Scottish Grocer - Scottish Brands 2015

December 2015

E H T M O R F T I F PRO

No.1

SCOTTISH GROCER* Y BRAND

S E V L E H S R U O FILL Y S A M T S I R H C FOR

*Source: Kantar Worldpanel, Value Sales, Take home non-alcohol brands, MAT to 24.05.15, Total Scotland

Scottish brands 2015

Year of change and challenge ANOTHER year has raced by and many changes have taken place in the past 12 months in the grocery sector. The landscape is now very different to the retail environment surrounding the top Scottish brands in 2014.

2015 has been a tough year for the grocery market in Scotland, with revenues falling by 1% in the latest 52-week figures. Behind the fall in sales has been lower like-for-like grocery prices, with a representative basket of goods now 1.7% cheaper than last year. The supermarket price war shows no sign of slowing down, and has been welcomed by shoppers, who have enjoyed 12 months of falling prices. Scottish shoppers however are pocketing these savings rather than using lower prices to buy goods in greater volume, making the last year a challenging time for many manufacturers and retailers.

Consumer confidence is on the increase, reflected by eating out returning to growth.

Health has never been far from the headlines, with consumers now placing an increased emphasis on healthy choices. We’re also seeing snacking in the home decline and rising concerns around sugary drinks. Government intervention has also brought in new Scottish drink drive laws and plastic bag charges.

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Amanda’s Scottish overview LEADING market research company Kantar Worldpanel – which provides the listing of the top 50 Scottish nonalcohol brands in Scotland and the Top 25 Scottish alcohol brands in Scotland – has a new Strategic Insight Director for Scotland, Amanda Brown .

Amanda has 20 years experience in the Scottish food and drink industry.

Most recently she was Industry Development Director at Scotland Food and Drink, which she joined when the organisation was founded in 2007 as marketing manager.

Before joining Scotland Food and Drink, Amanda spent nine years marketing and selling beer at Scottish & Newcastle (now Heineken

counterparts in England and Wales – not only do we shop more often in Scotland, we’re also more likely to shop in convenience stores.

Online grocery sales continue to grow, however only 18% of households bought groceries online in the last 12 weeks, demonstrating the space for future development particularly in Scotland which is be-

Amanda Brown, Strategic Insight Director for Scotland, Kantar Worldpanel.

UK) where she also led the regional development work to increase market share in Scotland. She worked in economic development at Scottish Enterprise, was a brand manager for Glen Moray Single Malt Whisky and Crabbie’s Green Ginger Wine while at Glenmorangie and has also run her own marketing business.

In this article Amanda considers the market backdrop to the latest Scottish brand performances.

hind the rest of GB in the proportion of food and drink sales that are online.

After a slow down earlier in the year, the discounters are once again growing strongly. Neck and neck in market share in Scotland, Aldi and Lidl continue to make their impact by attracting more new shoppers. Lidl trialled its Smarter Shopping Card help-

ing it achieve a new market share high.

Consumers have less time than ever to prepare meals so the opportunity of the ‘shopping for tonight’ mission continues to grow. In Scotland this is even more relevant thanks to the greater size of the convenience/independent sector compared to the rest of the UK. Of course the wider GB market is critically important for the success of Scottish-based brands. However England and Wales have, just like Scotland, presented a tough trading environment, with many of the same competitive pressures and falling prices.

Innovation and widening distribution have been key in driving the success of many of the brands in the top 50 list this year.

Irn Bru and Malcolm Allan are the respective number one brands in non-alcoholic drinks and food for the third year in succession.

Other notable movers include Graham’s which continues to diversify into other dairy categories and McIntosh, Simon Howie and Mackies who have moved up the rankings and are in the Top 10, with the Barr brand moving up to 11th place.

It is also worth noting two new entries in the latest Top 50 – the Scottish Favourites brand from Strathmore Foods and the gluten-free brand Genius, from Edinburgh-based Genius Foods.

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Top 50 Scottish take-home food and drink brands in Scotland – excluding alcohol Brand

Rank 2015

Rank 2014

Moving up

Brand

Rank 2015

Rank 2014

1

Irn-Bru

1

1

26

Freshnlo

26

15

2

Malcolm Allan

2

2

27

Tarbert Fine Foods

27

31

3

Graham’s the Family Dairy

3

5

28

JG Ross

28

19

4

Baxters

4

4

29

Hall’s

29

32

5

Bells Pies and Pastry

5

6

30

Paterson’s

30

28

6

Wiseman

6

3

31

Mackays

31

30

7

Tunnock’s

7

7

32

Highland Game

32

34

8

McIntosh

8

9

●

33

Brownings

33

29

9

Simon Howie

9

10

●

34

Big and Scottish

34

36

●

●

Moving up

●

●

●

●

10

Mackie’s

10

12

●

35

Buchanan’s

35

33

11

Barr

11

14

●

36

Lees

36

35

12

Rowan Glen

12

13

●

37

Mrs Tilly’s

37

38

13

Albert Bartlett

13

11

38

Glenrath

38

37

14

Seriously Strong

14

8

39

Macsween

39

45

15

Scotty Brand

15

16

●

40

Orkney Cheddar

40

39

16

Mothers Pride

16

17

●

41

Dean’s

41

43

17

Galloway

17

23

●

42

We hae meat

42

41

18

Highland Spring

18

20

●

43

Scottish Favourites

43

NE

19

Macb

19

26

●

44

Genius

44

NE

20

Border Biscuits

20

22

●

45

Hamlyns of Scotland

45

46

21

Scottish Blend

21

18

46

Swankies

46

42

22

Great Scot

22

24

47

Brown Brothers Family Favourites

47

44

23

Nairn’s

23

21

48

Stockan’s

48

40

24

Scott’s

24

25

●

49

McKechnie Jess

49

50

25

Marshalls

25

27

●

50

Kitty Campbell’s

50

48

●

●

●

●

●

●

Source: Kantar Worldpanel take-home sales in Scotland 52 weeks to 24 May 2015 v 52 weeks to 25 May 2014. NE = New entry.

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Scottish brands 2015

Irn-Bru 1

30 years after ‘Made in Scotland from girders’ Scotland’s famous soft drink is lead Scottish brand and a social media hit. But 2015 has been difficult for all soft drinks.

ONCE again Scotland’s famous soft drink Irn-Bru dominated sales among Scottish non-alcohol brands, taking top position in Kantar Worldpanel’s top 50 Scottish brands in Scotland list.

It is, of course, another powerful performance that shows the brand, heavily backed by major marketing activity that is inventive, quirky and at times a touch maverick, plays a special part in the lives of its many fans in its homeland.

But the figures behind that position span periods in both 2014 and 2015, which as it happens, have proved very different types of sales year for soft drinks in Scotland.

