Challenges in maintaining the momentum of a
successful launch
Steve Challouma
Category Director
19th October 2011
We love our Fish!
• One of the healthiest foods known to man
• In home consumption of Fish and Chips now
almost twice as big as takeaway
• 3.1bn Fish occasion’s a year – half are frozen
• For ¾ of us our first taste of Fish is a Fish
Finger
• 20 Birds Eye Fish Fingers are eaten every
second in the UK
29 July 2017
2
Opportunity: Whilst the biggest brand, the business
was dominated by ‘Prepared’ Fish
Leading Brand in
Frozen & Fish
Famous Kids &
Family businesses
But no foothold in
Natural Fish sector
£85m sector (pre BTP
launch)
BE = #1
Fish Brand
in Frozen
£144m
Coated
Seafood
Others
Fish Fingers
Naked
29 July 2017
3
Source: Nielsen 52w/e Jan 09
Problem: Consumers have deep-rooted barriers to
preparing natural fish
I love the idea of eating more fish, but….
…it’s messy and smelly
…it’s not that
convenient
...I find the thought of
preparing it scary
…I lack the skills & know-how
…I don’t know how
to use it
…I worry about the quality
and freshness
29 July 2017
4
Source: Bluecube Research – Mar 2008
Solution: Perfectly Cooked Fish with No Fuss
The Finest Fish
Fillets…….
...topped with herb
infused piped butter…
…individually sealed in a
Bake PerfectR Foil Bag to
lock in Flavour
Launched in a range of 5 species & flavours
Salmon
Haddock
King Prawns
Pollock
Basa
29 July 2017
5
Result: A breakthrough success
18m packs sold
since launch,
worth over £60m
Premium Pricing
85%+
4.5m UK HH’s
bought since launch
20% share of the
Category
70%+ Incremental
to the category
Natural Fish
Category grew from
£85m in 2009 to
£115m in 2011
29 July 2017
7
Making it one of the biggest grocery launches
within the last 15 years
63
61
1st yr RSV £m
40
28
25
7
5
29 July 2017
8
to
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21
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ks
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7.
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4w
ks
Units (000's)
However, whilst the franchise has continued to
grow….
TV
Support
1,200
1,000
18
Unit Sales
Monthly pen%
16
Cumulative Pen%
14
800
12
10
600
8
400
6
4
200
2
0
0
Source: Nielsen Scantrack + Kantar 4we to 14.05.11, Total Market
29 July 2017
9
…after 18 months the rate of new consumers
coming in slowed, leading to a penetration plateau
Units (000's)
TV
Support
1,200
18
16
Unit Sales
1,000
Monthly pen%
14
52WK Rolling Penetration
Cumulative Pen%
800
12
10
600
8
400
6
4
200
2
0
to
4w
ks
4w
ks
to
W
E
21
.0
3.
09
W
E
4w
16
ks
.0
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to
09
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E
4w
11
ks
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to
7.
09
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E
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ks
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to
9.
09
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ks
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ks
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E1
4w
9.
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to
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4.
ks
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1
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09
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7.
11
0
Source: Nielsen Scantrack + Kantar 4we to 14.05.11, Total Market
29 July 2017
10
With a raft of new competitive launches
The sincerest form of flattery…
Tesco Simply Bake X 4
Apr 2011
Young’s Fishmongers
Choice x2
Sep 2010
BTP Salmon, Pollock
Haddock, Chilli & Basa
Asda Cook in The Bag
x5
March 2009
April 2010
Iceland’s Fish in Foil
Tray
Findus Fresher Taste
Launch (2 Poultry/2
Fish)
JS Bake in the Bag X 3
Mar 2011
Oct 2010
Jan 2010
Young’s Its in the Bag
x4 Skus
October 2009
2009
2010
2011
29 July 2017
11
Keeping your nerve in the face of competitor
launches…..
