A major scoop!

Magnum has celebrated its 25th anniversary by launching Magnum with Marc de Champagne

Currently worth €109 million, Ireland's ice cream category is thriving, despite a pronounced lack of scorchingly sunny days. In fact, Ireland is actually the third biggest consumer of ice cream in Europe, with both the impulse and take-home sectors performing well. Employing effective point of sale materials and merchandising this summer can entice your customers to cool down with an ‘affordable luxury' treat, writes Gillian Hamill

Brand Central

17 April 2014

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Icecream

AT A GLANCE: ICE CREAM

Ireland’s ice cream category is worth €109 million*
Unilever is the number one ice cream manufacturer with a 74.7% total value share* and over €81 million in value sales*
Magnum is the number one luxury handheld ice cream brand in Ireland**, worth over €15 million*** with a 14.8% share*** of the total ice cream category
Ben & Jerry’s is the number one brand in the luxury dessert ice cream sector worth over €8 million, with a 7% share*** of the total ice cream category
Cornetto is Ireland’s number one filled cones brand****
HB Ireland’s number one ice cream brand from Unilever UK***** is adding its Funny Feet ice cream to its out-of-home offering this year
HB Hazelbrook Farm is the number one brand in the dessert sector******
The growing frozen yogurt market has a predicted value of €2.7m in 2014*******

*(Source: Total value share Nielsen MAT Feb 2014)
**(Source: MAT volume sales Nielsen Sep/Oct 2013)
***(Source: Total value sales Nielsen MAT December2013)
**** (Source: Nielsen MAT volume sales – Sept/October 2013)
*****(Source: IRI data value sales December 2013)
******(Source: Nielsen Scantrak ROI Volume Sales MAT 3 Nov 2013)
*******(Source: Datamonitor Ice Cream Market in Ireland December 2010)

Making ice cream sales sizzle

Unilever, Ireland’s number one ice cream manufacturer*, is launching an innovative range of NPD under its market-leading brands Magnum, Ben & Jerry’s, HB, Cornetto, Carte D’Or, Solero and Calippo.

Available from March 2014, the new products tap into key consumer and category trends – such as the growth seen in frozen yogurt, luxury desserts, handheld formats and the trend towards consuming ice cream as a snack – to spearhead growth in the €109 million* ice cream category.

Noel Clarke, brand building director for ice cream at Unilever UK & Ireland, says: "2014 is set to be another outstanding year for Unilever ice cream, with our fantastic summer NPD that maximises opportunities for category growth by delivering new products in line with key category and consumer trends, generating strong sales for retailers.

"As the number one ice cream manufacturer with a 74.7% total value share* and over €81 million in value sales* we continue to offer retailers exciting profit opportunities in 2014. By investing in an array of NPD from our leading brands, we are confident that our portfolio will continue to drive the category for summer 2014. We are also tremendously excited for the return of HB Hazelbrook Farm on TV. This iconic brand will be back on our screens in time to help capture those important Easter sales."

Unilever’s NPD for summer has been available to all retailers since March 2014 and includes the following products.

A new Marc of luxury

Magnum is the number one luxury handheld ice cream brand in Ireland**, worth over €15 million*** with a 14.8% share*** of the total ice cream category.

Magnum with Marc de Champagne launches to celebrate the brand’s 25th birthday.

Featuring Magnum’s first ever chocolate coating dipped in silver with a holographic wrapper, the launch offers consumers another new product from an ice cream brand they recognise for its luxurious chocolate ice cream credentials.

Magnum with Marc de Champagne multipacks have an in-home RRP* of €3.71. Magnum with Marc de Champagne out-of-home has an RRP* of €1.87.

Greek legend

Ben&Jerrys

Ben & Jerry’s is the number one brand in the luxury dessert ice cream sector worth over €8 million***, with a 7% share*** of the total ice cream category.