Earlier this year the Irn-Bru brand owner AG Barr, when issuing its figures for the first six months of its trading year, reported that sales were down. Some of that was down to the fact that Irn-Bru and some of its other brands were always going to find it difficult to match sales in 2014

Irn-Bru has upped its football sponsorship game and now backs both the Scottish Professional Football League and the Football League south of the border.

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Irn-Bru is ending another year as Scotland’s most valuable non-alcohol brand with a comprehensive festive season campaign including the return of its Snowman ad. But if snow can be celebrated in December, unusually cold weather through the rest of 2015 following a warm 2014 that had also featured the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, meant soft drinks in Scotland faced a major sales challenge.

when they had done very well out of their association with Glasgow’s highly successful Commonwealth Games.

But the weather in Scotland in 2015 has also provided very serious challenges. Jonathan Kemp, AG Barr commercial director said: “It’s on track to be 16% colder in 2015 than 2014, which is likely to be the biggest ever decrease in temperature.”

That has an inescapable impact on consumption of soft drinks, especially on impulse purchases. So, after excellent sales through convenience stores of impulse pack sizes of Irn-Bru in summer 2014, some summer weeks of 2015 were very substantially down.

Heavy price promotions

and other price deflationary trends had also had an effect on soft drinks sales value. But, he said, Barr and the Irn-Bru team knew that unusual, and in some ways exceptional, market conditions shouldn’t lead to sudden changes.

“Brand building is a longterm business,” he said.

“The worst thing you can do is cut your investment in your brands.

“Irn-Bru is a very robust brand and the performance this year looks OK. Compared to other brands in the market it’s performing well.”

Significant marketing work in the last year has included development of its football sponsorship packages. It’s now soft drink of both the Scottish

Professional Football League and the Football League south of the border.

And, Jonathan Kemp explained, it continues to invest heavily in social media, in which it has been independently judged a very effective brand and from which it gains very considerable consumer engagement and feedback.

Perhaps one of the most important Irn-Bru developments in the last year for c-stores has been the announcement that the 750ml glass bottle of Irn-Bru has a long-term future – thanks to the investment in new bottling equipment.

Next year the glass bottle will change to no-deposit, no-return, with the bottles going though kerb-side recycling.

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No.1 Scottish dairy brand.

We’re wellie delighted.

We are also thrilled to be the No.3 Scottish brand for 2015.

Source: Kantar Worldpanel

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Scottish brands 2015

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FOR the third year in a row the central Scotland-based meat and meat products producer Malcolm Allan has taken the position of most-valuable Scottish food brand in Scotland. And it’s been quite a year for the brand with, director Gordon Allan explained, sales up by around 8% or 9% at a time when intense competition and deflationary price pressure made it tougher than usual for any food brand to achieve sales value growth.

Malcolm Allan sells across many retail channels. It has established business with giant supermarket retailers, has been courted by the main discounters and has been developing good business with cstores in symbols and co-ops like Spar, Nisa and Scotmid.

But the grocery giants are making big changes.

“We’ve lost a lot of contacts,” Gordon said.

“The supermarkets have taken out a level of people, at head office and in the stores who had a lot of experience.”

Consumer price-consciousness and price-sensitivity is also having major effects, he noted.

Malcolm Allan

In a market marked by supermarket slowdowns and price deflation, Scotland’s biggest-selling Scottish food brand increased sales significantly in the last year.

Top Scottish food brand in Scotland Malcolm Allan has boosted sales in a year that has seen it re-brand and continue to build sales of healthy options.

While Malcolm Allan is still selling very many steak pies the pattern of sales is changing. It will make more steak pies for this New Year than it has ever done. But at other times, Gordon recognises, the consumer knows he or she can often get two chickens or a very substantial piece of pork for the price of More steak pies than ever this New Year. In other weeks pies face tough competition from chicken. a good steak pie.

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So, against such a difficult backdrop, where and how has the significant growth of the past year been achieved?

Well, in difficult times for the supermarkets the firm has taken more space in grocery outlets, gaining more impact for its comprehensive portfolio that provides products in many sizes and packs across many price points.

It has new packaging that aims to make the most of its reputation.

“We’ve rebranded as Scotland’s family butcher,” Gordon

said.

“We’ve invested in that, we’ve done the packs and all the trucks.

“We do sampling, and we now have a Malcolm Allanbranded booth.

“With Kantar showing we are the biggest Scottish food brand we can argue that we are core and we advise that we should be there and the store should also have specialities of the area from a local butcher.”

In convenience outlets, he stresses the firm can provide an near one-stop solution.

“Other than bacon you can get everything from us,” he said.

“We can provide a range that gives you everything you need on one shelf.

“We can now provide a steak for say a Spar in Uist or somewhere like that which has 14 days of life on it, so it provides an option.”

Malcolm Allan’s Steak Lorne sausage remains its best seller, and it recently answered a plea from Scottish MPs to send them to the Houses of Parliament. It continues to do well with low-fat lines of sausage and burgers accredited

by Scottish Slimmers. But an experiment with gluten-free sausages hasn’t proved as successful to date. Sales of black pudding have increased significantly, however.

Looking to the future there are clear possibilities south of the border and, beyond the Malcolm Allan brand, there are opportunities for the firm in own-label products. On Malcolm Allan itself the plan is for more of the same.

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Scottish brands 2015

3

GRAHAM’S The Family Dairy has been moving up steadily in the Kantar top 50 Scottish brands in Scotland list for several years. But the last year looks to have been especially strong for the Stirlingshirebased business and has seen it move into the top three of the non-alcohol top 50 and take the position of top Scottish dairy brand in Scotland.

Carol Graham, marketing director of Graham’s said: “2015 has been fantastic for Graham’s The Family Dairy. It has been a challenging year for the dairy sector, so we’re thrilled with our continued growth.”

The firm – which, after a period of product development and investment in plant, ma-

Graham’s

Steady significant growth combined with important product launches sees Graham’s hit a top 3 spot and take Scottish dairy brand leadership.

Graham’s The Family Dairy is indeed a family firm. In the picture above left is managing director Robert Graham who took over the MD role in 1996. In the picture above right are Dr Robert Graham, who is now chairman, and Carol Graham, marketing director. Dr Graham’s wife Jean is also active as a director of the company.

chinery and marketing, now has a range that spans milk, butter, cheese, yogurt and icecream – says more than half the Scottish population use Graham’s products.

Its products are sold to 6000 customers including independent retailers, symbols, Scotmid and the major multiples and discounters.

The business is said to be showing year-on-year growth of 10% with particularly strong growth in some of its newer lines including spreadable butter, where its sales are up 76% in a market segment that it reckons provides

great growth potential as it has until now been dominated by non-Scottish products. It has invested £1m at its Airthrey Kerse Farm site in Bridge of Allan to increase its spreadable butter manufacturing capability. And it aims to develop a £20m dairy processing, research and training centre that it says will enable a step change in its business and create hundreds of jobs.

