Fox’s Burton’s Companies saw strong sales and profits growth during its last financial year, boosted by product innovation. The manufacturer behind some of Britain’s most-loved biscuits – Maryland Cookies, Fox’s Chocolatey, Jammie Dodgers and Wagon Wheels – has shown what happens when a brand puts new product development at the heart of its strategy.
Highlights include the debut of Maryland S’wich, the UK’s first chocolate chip cookie sandwich, and a major relaunch of Fox’s Chocolatey supported by a high-profile campaign featuring Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood. Fox’s Chocolatey became the first brand globally to translate the viral Dubai-style flavour into a biscuit format.
The business also completed its first company-wide carbon footprint and received validation of its climate targets from the Science Based Targets initiative.
This is great work on multiple levels. A brand lives in a hyper-competitive world defined by finite category space; multiple established brand alternatives and the regular launch of new start-ups; and retailers who can easily and quickly steal good ideas and launch me-too products.
In this world, being, like Fox’s, the No.2 in the category is challenging – potentially squeezed between the leader, the new kids on the block and the constant activity of own-label. Standing still is not an option, but it is easy to adopt a defensive mindset and resort to over-promotion and a focus on trade investment at the expense of a clear brand vision and strong medium-term plan.
Whilst we have no inside track, the current strong performance looks like it is part of a cunning long-term brand plan that has risen above the temptation for short-term defensiveness. It is not just the innovation we admire – it is impressive – it is also the focus on brand investment and targeted NPD focused on building its key assets rather than space-defending churn. We suspect, there is less promotional reliance and better conversations with customers. Outcome: Fox’s is carving out a clear role for its brands in the category.
This is a great example of #whatbrandsdo – especially non-category leaders – to build sustainable success.