Congratulations to The Collective for bagging a gold innovation award at the Lunch! trade show, for one of their newest products, the Choco Mixers Split Pot.
Designed for children, mixers are a healthier alternative to existing yoghurt options. According to The Collective, research shows that families with children between 5 and 9 years old tend to leave the yoghurt category and move into less healthy snacks such as corners, desserts or big yoghurt pots.
The Collective’s new Mixers offer a healthier alternative to existing split pots on the market – each yoghurt contains 30% less sugar than the market average of flavoured yoghurts with inclusions. The pots also contain live cultures to support gut health and are a source of vitamin D, providing immune support, as well as calcium and protein for bone health.
Marketing Director Tor Hunt-Taylor said: “We’ve spoken to hundreds of parents about what they want when shopping for snacks for their kids between or after meals, and it is a combination of super taste, health and convenience. Current split pots on the market are fun and interactive but tend to be high in sugar and low in nutritional value.”
“No split pot on the UK market fully delivers what both parents and children want and so we wanted to create something with both…taste [and] high excitement levels but also in a healthier way, making it an easier choice for parents versus what many 5–9-year-olds currently choose.”
It is a universal truth, supported by the evidence (see the Group’s recent white paper), that brands drive most of the distinctive innovation in grocery. Yes, retailers launch a lot of products, but most are me-too, copies or the churn of marginal change. It is why categories need vibrant brands and their investment to thrive.
The Collective has been a key disruptive force in changing the yoghurt category and challenging the established big players and private label. Its focus on driving premium quality into the mainstream has changed the category. More innovation will build on their strong brand platform and support growth. Premium brands must relentlessly justify their value when people are watching the pennies.
Yoghurt is a competitive category and these launches show The Collective using innovation to stretch its footprint and build its offer against key needs and segments in kids and healthy snacking. The concepts are simple and challenger, repositioning the
Find out more about The Collective here.