The project is currently going through planning.

Its Jersey Gold Top milk sales are said to be up by 22%. Ice cream sales are up by 66%, cheese sales are up

The Graham’s milk range includes a core range of whole, semi-skimmed and skimmed milk as well as organic and premium Jersey Gold Top ranges. This year saw the introduction of a yogurts range as well as developments on the ice-cream range.

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70% and the Graham’s portfolio now includes a range of low-fat yogurts made with 100% Scottish cream.

The firm sees Scottish provenance as an important part of its range and service and it stresses its status as a family business. It goes back three generations in the dairy business to 1939, and has had five generations in farming.

But, said Carol Graham, while the values of the family firm are attractive to consumers, people buy its products “because they’re of a consistently high quality and taste great”.

And the firm also stresses that it operates in a very modern business environment using modern business-like methods.

In June this year Graham’s launched a major marketing campaign that included new TV, cinema and online advertising and activity to support the launch of its new ice creams and the expansion of its spreadable butter range.

It has more than 10,000 Facebook likes and is about to launch special Christmas content on its Facebook and Twitter platforms.

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B E S T I N-S E A S O E N TH

ONE OF THE BEST IN OUR FIELD

That’s not just our view, Kantar World Panel 2015 showed we’d jumped an incredible seven places to number 15 in its table of Scottish take-home brands.

Whether it’s our commitment to a growing range of in-season Scottish produce and foods, or all of Scotty’s hard work in the fields and his canine charm in our TV campaign, it’s a result that’s not to be sniffed at.

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• GOOD FOOD’S BEST FRIEND •

Discover more at scottybrand.com

THEY DO MORE

We’re delighted to be number 13 in the 2015 Kantar table of Scottish take-home brands.

We have been a family-run business since 1948 and now supply over a fifth of the UK’s fresh potatoes. Our varieties include our award-winning Rooster potato and the creamy, buttery Elfe. We’re now applying our expertise to our new frozen range of Rooster Roast Potatoes and Rooster Homestyle Chips. All the convenience of frozen, all the quality of Albert Bartlett.

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Scottish brands 2015

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Baxters

ANOTHER strong top five performance for Baxters in Kantar Worldpanel’s top 50 Scottish brands in Scotland list.

The brand is probably best known for its range of soups.

And sales in Scotland have over the years been particularly important to the performance of its soup ranges.

And there are indeed several ranges, Baxters’ soups portfolio includes more than 20 which it terms its Favourites range – everything from Royal

Game to Pea and Ham. It also has Vegetarian soups, Hearty soups, Chefs Selections soups and Deli Bowl soups.

But the company began life as a jams and jellies manufacturer and its modern range includes a full list of jams, marmalades, chutneys and other condiments as well as the Audrey Baxter range and several other Baxter Food Group products like the Baxters Meal Pots ready meals.

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Bells BELLS, the pies and pastry brand from Bells Food Group, has performed well in the Kantar Worldpanel listing of the top Scottish brands in Scotland for several years and this year it takes a top 5 spot. But the firm reckons there’s still room for growth, not least in Scotland’s cstores.

“Bells Food Group is fortunate to have leading brands across a number of areas,” said managing director Ronnie Miles.

“Our Scotch pie is the number one pie in the market with 74% of the fresh Scotch pie volume purchased in grocery.

In fresh pies overall – steak pies, shell pies, plate pies – Bells has 65% of the market.

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Bells Scotch pies, part of a fresh pie range that includes Scotch pies, steak pies, and other lines that dominates its market sector in Scotland. The company distributes to all retail channels but sees opportunities for growth in c-stores.

has yet to fully embrace the opportunity with Bells’ fresh pie range and this is something that we wish to correct.

“Our consumers connect emotionally with our brands.

They trust us and know that a Bells product will be made with the best selected ingredients, taste great and provide outstanding value for money.

“Our Scotch pie, steak pies and puff pastry products in particular have performed significantly well in the last year despite a highly com-

petitive market. We try at all times to provide consumers with what they want and everything we do has the consumer at its heart.

“The board has recently agreed a £3m plus investment plan over the next three years to increase capacity, increase productivity, grow the business, access new markets and create jobs in Shotts. We continually invest in our business, our brand, our people and our manufacturing.

“Innovation is very impor-

tant to us and to our consumers. We have a plan moving into 2016 which will reflect this and provide our consumers with the quality and choice which they expect and anticipate.

“We also sell outside of Scotland, to other parts of the UK and overseas, particularly in Canada and America.

Scottishness travels well and we are privileged at Bells to have a brand which is part of the fabric of Scotland and imbues all that is good in Scotland.”

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Scottish brands 2015

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Müller Wiseman

MILK firm Müller Wiseman Dairies originated on a farm in the South Lanarkshire town of East Kilbride shortly after World War II and grew into one of the giants of the UK milk scene.

Earlier this year its share of Britain’s fresh milk consumption stood at around 30% and since then its purchase of Dairy Crest’s fresh milk interests has been approved by regulatory authorities, so its share of the market is likely to grow further. The firm’s sites in Scotland include facliities at East Kilbride, Aberdeen, and Bellshill.

Some changes to branding that have followed a series of mergers and purchases have probably affected the total sales that are attributed to the Müller Wiseman name.

Black and White milk, the group’s main brand still carries the Müller Wiseman logo in its main branding. However the

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low fat milk The One no longer refers to Wiseman on the front of the pack, as it once did.

However there are signs that Müller Wiseman Black and White is set to become a wider dairy brand. Black and White brand butter is now on the market and more products may follow.

Müller Wiseman Black and White brand milk had its 25th Anniversary in 2014. It’s said to be worth £112m.

The firm says the brand’s regional labels, which include Müller Wiseman Black and White Milk from Scotland and Müller Wiseman Black and White Grampian Milk help retail customers meet increasing consumer-led demand for produce with provenance.

Sandy Wilkie, business and relationship development director stressed provenance and said: “Customers have consistently remained loyal to the iconic Müller Wise-

with a clear link to the area where it is produced, without adding cost to the retailer, we can add value to our milk which can be passed on to consumers in the form of confidence, peace of mind and pride in quality regional milk and products.”

Tunnock’s

IN market research studies Scots frequently record higher than average purchasing of biscuits. And there’s a clear,

and now long-established favourite Scottish biscuit brand for biscuit lovers north of the border – Tunnock’s.

Tunnock’s Teacakes part of a range of products produced under the biggestselling Scottish biscuit brand in Scotland - Tunnock’s.

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man Black and White fresh milk range - available in the traditional whole, semi and skimmed variants – and in particular the regional labels which are key sales drivers.

“Consumers increasingly demand traceability within fresh produce and by offering milk

Its iconic Scottish status was probably summed up when the organisers of the 2014 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony asked to feature giant representations of Tunnock’s Teacakes at the big event.