• Not compromising on your value proposition - protect, sustain
and build the integrity of your launch
• Understand comparative quality differences and protect what’s
distinctive – attention to detail is key
• Customer specific tracking and planning to understand the
impact on your sales
• Behave like a confident brand should and demonstrate thought
leadership – ensure you have a pipeline of news lined up which
keeps up momentum and interest
• Continue to back it and prioritise in the business
29 July 2017
12
Execution is everything - not every distribution point
is equal
Distribution
Range
Space
Visibility
Overall
Retailer A
Room to
increase core
Strong range
1 facing
Mixed
Focus on
merch
Retailer B
Core skus in full
dist
Opps for noncore
2 facings
Central at Eye
level
Focus on
range gaps
Retailer C
Core skus in
high dist
Opps for noncore
2 facings on
biggest plan
Central at Eye
level
Focus on
range gaps
-
Secure &
build
range
-
Secure
Haddock
listing
Retailer D
Risk to range
Risk to range
Retailer E
Salmon
increase
needed
Plans to list
Haddock
-
-
Keeping very focused on retailer level execution on the range – just because
the product is listed it doesn’t mean there isn’t further room to optimise
29 July 2017
13
Getting quick feedback on how the proposition is
being adopted
Total UK Population: 25.5m h/h
Aware: 13m
Unaware: 12.5m
Trialled: 3.6m
Not trialled: 9.4m
Adopters: 0.9m
Trialists: 2.7m
Still a huge
remaining
penetration
opportunity – only
20% of Category
Buyers
Only 25% of
trialled have built
it into their
repertoire – buying
seven times since
launch
But need to go beyond the data to understand they why as well as the what…
29 July 2017
14
Understanding the drivers of consumer value
what is working and not working
Identify the
shopping and
consumption
levers for
BTP
Get a full understanding of
both the consumer and the
shopper truths
Regular
Light
Lapsed
Considerers
Identifying
triggers &
barriers
Unlocking
BTP potential
and unmet
needs
Who are they? Demographics and segments
What do they eat/buy? Frozen naked fish? Chilled fish?
What do they during they free time? Media
What do they believe? Attitude to fish and frozen, etc
What are their needs?
How do they shop for BTP? Planned purchase? Deals? Back up or for a meal
this week?
What do they like about BTP and why?
What they do not like about BTP and why?
How does the product deliver against their expectations? Taste?
Filling? Convenience? Etc.
What motivates to buy BTP in store? Deals? Awareness of recipes Etc
What prevent them from buying it? Visibility? Availability? Price?
When do they use BTP? Meal occasion: who, type of meal,
What resonates the most? Benefits, needs, comms
messages
What can make BTP worth paying more for? Species?
recipes?
29 July 2017
15
Key Learnings from Engaging with Consumers
We interviewed 1,522 consumers – regular, light & lapsed buyers
Consumers don’t
know when to eat
BTP & what to eat it
with
+
Consumers feel
there is a lack of
variety & excitement
in the range
=
Consumers don’t see
BTP as ‘special’ &
worth paying more
for – see it as a
standby
Need to help consumers…provide them with the inspiration & ideas…to get
BTP into their ‘cooking repertoire’
Source: U&A research; 1,522 interviews: May ‘11
29 July 2017
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Being prepared to alter the course…
DELIBERATE STRATEGY
INTENDED STRATEGY
Source: Mintzberg and Waters (1985)
REALIZED STRATEGY
29 July 2017
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Being prepared to alter the course…
DELIBERATE STRATEGY
INTENDED STRATEGY
UNREALIZED STRATEGY
REALIZED STRATEGY
EMERGENT STRATEGY
Direct to realize intentions while at the same time respond to
an unfolding pattern of action
Source: Mintzberg and Waters (1985)
29 July 2017
18
Evolving the Proposition
From: ‘Perfectly cooked fish with no fuss’
Bring the occasion
to life
Bring more variety &
excitement to the range
NPD
NEW
To: ‘delicious & exciting fish…the easy way’
PRODUCT
PACKAGING
COMMS
29 July 2017
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NPD Solution: Taste Inspiration Recipes
White Wine,
Wholegrain Mustard
& Spring Onion
Olive Oil, Rosemary &
Tomato
29 July 2017
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Ongoing plan: Using NPD and refreshment to drive
interest and uplift across the range
29 July 2017
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Summary: Evolution of the Proposition
Launch  Concept
Embed  Inspiration
Drive  Expansion
• Objective: Easy to understand
concept, recipes for everybody
• Objective: Drive excitement &
expand recipe offerings
• Objective: Build the franchise,
expand the shopper base
• Strategy: Effective product
led advertising, traditional
recipes / flavours
• Strategy: Occasion led
advertising, new & inspiring
flavour combinations
• Strategy: New product
benefits, recipes based on
consumer needs
• Plan: Functional ad explaining
BTP technology on “butter &
herb” fish & prawn range
• Plan: New ‘taste inspiration’
recipes and occasion-based
advertising
• Plan: Next generation
concepts that drive the platform
further
29 July 2017
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Finally: Capture your learnings and create a robust, live
‘business model’ hypothesis that you can leverage
Objective:
Drive Penetration
1. Innovation & Product
2. Media Strategy & Mix
3. Communication
4. Promotions
5. Performance Tracking
6. Presence and Distribution
7. Pricing
8. Placement & Merchandising
29 July 2017
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Providing a ‘Blueprint’ for rolling into new territories
29 July 2017
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Summary
• Expect success to be copied - but don’t let it un-nerve you
or compromise your standards
• Keep razor sharp focus on in-store execution
• Get quick feedback to understand what’s working and not
• Be prepared to evolve the proposition to get to next step
change of growth
• Capture and leverage your experience
29 July 2017
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