Available from July, new WKD Lemon is the latest addition to SHS Drinks’ market-leading RTD range. WKD Lemon will be available in 700ml glass bottles, in both standard and price-marked pack (PMP) formats.

The new Lemon PMP variant will join other WKD 700ml PMP flavours – Blue, Dark Fruit, Pink, Iron Brew – in offering excellent value to consumers at only £2.99 (RRP).

With eye-catching label graphics, and the same 4.0% ABV as the brand’s existing flavours, WKD Lemon will add an all-new citrus angle to the range. The new variant is being launched with a selection of trade deals to incentivise distribution, prominent off-shelf display, POS kits, and a huge social media campaign. WKD Lemon will also benefit from a brand-wide 2020 programme of support activity.

The new flavour is the fourth high-profile addition to the UK’s leading RTD range in two years, following the hugely successful launches of WKD Mango Crush (May 2018), WKD Pink (July 2019) and WKD Dark Fruit (January 2020).

WKD has a proven track record in innovation. The zesty new variant will build on a period which has seen the brand’s take home volumes in Northern Ireland increase 95 per cent in the quarter to mid-June, with WKD generating an incremental £900k (10 per cent of the total market value) for the RTD category in Northern Ireland over the last year. Despite only being launched last July, WKD Pink was the total RTD category’s most successful NPD of 2019, and now accounts for £5.1m of sales in the UK take home market.

“WKD Lemon will bring an exciting citrus dimension to the range,” says Nick White, head of marketing at SHS Drinks. “Lemon is a classic, ever-popular drink flavour and expanding our offering will further increase WKD’s appeal to its core 18 to 24-year-old target market.

“WKD is on an incredible volume trajectory currently and new Lemon will add yet further zip and momentum; this fresh new flavour will help ensure that WKD continues to generate strong sales growth for stockists,” concludes White.

The post WKD launches lemon flavour first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

Already available in Mint and Bergamot Wildberry, Nordic Spirit has extended its range with an Elderflower variant in a 6mg and 9mg strength – offering even more choice to existing adult smokers and vapers. What’s more, the Nordic Spirit range is now available in a PMP format to make purchasing decisions easer for shoppers, and to help drive sales.

As well as the brand-new flavour, key changes to the design include enlarging the brand name, in particular ‘Nordic’, to emphasise the product’s deep connection to its Swedish heritage. Additionally, the varying strengths are now represented with four hexagons in line with other products in the category for consistency and ease for the customer.

The white grain background has been removed, for clearer branding and a fresh new look. Whilst the colouring for the Mint flavour remains blue, the Bergamot Wildberry has had a colour change from green and blue to pink and yellow.

Stephane Berset, JTI UK head of Marketing, comments; “Since its launch in 2019, we have seen Nordic Spirit go from strength to strength as more adult smokers and vapers look for alternative nicotine products. This rapidly evolving category, already worth £380,410 a monthⁱⁱ, presents retailers with a huge profit opportunity, and we would urge retailers nationwide to incorporate Nordic Spirit into their offering as the category continues to flourish.”

Never Miss a Moment with Nordic Spirit – a convenient and discreet nicotine product that can be used in situations where smoking or vaping might not be possible. Available to purchase in three flavours and varying strengths (Mint, Bergamot Wildberry and Elderflower 6mg and 9mg).

For more information, speak to your JTI rep or visit www.nordicspirit.co.uk and JTI Advance.

The post New design and flavour for Nordic Spirit first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

Year on year sales for the category are up by 3% with additional lines in both Co-op own label and branded products playing a part in the success.

In October last year Nisa retailers were given access to more than 70 additional frozen lines as the remainder of Co-op’s frozen category was released – including branded and own brand.

The popular £5 freezer deal is also playing a key factor in strengthening the category and the expansion of products such as ready meals is making the category increasingly attractive to shoppers.

Whilst Nisa’s frozen ready meal sector is still dominated by branded lines, more Co-op meals are being included, which Nisa category controller David Lunn, says is great news for both retailers and their customers.

“We will soon be extending the Co-op own brand lines listed in the frozen ready meal section with the addition of Paella, Vegetable Biryani, Cottage Pie, Kashmiri Butter Chicken and many more which will add some much needed choice and innovation to the category,” said David.

And the improved range is also leading to Nisa partners investing in the frozen sections of their stores, to better showcase the increased number of products.

The frozen category is important to sales at Crossgates Nisa Local in Leeds and when Harry Mawi invested in a re-fit, new upright freezers were one of the key additions to the store.

“We sell a lot of frozen products and so we wanted to make an investment in this area. We installed two new upright freezers to replace two old upright and one chest freezer to create extra space within the frozen section and to allow us to include more of the new Co-op own label lines.

“The Co-op range sells itself. It looks really good on the shelf and so it is important that we have smart chillers and freezers to display it in,” he said.

The post Improvements in frozen range boosts sales first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

Ferrero is proud to launch in the UK Tic Tac Coca-Cola: the result of a unique collaboration between two iconic brands of the FMCG sector. Thanks to this collaboration Tic Tac brings Coca-Cola into the sugar confectionery category, creating the first mint with the refreshment of Coca-Cola. This special edition will be available in the next few months in more than 70 countries all around the world.

With Tic Tac Coca-Cola, consumers will enjoy an incomparable taste experience which combines the refreshment of Coca-Cola with the instantly recognisable shape and format of Tic Tac. Both brands are appreciated all over the world, perfect for sharing, connecting people and providing refreshment. The introduction of this exclusive limited edition is supported by a 360° global integrated communications plan.

Tic Tac Coca-Cola will be available to retailers across the UK throughout summer 2020. Presented in the iconic Tic Tac boxes, the brand-new flavour is available to purchase across all channels.

Further information on Tic Tac at https://www.tictac.com/uk/en/

The post An encounter of two icons: Tic Tac meets Coca-Cola first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

Ireland’s largest dairy producer will host the event which runs from December 2 until January 14.

The 2017 production is set to be Northern Ireland’s most successful pantomime on record, with over 70,000 tickets already sold ahead of the opening night on Saturday December 2.

Celebrating her 20^th consecutive year of pantomime at the Grand Opera House, Mat McFettridge will lead the star-studded cast, appearing alongside Coronation Street’s Claire King, double Olivier award-winning David Bedella as Captain Hook and Northern Ireland’s own Mikey Jay-Heath in the title role.

But the all-star cast isn’t the only thing that has visitors hooked. Dale Farm, the official ice-cream supplier to the venue, saw the ‘performance’ of ice cream sales during panto season jump by 2- per cent in 2016, based on the same period the previous year.

Commenting on the sponsorship, James Hempton, commercial director of branded products at Dale Farm said: “Dale Farm is delighted to sponsor Northern Ireland’s biggest panto for the second year running! The pantomime brings so much enjoyment to families from across Northern Ireland and we are proud that Dale Farm plays a starring role in this festive tradition.

“The clock is ticking so make sure and get your tickets – and don’t forget your Dale Farm ice-cream at the interval.”

Our feature image shows May McFettridge, celebrating her 28^th consecutive year of pantomime at the Grand Opera House, pictured alongside Mikey Jay-Heath playing the title role of Peter Pan and Caroline Martin, Head of Marketing at Dale Farm, sponsor of this year’s pantomime.

The post Panto off to flying start thanks to Dale Farm first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.