But if the Tunnock’s brand is an important part of Scottish history it’s a modern success story too.

The Tunnock’s range includes its caramel wafers and teacakes as well as snowballs, caramel logs and more.

The firm prides itself on careful product development which has been helped by the

fact that traditionally it could carry out test marketing in its own shop.

In recent years successful developments have included the introduction of dark chocolate versions of established favourites like caramel wafers and teacakes, and a successful line of mini caramel wafers in tubs was launched.

The company factory in Uddingston in Lanarkshire has frequently seen very significant investment. In 1999 it installed its first robot, to make caramel logs. Earlier this year that Robot 1 was replaced by the latest model.

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Scottish brands 2015

8 McIntosh SCOTLAND’S best-selling Scottish ready meal brand McIntosh is on the way up, taking the number 8 position in the top 50 Scottish brands in Scotland table in 2015.

And it’s been quite a year for the range of ready meals and pies that includes haggis, neeps & tatties, mince & tatties, and Scottish Stovies as well as a new selection of its best-selling Macaroni Cheese in different flavours and pack sizes – including products produced in collaboration with Simon Howie.

The last year has seen a full re-brand as the brand moved from McIntosh of Dyce to McIntosh of Strathmore. The packs now also feature a new modern tartan flash.

The McIntosh brand has seen both volume and value growth

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Barr in the last 12 months, which the company puts down in part to new flavours of macaroni cheese that have brought new consumers to the brand. Distribution gains have also helped. One major retailer has listed the range in some of its stores outwith Scotland. And increased work in the convenience sector in recent months has seen the company agree new routes to market. It aims to offer all stores across the country the opportunity to pro-

vide the brand to shoppers.

New product development has seen a number of new lines added to the range in recent months, including pasta Bolognese and corned beef hash ready meals.

A new Burns Night convenience sector campaign launches in January promoting McIntosh haggis, neeps & tatties meal showing how easy it can be to enjoy Burns Night with McIntosh meals.

Simon Howie 9

IT’S been another good year for Scottish butcher Simon Howie moving up a place at a time when brands selling through supermarkets have faced challenges.

Simon Howie sells mostly through the multiples and is in Nisa stores. This year it has increased its distribution on Morrisons counters and on

Co-op shelves and has seen growth in sales to outlets beyond Scotland in the rest of the UK. National sales manager Barry Murdoch said haggis sales had increased significantly, and that its 454g size outsells its closest two competitors combined over the Burns period.

SOFT drinks brand Barr is part of the same group, of course, as Scotland’s biggest-selling non-alcohol brand Irn-Bru. With Barr jumping from number 14 last year to 11 this year it means the group narrowly missed out on two places in the top 10.

Barr provides a comprehensive range of soft drink flavours. AG Barr commercial director Jonathan Kemp likens it to a sweet shop for soft drinks.

Recent developments have included the launch of a sugar-free Barr Xtra Cola and considerable success for its Bubblegum flavour carbonated drink which did so well as a limited edition it was added permanently to the range.

“Our bacon grew its market share by 5 per centage points, with a strong presence over the festive period. Our black pudding accounts for one in three Scottish purchases and our Wee Black Pudding has been a real star. Our two premium sausages became Scotland best-selling premium sausage.”

10 Mackies ABERDEENSHIRE family business Mackies diversified from dairy farming and now produces ice cream, crisps (in conjunction with the Taylor family in the joint concern Mackies at Taypack) and most recently chocolate – under the “Mackie’s of Scotland” brand.

Mackie’s now produces more than 11m litres of ice cream a year. Latest flavours are Salted Caramel, and White Chocolate & Coconut. Three fla-

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vours will launch in 2016.

Mackie’s Crisps increased UK sales by 70% between 2014 and 2015 and Mackies at Taypack MD George Taylor has announced that Mackies Popcorn will launch in January.

From next spring, Mackie’s chocolate bars will be produced in a £600,000 chocolate factory on the Aberdeenshire farm with capacity to make 5m bars a year.

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Scottish brands 2015

13 Albert Bartlett 12

Rowan Glen SCOTTISH dairy brand Rowan Glen takes the number 12 spot in the Top 50 Scottish Food and Drink brands for 2015, up one place from 2014.

Dumfries and Gallowaybased Rowan Glen uses local milk to produce a wide range of yogurts and low fat yogurt drinks including 0% fat, Greek style and Rich and Creamy products. The Rowan Glen portfolio also includes butter and cheese.

Suzanne McKay, brand manager for Rowan Glen, said: “Rowan Glen is a trusted Scottish brand that consumers know continually delivers on quality and taste. We’re very proud of our heritage and have long recognised that consumers not only want fresh and tasty dairy products, but they also care about the provenance and associated health benefits of the yogurt products they consume.”

The firm says it’s committed to developing its offering to Scottish consumers through new product development and innovation and that it has plans to launch a host of new products in 2016 as part of a robust growth strategy.

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POTATO producer Albert Bartlett broke new ground when it decided to develop a full blown marketing strategy on potatoes – something that many saw as a commodity product.

But its Rooster brand potato has been a significant success in Scotland and other parts of the UK and it now has another potato the Elfe in distribution in Morrisons.

Rooster is something of an all rounder, Elfe has a more distinctly buttery style.

And in a move that is designed to diversify to a degree, to become slightly less dependent on seasonal crop outcomes, and to reach new consumers in all types oF retail outlet, the brand has returned to the frozen food category.

This time however, head of marketing Michael Jarvis explained, it is in control of all aspects – including quality control – as it has bought the frozen food factory and will be using its own Rooster pota-

Seriously Strong 14

THE cheese market in Scotland is in a period of change with a number of dairy brands adding cheese to their portfolios. But Seriously Strong, from the Lactalis McLelland stable retains its position as the best-selling Scottish cheese brand in Scotland.

The brand team, in media communications including the

brand website (right), stresses that Seriously’s team of cheese graders take pride in producing “the most intense cheddar of any producer in the UK.” The range includes Seriously Strong in block, grated and spreadable products and there are Mature and Vintage variants.

15 15 Scotty Brand FROM a standing start only a few years ago Scotty Brand, a concept that began at Albert Bartlett and covered a small number of fresh produce lines, has grown into an umbrella brand for Scottish produce that has taken the number 15 spot in the Scottish brands in Scotland top 50.

It now includes everything from vegetables to seasonal Scottish berries, to chilled soups, smoked salmon and, the latest release, sausage rolls – available as a straightforward pork sausage roll or with either

a hint of haggis or a hint of black pudding.

And its branching out to just about all channels in Scottish food retail too.

Its biggest distribution has been in a number of the main multiples but head of marketing Michael Jarvis stressed that lines were now also available in Spar and to other symbols and independents through Kerryfresh. And Scotty has also been appearing in Co-ops and discounters.

We can expect more developments.

