPD would help the brand grow to £15-£20m in the next year.
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