Ben & Jerry’s Greek Style Frozen Yogurt is available in three flavours; Strawberry Shortcake, Vanilla Honey Caramel and Raspberry Chocolatey Chunk

Available in Ben & Jerry’s signature 500ml tub format, Ben & Jerry’s Greek Style Frozen Yogurt comes in three flavours; Strawberry Shortcake, Vanilla Honey Caramel and Raspberry Chocolatey Chunk, and will take advantage of the growing frozen yogurt market with a predicted value of €2.7m in 2014*******.

Ben & Jerry’s Greek Style Frozen Yogurt will also launch in 150ml ‘mini’ tub formats, enabling retailers to tap into the trend for mini snacking formats and small, portion controlled treats.

Ben & Jerry’s Greek 500ml has an RRP* of €5.99 and Ben & Jerry’s Greek 150ml has an RRP* of €2.72.

Authentic continental taste

Carte D’Or says it has taken a step further in creating the ultimate continental ice cream moment; now the Gelateria experience can be taken home.

Launching in three indulgent flavours – Eton Mess, Chocolate Inspiration and Salted Caramel – Carte D’Or Gelateria enables consumers to bring the Italian gelato experience into their homes by offering unique, "six peak" ice cream products. Each variant combines smooth ice cream, a velvety sauce and a crunchy topping to create an ideal standalone dessert.

Expected to establish Carte D’Or as the ‘ultimate dessert’, Carte D’Or Gelateria will come in 900ml tub format and has an RRP* of €4.84.

Three new flavours – Bubblegum, Haribo and Greek Yoghurt – will launch into the Carte D’Or scooping range for 2014.

Featuring the six peak architecture typical to authentic Italian ice cream, the new flavours will join the existing range of 11 which includes popular variants such as Vanilla, Chocolate and Cookies and Mint Choc Chip.

King of the cones!

Cornetto

When it comes to cones, Cornetto – Ireland’s number one filled cones brand**** – has it covered.

The Cornetto range now comprises three multipacks of the best-selling Cornetto favourites – Classico, Strawberry and Mint – at a value-for-money RRP of €2.50 for four cones; a revamped premium range inspired by popular sweet snacks – Cheesecake Glory, Vanilla Shake and Cookie, at an RRP of €3.85 for a pack of four. Plus, the dinky Cornetto Minis range – in two flavour combinations – mini cones ideal for that family sofa-moment, priced at an RRP of €3.70 for six cones.

Cornetto Choc ‘n’ Ball is launching exclusively into the out-of-home channel, bringing innovation to the Cornetto brand.

Combining ice cream, vanilla and milk chocolate pieces covered in milk chocolate and almond slivers with a crispy waffle cone, Cornetto Choc ‘n’ ball is set to become the ‘ultimate manly ice cream’, by catering specifically for male consumers seeking a substantial snack offering.

Cornetto Choc ‘n’ Ball has an RRP* of €1.80 and benefits from all of the taste credentials of Cornetto’s 90ml cones, but in a larger 160ml format and a ‘manlier’ positioning.

Taste of summer

New Calippo Bubblegum builds on the popular Wall’s kids range and brings a new flavour from a brand consumers know and love, to the children’s handheld sector ahead of the core summer ice cream season.

Calippo Bubblegum has an RRP* of €1.10.

Solero Mojito will be avaliable for a limited time only this summer

Refreshing mix

Inspired by one of the most famous cocktails in the world and enriched with real pieces of lemon, lime, mint and rum, Solero Mojito launches specifically to target the adult ice cream market in time for the summer impulse season.

Avaliable for a limited time only this summer, Solero Mojito has an out-of-home RRP* of €1.56 and an in-home RRP* of €3.75 per pack of three.

Back from the 80s!

Following the success of the in-home launch in 2013, HB Ireland’s number one ice cream brand from Unilever UK***** is adding its famous Funny Feet ice cream to its out-of-home offering this year.

In line with the existing product, the iconic foot shape, strawberry flavour ice cream and pink colour from the 1980s remain, along with the recognisable red and yellow colour cues on the original packaging, which has been updated with a modern design.