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Scottish brands 2015

16

Mothers Pride ONCE again Mothers Pride Scottish Plain takes its place as Scotland’s biggest-selling Scottish bread brand, recorded as number 16 in the Kantar Worldpanel top 50, one position higher than on the table covering the equivalent sales period last year.

The Scottish Plain loaf is very popular in parts of Scotland, especially the west, and is made in Glasgow by a very different process to other mass market wrapped breads.

The bread is available in two versions – medium and thick-sliced each carries a tartan wrapper.

Traditionally Mothers Pride Scottish Plain has sold well in the colder months of the year and is likely to be used by many consumers to accompany soup as a quick meal during winter.

In recent times the brand appears to have widened distribution to include the two main discount chains of Aldi and Lidl. Certainly the brand has been available at prices that have been much lower than in previous years with the discounters and some supermarkets listing it at as little as 59p for an 800g loaf.

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GALLOWAY Cheddar, the second-biggest Scottish cheese brand, which like the biggest-selling brand Seriously Strong, is part of the Lactalis McLelland portfolio, turned in a very strong performance indeed in Scotland in the year to May 2015.

The Kantar Worldpanel top 50 shows Galloway at number 17, up an impressive five places on its position in the equivalent table for the preceding 12 months.

In recent years the brand has

Galloway 17

projected itself as an ideal family favourite cheese.

The brand is now available in a wide range of styles and

packs including block cheddar in 200g and 350g packs and packs of grated, sliced or spreadable cheddar.

18 Highland Spring LEADING Scottish mineral water Highland Spring moved up two places on the previous year to number 18 in the chart to May 2015. Of course that outcome would have been influenced by the relatively good summer in 2014 which would have formed the early part of the period being measured by Kantar Worldpanel.

Nevertheless, it was a strong performance from a brand that had already reached a strong position in Scottish

take-home sales.

Highland Spring Group will soon move to a new distribution model in convenience outlets and some other sites when Lucozade Ribena Suntory takes on distribution of Highland Spring Group brands – including Highland Spring, Hydr8, and Speyside Glenlivet water in impulse and out-of-home channels including wholesalers, high-street stores, foodservice and ontrade outlets.

Macb 19 THE year to late May 2015 looks to have been a particularly strong period for Scottish flavoured spring water brand Macb.

Now part of the Cott beverages portfolio Macb moved from a position of 26 in the equivalent table for the previous year and jumped into the top 20 at position 19.

The Macb still waters range includes Pure as well a variety of flavours including: Apple & Blackcurrant; Cranberry & Raspberry; Lemon & Lime; Peach; and Strawberry & Kiwi.

Macb’s sparkling range includes: Pure; Apple; Lemon & Lime; Peach; Pear; and Strawberry & Kiwi.

The brand is active on social media, including Facebook and Twitter, using the slogan “Unleash your bottle”.

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Scottish brands 2015

20 Border Biscuits L ANARK-based Border Biscuits isn’t an overnight success story. It has been steadily building business for decades but the firm and the brand has seen particular success in recent years, in Scotland and elsewhere.

For Lesley Ann Gray, brand and marketing manager, there’s one reason more than any other for recent growth.

“The quality of our biscuits is our number one priority and is shared by everyone who works at Border,” she said.

“We are a family business and everyone is responsible for outstanding quality whether they’re sourcing ingredi-

ents, baking or packing.

“Sales of our biscuits in Scotland continue to go from strength to strength. In Scotland Border Biscuits has a 17% share of the special treat biscuit category and is the 20th top Scottish Food brand.

In particular our best-selling Dark Chocolate Ginger is not only a favourite flavour in Scotland, but it’s also Britain’s

number one chocolate coated ginger biscuit, which we’re incredibly proud of.

“Our timeless Classic range which we’ve been baking for over 30 years, using only the finest ingredients and traditional techniques, is at the heart of our brand portfolio and continues to go from strength to strength and has increased by 33% in volume this year versus last year.

“We are currently undertaking an extensive repositioning exercise based on in-depth consumer research and we’re looking forward to some exciting changes across the portfolio in 2016.”

Scottish Blend 21

UNILEVER brand Scottish Blend is part of the same tea portfolio as UK best seller PG Tips.

But Scottish Blend was developed to suit the Scottish market and Scottish water and remains the biggest-selling tea brand aimed specially at Scottish tea drinkers although it does have competitors from other brands and own-label teas.

It has slipped back a few places in the top 50 Scottish brands in Scotland however. Many core tea brands are finding sales have come under pressure from other beverages and indeed from other teas, including green teas and other lines that are showing growth.

23 Nairn’s

OATCAKES and biscuits brand Nairn’s is a very well-established name in a traditional Scottish product category. But recently its brand activity has also been marked by new product development and innovation.

Nairn’s range of oatcakes includes: Rough, Fine Milled, Organic, Mini, Cheese, Super Seeded and Cracked Black Pepper. And it has launched the first of a new on-the-go range, Fruit & Seed Oatcakes in an on-the-go pack.

Since 2009 the firm has also been busy developing a wide range of glutenfree products designed to provide a safe and attractive range of oats for those who avoid gluten.

Mintel research now places it in the top five free-from producers.

Development continues and recently the firm launched gluten-free and wheat-free lines in on-thego packs for convenience stores and caterers.

This autumn has seen Nairn’s launch its Naturally Energising Campaign, designed to highlight the health benefits of oats.

22 Great Scot

CONTINUING popularity of cooking from scratch and, possibly, growing consumer enthusiasm for economical, healthy foods seems to be playing well for Great Scot, a Scottish-origin brand of pulses, soup ingredients and more. At number 22 in the top 50 Scottish brands in Scotland the brand’s 2015 position is two places higher than the year before.

As well as its traditional lines of lentils and broth mix Great Scot has in recent years added other pulses and items like cous cous to the range.

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Scottish brands 2015

24

Scott’s

ASKED to name iconic Scottish food and drink products many people would be likely to say whisky, haggis and porridge.

And the biggest-selling Scottish porridge brand is Scott’s at number 24 in the top 50 (though it does spell the word as porage on its packs).

Recent years have been good for porridge and hot cereals generally and Scott’s has been innovative in launching a series of lines designed to offer convenience and to address the growing demand for healthy snacks and convenient on-the-go breakfast products.

25 Marshalls MOVING up two places from its position in the previous year, Scottish pasta brand Marshalls appears to now have established itself as a top 30 player in the Kantar Worldpanel top 50 Scottish brands in Scotland list.

A Scottish food brand for more than a century Marshalls is probably best known for its short cut macaroni, which was launched in 1935.

But its pasta range covers many of the main types including quills, swirls, spaghetti, and lasagne.

And the wider range includes meal products like Cheesey Macaroni, Cheesey and Ham Macaroni and Cheesey and Tomato Macaroni.

The company reckons its products are well-placed to meet increasing consumer demand for retro foods and brands that it says a survey has shown to have developed in recent years of economic challenge.

