Food manufacturer United Biscuits has unveiled the £10m revamp of its Jacob’s biscuits brand, as part of phase two of the revamp of its products.
After February’s relaunch of its McVities brand, the company has now turned its attentions to increasing savoury’s share of the biscuit market, which currently amounts to 18 percent in the UK.
Despite doubling over the last decade, the figure is still in steep contrast to other markets such as US and Australia, which both account for 45 and 40 percent of the savoury biscuits category.
UB is now bringing all its savoury biscuits and baked snacks under the Jacob’s brand, including its Crackers, Crispbreads and Flatbreads, and brands such as Mini Cheddars, Oddities and Twiglets.
To support this, UB has invested in a new television advertising campaign which will run throughout the year, as well as ramping up its social media promotion.
At a launch in London last night, it confirmed its aim is to increase the Jacob’s Retail Sales Value (RSV) by 20 percent over the next two and a half years.
Martin Glenn, CEO of United Biscuits, says the company hopes the re-launch of its savoury products will mirror the success of the McVities brand.
“Our new campaign for Jacob’s is the next step in our strategy. It will improve and simplify the shopping experience for customers, putting all our savoury brands clearly under the same premium masterbrand.
“Through this investment we aim to grow our brands and the broader savoury biscuit category,” he said.
Jon Eggleton, marketing director for UB in the UK, told TM the investment in Jacob’s which outstrips the last 10 years combined shows the company’s faith in the UK’s growing savoury biscuit market.
“If you look over the last few years, there has certainly been the emergence of the more health conscious consumer and this is reflected in the market growth,” he said.
“We believe there is a lot of potential in the market, and although it is some way behind the 72 percent share of sweet biscuits, there is room for growth.”
UB, which operates seven manufacturing facilities across the UK, produces its savoury products at sites in Harlesden and Aintree.
Last year it confirmed the sale of KP Snacks, makers of Hula Hoops and KP Nuts, to German snack company Intersnack for a rumoured figure of £500m.