HB’s Funny Feet out-of-home has an RRP* of €0.89.

HB Hazelbrook Farm back on the box in time for Easter

Ireland’s favourite ice cream, enjoyed since 1926, HB Hazelbrook Farm is returning to TV screens just in time for Easter. As the number one brand in the dessert sector******, HB Hazelbrook Farm stands for quality ice cream. Made using 50% fresh whole milk, the entire range is free from artificial colours and flavours. It can be enjoyed on its own or as an accompaniment to other desserts making it a great choice for the whole family.

HB Hazelbrook Farm comes in a variety of flavours and formats and includes the number one seller in the take-home ice cream market – Vanilla 568ml pint brick.

HB Hazelbrook Farm 568ml pint brick has an RRP* of €2.13, 900ml tubs have an RRP* of €3.50 and 1L bricks RRP* is €3.75.

RRP*: All prices quoted are recommended retail prices. Retailers are free at all times to set their own retail prices.

Putting the ooh!.. in soft serve ice cream

The Smooch brand states it not only ensures retailers make profits of up to 80%, but that the extensive menu which includes milkshakes and ice cream ensures the extension of the ice cream season to 12 months of the year.

The Smooch Shakebar concept affords retailers the opportunity to create a real destination for ice cream and dairy treat creations. Containing luxury premium ingredients such as Ferrero Rocher and Chocolate Cookie Mixes, the Smooch menu has something for everyone.
Quality is core to the value of Smooch and a huge selling factor is its Real Dairy Ice Cream, containing one of the highest dairy contents in the market. Not only does a higher dairy content give more cones and more profit per litre, it also ensures customers will return time and time again for the creamy tasting ice cream.

The higher dairy content of Smooch ice cream delivers more cones and more profit per litre

From the initial site survey, the Smooch team will fully design, project manage and fit out your shop to the highest standard. By creating maximum visibility with whatever space is available, the Smooch brand claims it dramatically increases sales of whipped ice cream. The Smooch partnership with the retailers ensures continuous ongoing assistance and support with marketing and promotions.

"Average profit for a Smooch site for January 2013 was €1,255 and this jumped to €10,975 for July. This was significantly higher for some sites with retailers having to hire extra staff to keep up with the demand for Smooch," says Smooch marketing manager, Andréa Ní Éalaithe.

With outlets nationwide, the success story of Smooch continues with new outlets opening each month. For more details and for local stockists, telephone (01) 2865000, visit www.mysmooch.ie and Facebook/Twitter: SmoochWithLola.

Firm family favourite

The Duet Strawberry Split contains just 118 calories

Dale Farm has been supplying the ice cream market for over 30 years. A firm family favourite, the company’s "Classics" range has been enhanced with market leading products from partner brands Mars, Nestle and Cadbury making Dale Farm a one-stop-shop for major branded ice cream supply.

Consumer led innovation sees Dale Farm launch a luxury addition to its impulse portfolio this year with the Duet Strawberry Split, a creamy vanilla flavoured ice-cream with a strawberry coating and at just 118 calories it is a real treat for the health conscious consumer.

Vanilla

Also debuting this season, the Dale Farm Honeycomb Cup is expected to follow on from the hugely popular Vanilla Cup, with both lines coming in an impulse 125g tub and a multipack take-home format.

As value continues to be a key driver of the market, Dale Farm has re-engineered pack formats to offer an improved price point to the consumer; Classics 10 packs are now a freezer friendly eight pack format.

Fruit

The brand believes this season is sure to be a scorcher for Dale Farm, with all the big favourites from partner brands topping up its star-studded portfolio; Snickers, Mars, Cadbury’s Dairy Milk, Smarties Pop Up and the ever popular Fruit Screamers.

Promising to be a big hitter this year, the Oreo Sandwich ice cream is a chocolate cookie-inspired ice cream which capitalises on the huge global popularity of the Oreo brand.