26

Freshnlo HEALTH consciousness is often said to be one of the most important modern consumer influences on food and drink sales trends.

But Freshnlo, the original semi-skimmed milk, launched way back in the early 80s, can fairly say it was a healthy option pioneer.

And from day one it has been closely associated with convenience outlets.

Now part of the Müller Wiseman Dairies portfolio it is part of a range of milks that includes Müller Wiseman Black and White, Puriti, and The One.

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Leading Scottish Ready Meal Brand proud to climb to new 8th position in this years Kantar World Panel Scottish Take Home Brand Review.

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27 Tarbert Fine TARBERT Fine Foods moved up four places in the year to take the number 27 spot with its range of high-quality Scottish cooked meats.

But the Browns Food Group owned brand could see very significant growth recorded again next year when a full year’s sales of its recently launched smoked salmon are taken into account for the first time.

The Tarbert Fine Foods cold meats range uses only certified Scotch Beef, Specially Selected Pork and Specially Selected Ham – in fact Quality Meat Scotland farm-assured Scottish beef and Scottish pork which meets and exceeds Scotland’s stringent

farm assurance standards.

Each of the products is slow cooked.

The new Tarbert Smoked Salmon was launched earlier

this year into Morrisons stores and includes Scottish Oak Smoked Salmon and Scottish Oak Smoked Salmon with Sweet Chilli, Ginger and Lime.

28

JG Ross NORTH-EAST of Scotland craft baker JG Ross has its own chain of bakery shops but has also developed its wholesale business and has sales in many stores in the multiple grocers’ chains and well as significant relationships with a number of independent, symbol and convenience stores including several Scotmid and Keystore outlets.

Famous for the northeast speciality of butteries it also provides a full range of bread, morning goods, confectionery and cakes, sandwiches, biscuits, ready meals and more.

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Scottish brands 2015

29 Hall’s of Scotland

MEAT products brand Hall’s of Scotland moved into the top 30 in the top Scottish brands in Scotland this year. But group brand manager David Niblett expects that upward movement to accelerate in the next year, once the many changes that have taken place recently (including many significant launches, range extensions and distribution gains) are reflected in research figures.

Now part of the Brown’s Food Group, Hall’s of Scotland has a new home at its own Hall’s factory in Prestwick in Ayrshire.

But, David Niblett explained, it can call on all of the resources of the group and its many Scottish food production facilities. And that means Hall’s the brand is going through major range development.

Its established ranges of sausages, puddings, haggis and cold meats have seen packaging changes that have encouraged sales growth, he said. In particular its sau-

30

Paterson’s ANOTHER top 30 position for Scottish biscuits brand Paterson’s, produced by Paterson Arran.

There are few things more traditionally Scottish than shortbread and Paterson’s sells more shortbread than any other brand in Britain.

The range includes everyday favourites (including fingers, petticoat tails, and clotted cream shortbread), gift boxes and assortments, and seasonal tins.

The firm also produces a full range of oatcakes.

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New Hall’s Select, a range of cold meats featuring all Scottish produce and Hall’s Chicken Braemar, part of a range that is being extended.

sage line designed to appeal to children, Wee Willie Winkies has been more clearly badged as Hall’s and has been given a new shelf-ready pack; it has seen sales increases of around 25%.

The company has launched a new Hall’s branded frozen food range with 18 lines across several sub-categories like sausages and ready meals.

In cold meats it’s launching

Hall’s Select premium sliced meats, using all Scottish produce.

It has extended its existing ready-to-cook, silver tray range and developed new ready meals – all branded as Hall’s.

Already established in many of the major multiples and with sales also through frozen food outlets and discounters, the company is also working to extend distribution of the

31 Mackays

FOUNDED in 1938 and taken over by the current owner in 1995 Mackays is a preserves producer that aims to combine traditional quality and modern business methods.

“We are based in a region famous for jam, but even more importantly based near the home of the iconic Dundee Marmalade,” said managing director Martin Grant.

“Our soft fruits are all grown locally, and our customers know this is what makes our products stand out. If it says Scottish on the label we truly mean it.

“In 2014 we reported a solid performance, with our key

Martin Grant, MD, Mackays.

product lines – Dundee Orange Marmalade, Scottish Strawberry Preserve and Scottish Raspberry Preserve – consistently growing.

“Our Orange Marmalade with Whisky continues to attract interest, as do our range of curds,” he said.

Hall’s branded product range into convenience independents and symbol stores.

It has UK distribution with Nisa and is talking to Costcutter and other convenience channel wholesalers. As part of the Browns Food Group Hall’s can supply symbol groups and wholesalers with a comprehensive range, Niblett stressed. And the firm also has a van sales service Hall’s Direct serving independents.

“In terms of marketing, we updated our website in 2012 as part of our re-brand and in 2015 started working on PR initiatives. In the last year we have launched a Sweet Navelina Marmalade and a chutney range. New product development is high on our list of priorities for the business.

“We market ourselves across a variety of channels, and have a very active social media presence with a combined following across Facebook and Twitter of almost 6,000.

“The overseas interest we generate on Facebook continues to grow, especially since we started collaborating with overseas food bloggers.”

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32 Highland Game SPECIALIST venison producer Highland Game was founded in 1997 with the aim of placing high-quality venison into mainstream retail outlets and traditional butchers as well as catering and hospitality outlets.

Production and sales have grown significantly since its launch and now it does indeed provide venison products to many of the main multiple grocers and discounters including Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose, Aldi and Lidl as well as to the wholesale trade. It also markets venison products in conjunction with Scottish Slimmers.

34 Big and Scottish BIG and Scottish is the biggest-selling Scottish egg brand in Scotland.

The brand, one of several produced by eggs producer Glenrath, has moved up in the top 50 by two places from last year to reach number 34 in 2015.

Big and Scottish is available in free-range and in barn eggs.

Other egg brands in the Glenrath portfolio include Glenrath Eggs, Kitty Campbell’s Free Range Eggs, Glenrath Very Large and Glenrath Double Yolkers.

33 Brownings KILMARNOCK-based Brownings is one of Scotland’s most successful traditional craft bread and bakery firms, famous for its Killie Pie and a significant producer also of morning rolls, potato scones, pancakes, scones and more.

The company has seven of its own bakery shops, and a factory shop, and its products are also available through all retail channels.

It’s a multiple award winner in programmes such as The Scottish Baker of the Year Awards and the Scotch Pie Awards.

At the Scotch Pie Awards last year the Killie Pie took a diamond award and was named overall winner of the football pie category. Brownings also received gold awards for its chicken and haggis pie and its sweet potato and goats’ cheese pie.

The firm says all its lines have shown growth in the last year thanks to increased sales in established stockists and to new distribution that has resulted from new listings added in Scotland over the year.

It also sells a limited range of products outside of Scotland and is looking to develop those sales. It sees “Scottishness” as a very positive attribute.

“Our whole development is based on being a Scottish brand, market research has

told us that consumers are looking for Scottish products and we market our brand as traditional Scottish produce,” a company spokesperson said.

The company, which has just completed a £1.5m extension to its bakery, invests substantially in social media activity to raise awareness of its brand and products, to encourage sales linked to seasonal opportunities such as Halloween, and to highlight good causes that it supports.

Buchanan’s 35 SCOTTISH confectionery brand Buchanan’s takes the number 35 spot in the top Scottish brands in Scotland list and top place as Scotland’s best selling Scottish sweets.

The wide range includes toffees, fudges and chocolatecovered lines and includes award-winning products like the brand’s Italian Creams, Russian Creams and Buttered Brazils.

And the sweets are available in a number of formats including traditional jars and a very successful range of hanging bags.

Buchanan’s is owned by Greenock-based confectionery specialist Golden Casket and, as the group’s sales and marketing director Sandra

Fisher explained, it plays its part in a wider portfolio which also includes a number of other brands that are successful in Scotland.

“Our main brands under Golden Casket in Scotland are £onepounders, Buchanan’s and Millions,” she said.

“The Buchanan’s brand is sold mainly through the multiple trade and £onepounders are private retail only – Millions is a mix of both.

“We pride ourselves on the high quality of all our confectionery ranges – its all about taste so we use the best of ingredients and flavours plus we are lucky to have the few craftsmen handstriping and sugar boilers there are left.

“Choice is also important – Buchanan’s now has over 20 bagged lines including mini macaroons and Edinburgh Rocks. In our £onepounder range we have over 70 lines across boilings, toffees, fudges, chews, mints and gummy.

Millions the tiny tasty chewy sweets have seven flavours and raft of pack formats.”

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Scottish brands 2015 – key brands 36-50

36 Lees NUMBER 36 Scottish brand the biscuits, cakes and confectionery manufacturer Lees has seen significant investment and marketing activity in recent times and the firm says it is paying off.

Sales director Bert Croll said: “Lees of Scotland has had excellent growth recently which is largely due to our products having perceived value for money, in particular with the family favourite multipacks of Lees Teacakes and Snowballs.

“We anticipate further

40 Orkney

growth with the launch of the new Lees Mint Teacake and we have recently relaunched our confectionery bars.

“We have increased our marketing spend to achieve greater brand visibility. We launched a new advertising

ORKNEY Cheddar is the third cheese brand in the Lactalis McLelland portfolio to make it into the top 50.

Orkney Cheddar is a distinctive cheese made from locally sourced milk and by a special dry stir technique, and has protected geographical status (PGI).

That means that only cheese made in the area can be termed Orkney.

campaign in April 2015, our first in over 10 years, to coincide with a targeted social media programme to engage directly with our customers and to increase consumer awareness for Lees products.

Both have delivered positively against targets.”

Mrs Tilly’s 37

contains whole Scottish milk and 8% butter in the recipe and our fudge range is made with around 16% butter - which gives it a luxurious creamy texture. I think Scottish consumers like premium quality confectionery at affordable prices and Mrs Tilly’s has been around for 18 years - so our brand is trusted and respected.”

The past year has seen Mrs Tilly’s put significant work into marketing and the company now has plans for expansion.

“Our branding has been

SCOTTISH confectionery range Mrs Tilly’s has moved up a place in the Scottish brands top 50 after a strong year which has seen it, managing director Blair Paterson explained, add listings in major retail and, particularly, in convenience stores.

“Our business has grown at over 30% over the past 12 months, and our core impulse range is at the heart of that,” he said.

“Our entire range is made to the highest specification in our category. Our tablet

The business has agreed a £1.6m finance package with HSBC that will see it invest in machinery to boost efficiency and recruit more staff.

strengthened and refreshed over the past 12 months to include tartan - reinforcing our Scottish heritage at the point of purchase,” Paterson said.

39 Macsween

EDINBURGHbased haggis specialist Macsween has entirely revamped its range in the last couple of years to provide products that include everything from quick microwave snacks, to special culinary editions and traditional Burns supper haggis.

And it looks as if the changes 72 l

have worked well. A company spokesperson said: “Our sales have grown by 10% over the past year, this has mainly been as a result of our rebrand which involved new packaging and a new shape product as well as improved distribution.

“2015 saw our first full year in retail following our extensive brand relaunch at the end of

2014. We not only changed our packaging, which made it easier to stock on-shelf and better reflected our dedication to quality, we also changed the shape of our haggis which is now a more charcuterie shape. Our main reason was to provide greater convenience for consumers, you can now slice a portion off and keep the rest in the fridge.”

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41 41 Dean’s 2015 has proved a big year for Huntly-based shortbread and biscuits maker Dean’s. The firm celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. And it looks as if it’s been a good year commercially also in Scotland for Dean’s. It is two places higher in the top 50 Scottish brands in Scotland chart compared to the same period 12 months before.

The brand began life in 1975 in Helen Dean’s kitchen in the Aberdeenshire town. Now it occupies rather bigger premises in the Aberdeenshire town and bakes around 69m biscuits a year.

The range includes a comprehensive collection of shortbread products including everything from packets of shortbread fingers to premium assortment boxes as well as a full range of traditional oatcakes and oat biscuits.

45 Hamlyns

Dean’s mascot Shortie has been helping celebrate the Dean’s 40th anniversary.

We hae meat 42

Carlyn and Alex Paton of We hae meat

CLAIMING the number 42 spot in this year’s list is Ayrshire-based family butcher business We Hae Meat.

Founded in 2007 by husband and wife team Alex and Carlyn Paton, the company employs over 50 people and produces a range of handcrafted meat products using beef sourced directly from the family farm in Girvan Valley.

This year has seen a number of new launches, including a Scotch pie range and two new

44 Genius

brands – The Scottish Burger Company and the Scottish Sausage Company – formed with an eye on expanding into the English market.

“We’re planning an expansion to our factory,” Carlyn Paton said.

“We’ve grown so quickly since we started the business that we’re at the stage where we can open up our production capacity. Hopefully we’ll start building work early next year to triple the size.”

EDINBURGH-based gluten-free bakery specialist Genius, a new entry to the top 50, has trebled the overall gluten-free bakery market, and is the sixth-largest bread brand and the number-one brand in free-from bakery in Great Britain, with a 27.8% value share, said the firm’s UK sales director David Shaw.

Quoting IRI he said Genius is growing at almost twice the rate of the market, 41% versus 21.5% and has three of the top five products in free-from bakery in Scotland.

The firm says free-from category research shows the most important products for retail success include the Genius core bread range – Triple Seeded Sandwich Loaf, Soft White Sandwich Loaf and Soft Brown Sandwich Loaf – which along with Genius Crumpets account for 22% of category value.