The Oreo Sandwich ice cream features a wedge of smooth and creamy vanilla ice cream, scattered with Oreo cookie crumbs, and layered between two rich cocoa biscuit discs, available in impulse and take-home formats.

Angelito sent from heaven!

Kerrymaid Angelito is a leader in the soft serve market

"Although sales peak during the warmer weather, many retailers find that ice cream is a must-stock category all year round with significant but steady proportion of sales generated out of season," says Grace Keenan, brand manager for Kerrymaid. "By partnering with a recognised brand like Kerrymaid Angelito, retailers can boost profits by offering their customers a brand they know and love.

"Kerrymaid Angelito leads the soft serve market. Its creamy taste offers the flavour of real Irish dairy with the classic smooth texture customers expect. Loved by consumers for more than 40 years, the recognition that Kerrymaid Angelito enjoys, drives impulse sales, a key part of the £933 million market in the UK. The brand power of Kerrymaid Angelito works in conjunction with its supporting range of POS, which includes flags and bunting.

Kerrymaid

"Kerrymaid Angelito gives operators an outstanding return on investment due to it offering the greatest number of servings per litre. A single case can provide revenue of up to £399, based on selling 100 deluxe sundaes at £3.99 each.

"A newcomer to the frozen desserts category is frozen yogurt, and demand for it is growing rapidly due to consumers perceiving it as a healthier alternative to ice cream. Kerrymaid UHT Frozen Yogurt Mix is virtually fat free, and contains less than 100 calories per serving, making it an ideal choice for serving the health conscious consumers that demand this product. It is ready to serve in a fast, single-step process.

"Essential to any reputable offer is a range of sauces to top ice cream and frozen yogurt. The DaVinci Gourmet range of desserts sauces includes favourite flavours such as Butterscotch, Chocolate and Strawberry, giving frozen desserts their ‘retro’ charm and responding to consumer demand for personalisation. All are free from artificial flavours, colours and preservatives. To help vendors upsell their frozen desserts, the DaVinci Gourmet range of sauces is in squeezy bottles perfect for displaying on counter tops.

Both Kerrymaid Angelito and Kerrymaid UHT Frozen Yogurt Mix can be stored at ambient temperature, simplifying storage and ordering, and reducing costs and wastage."

For more information on Kerrymaid, visit www.kerrymaid.co.uk, or call 01850 924 632. Alternatively, visit www.martinfoodequip.com, or call 1850 30 36 36. For seasonal recipe ideas, commercial kitchen know-how and foodservice marketing tips, follow @KerrymaidDairy on Twitter.

Q&A with…

Anna Owen, marketing manager Ireland, Ice cream

HB Magnum is celebrating 25 years of pleasure, how significant a marketing campaign does HB Ice Cream have planned to celebrate 25 years?

HB Magnum is the number one individual handheld ice cream brand in Ireland*, worth over €15 million, and celebrates 25 years of pleasure in 2014 with the biggest marketing campaign in the category. Magnum Classic will benefit from multimedia support from March with heavyweight TV and outdoor posters plus in-store activation driving this icon of ice cream and chocolate pleasure. We’re also launching an exciting celebratory NPD variant in impulse singles and multipacks – Magnum with Marc de Champagne – with extensive TV, outdoor and local PR and social media support.

*(Source: Nielsen MAT Feb 2014)

The ice cream category is hugely competitive now in both price and choice. How do you differentiate your products in such a crowded marketplace?

It’s a crowded market, but the Irish shopper continues to prefer HB’s market-leading range – from much-loved classics such as Iceberger, Brunch and Hazelbrook Farm bricks to exciting new innovations like Magnum Marc de Champagne and Ben & Jerry’s Greek Style Frozen Yogurt.

The HB range stands out as offering variety, excitement and true quality – at a range of price points to offer genuine value-for-money to the shopper. HB is synonymous with ice cream in Ireland and we drive demand of the entire ice cream category with our considerable marketing investment both above and below-the-line.

Are there plans for any new products in the pipeline?

Ice cream is an innovation led category and so we are always looking forward to the next big thing. At HB we are passionate about driving that innovation each year, our 2014 NPD is testament to our mission to maximise opportunities for category growth by delivering new products in line with key category and consumer trends, generating strong sales for retailers. Products like Magnum Marc de Champagne, Solero Mojito, Cornetto Choc ‘n’ Ball and Calippo Bubblegum leverage key brands to drive excitement in the handheld sector via innovative new flavour propositions. Desserts will receive a massive boost from Ben & Jerry’s Greek Style Frozen Yogurt range, unlocking additional in-home consumption occasions. Though it’s not just about ‘new’ of course – the revival of HB Funny Feet has been received with delight by the Irish consumer, and our upcoming TV support of ice cream super-brands Magnum Classic and Hazelbrook Farm will drive significant sales uplifts for the category this year. Needless to say, we’re already working on some amazing plans for 2015!

What advice would you give retailers in order to drive sales within their ice cream category in-store?

Selling ice cream is not just about weather, ice cream is one of the world’s most ‘impulsive’ categories so the opportunity to sell exists all year round, not just summer.

HB/Unilever work tirelessly to ensure we supply the best advice, service and equipment to help retailers capture this everyday opportunity within their stores. Our tip for driving ice cream sales is to follow the HB DAVE model.

Desirable – make sure you stock the very best brands.
Available – make sure you have these SKUs in your freezer at all times.
Visible – make sure you customers can see ice cream is on sale – both from an exterior and interior view.
Execution – make sure your cabinet is clean, well-stocked and your service is great.

Andréa Ní Éalaithe

Q & A with…

Andréa Ní Éalaithe, marketing manager, Smooch

How soon can retailers make a return on their investment after partnering with Smooch?

Smooch is highly profitable for the retailer, with profits of up to 80%. While most sites pay off the initial investment in a season, some retailers have the initial investment recovered in four to six weeks, depending on the time of year. July 2013 saw the average Smooch site make €10,975 profit.

Smooch also extends the season for retailers, ensuring they get 12 months of sales from their ice cream machine. Smooch sites also receive a free on loan Slush Puppie self-service unit, another strong brand and highly profitable product.

What feedback have you achieved from retailers who have partnered with Smooch? Were they pleased with the sales achieved across your ice cream and milkshake product range?

Customer feedback is always so positive and encouraging. Customers have noticed that Smooch has brought a new type of customer to their store and created a real destination for ice cream. We have seen stores where new staff have been hired to keep up with the demand for Smooch products.

Retailers who already had a soft serve ice cream business have seen this area of their business increase by 100% – 200%. It is always encouraging when you see a Smooch retailer introducing Smooch into other stores in their portfolio. They really recognise the quality and choice of the products and the value of the brand. Knowing they can rely on the expertise of the Smooch team for the custom built initial installation, training, ongoing support and marketing assistance gives retailers the opportunity to focus on other areas of their business.

How have you innovated in order to make your product range attractive and fun for consumers?

The Smooch menu offers something for all age groups and target markets. The Classic menu consists of cones, sundaes and screwballs, while the Smooch Ice Cream menu affords customers the opportunity to create their own Smooch treat with a choice premium toppings and sauces. The Smooch Deluxe menu is the ultimate treat, with products such as Chocolate Cookies and Ferrero Rocher Mixes. The chocolate and fruit based flavoured Smooch Milkshakes are less affected by summer seasonality and have a very loyal fan base.

At Smooch, customers often interact with us via our social media sites with new ideas and we are always looking ways to adapt and grow our offering through NPD to meet the needs of our consumers. Lola, the lovable smooch cow is loved by the younger Smooch consumer and adds real fun and excitement to our Smooch in-store promotional events.

Do your products offer value-for-money for consumers?

The price point of Smooch is very competitive and is a very affordable treat. The Smooch menu consists of premium quality toppings and sauces but most importantly it contains real dairy ice cream. The extensive menu offering ensures there is something for all.

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