DOES life begin at 50? Well, John Kerr managing director of The JFK Partnership, which handles sales of Hamlyns oats, reckons things can certainly take off at 50.

“2015 has been a great year for Hamlyns of Scotland,” he said.

“The brand is 50 years old this year, and we are delighted to be steadily moving up the Kantar Worldpanel list of top 50 Scottish grocery brands.

“In the autumn, we totally refreshed the branding across our traditional porridge range, which comprises Hamlyns Scottish Oatmeal - the number one oatmeal in Scotland by a huge margin - Hamlyns Scottish Porridge Oats, and Hamlyns Scottish Porridge Oats and Bran. The strong new design, featuring seethrough panels at the side of the packs, has had a clear impact on sales, which have increased despite what has been an extremely mild start to the autumn/winter season.

“Hamlyns new microwaveable sachets and instant porridge pots, available in three varieties, are performing well in the highly-competitive instant hot cereals sector, gaining listings in the independent, multiple and co-op grocery sector throughout Scotland.”

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Scottish brands 2015 - alcohol

Steady chart in busy times THE production, distribution, retailing and exporting of alcoholic drinks in and from Scotland is hugely important to the economy. And it’s not simply a question of sales value but also of the jobs that exist in companies involved across the length and breadth of Scotland, often in peripherial locations.

This is the third year that we have separated alcoholic drinks and given them their own brand review and we continue to see some of the best known Scottish brands in the top 25. Those brands will be must-stocks in many stores.

For the third year in succession we see the same three brands in the top three spots – Glen’s Vodka, Tennent’s and Famous Grouse.

A number of brands are moving up and there are a number of new entries including Laphroaig, Innis & Gunn and Black Grouse. It is also worth highlighting the performance of the McEwan’s brand which has reasserted its position in the rankings in recent years and now takes the number six spot.

The top 25 is still dominated by vodka, whisky and beer – we are yet to see a Scottish cider or gin feature in the list.

However if at first glance there appears to be relatively little change to the performance of the biggest brands it’s also important to note that 2015 has been a busy year in very many parts of the drinks business in Scotland.

The Scottish Craft Distillers Association hosted the first UK Craft Distillers Conference in October as well as its first awards ceremony.

We continue to see high levels of innovation across al74 l

Top 25 Scottish take-home alcohol brands in Scotland Brand

Rank 2015

Rank 2014

1

Glen’s

1

1

2

Tennent’s

2

2

3

Famous Grouse

3

3

4

Whyte & Mackay

4

5

5

Bell’s

5

4

6

McEwan’s

6

7

7

Grant’s

7

6

8

Highland Pride

8

10

9

Glenlivet

9

14

Moving up

●

●

Amanda Scottish ● overvie ●

Amanda Brown, Strategic Insight Director for Scotland, Kantar Worldpanel, looks at what Scottish drinks brands are doing in stores and in preparing for the future, both in the home market and further afield.

10

High Commissioner

10

8

11

Jura

11

11

12

Teacher’s

12

15

13

Drambuie

13

12

coholic drinks categories in Scotland and it’s certainly worth highlighting the development of the Scottish gin sector.

Scottish gin witnessed many brand launches in 2015 as well as other exciting product developments.

More generally in drinks we have seen product and packaging innovation, we continue to witness innovative marketing and the great use of events to target consumers.

Many Scottish alcohol brands are also investing in new facilities helping to lay strong foundations for future growth both at home and also in overseas markets.

And talking of craft drinks and overseas opportunities the Craft Beer Clan of Scotland now has its activities well and truly underway and is targeting export markets with a range of Scottish beers.

14

Aberlour

14

9

15

Glayva

15

23

16

Glenfiddich

16

13

17

Glenmorangie

17

16

18

Glen Moray

18

21

19

Belhaven

19

18

20

Highland Park

20

17

21

Laphroaig

21

NE

22

Johnnie Walker

22

19

23

Innis & Gunn

23

NE

●

24

Black Grouse

24

NE

●

25

Talisker

25

25

●

●

●

LEADING market company Kantar – which provides of the top 50 Scot alcohol brands in and the Top 25 Sc alcohol brands in – has a new Strate Director for Scotl Amanda Brown .

Amanda has 20 experience in the food and drink in Most recently s Industry Develop Director at Scotla and Drink, which joined when orga was founded in 2 marketing manag Before joining S Food and Drink, A spent nine years and selling beer a & Newcastle (now UK) where she als

Source: Kantar Worldpanel take-home sales in Scotland 52 weeks to 24 May 2015 v 52 weeks to 25 May 2014. NE = New entry.

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this christmas treat yourself to a Double!

Stock up on 2 great vodkas from scotland’s Best selling spirit.

• GLEN’S RED – Scotland’s biggest selling spirit • NEW GLEN’S PLATINUM Premium Grain Vodka - 40% ABV • UNIQUE NEW BOTTLES for improved shelf standout • PLATINUM VODKA supported by Brian McFadden & Glen’s Platinum promotion consumer promotion featuring Westlife star – Brian McFadden

Our high-profile partnership with singer-songwriter and TV presenter Brian McFadden will see increased consumer demand for Glen’s Platinum Vodka.

• GLEN’S PLATINUM VODKA is an extra smooth, triple distilled premium grain vodka bottled at 40% ABV for great smooth taste at a great value price • Glen’s is the No.1 vodka in the UK convenience market and the No.2 spirit brand in the UK • Joint Glen’s Platinum activity and support from Brian McFadden driving consumer demand across the UK • Combined social media audience of circa 500k

SALES@LOCHLOMONDGROUP.COM

Please enjoy responsibly

GLENSVODKALLG

GLENSVODKALLG WWW.GLENSPLATINUM.COM

FOR DETAILS CONTACT SALES@LOCHLOMONDGROUP.COM

GLENSVODKALLG

GLENSVODKALLG

WWW.GLENSVODKA.COM WWW.GLENSPLATINUM.COM

Please enjoy responsibly

LochLomond - SG - linda.indd 1

18/11/2015 14:11

Scottish brands 2015 - alcohol

Giants retain key positions Malts and blends move around as ale brands edge up

GLEN’S Vodka is once again the most valuable Scottish alcohol brand in Scotland – ahead of a number of major beer brands and a large number of whiskies.

The core Glen’s Vodka has been repackaged and given a distinctive bottle and new iconography.

Owner Loch Lomond Group used focus groups to discover which changes were likely to excite potential consumers without alienating existing Glen’s drinkers. Glen’s now also has a premium stablemate Glen’s Platinum.

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HEADED up by a home-grown vodka, dominated – in number at least – by a collection of malt and blended whiskies but with one or two points of interest provided by ales old and new the 2015 Top 25 Scottish drinks brands in Scotland chart has a familiar look but still provides plenty to think about, Big Scottish brands are and will remain hugely important to off-trade retailers in Scotland.

So what has been happening on some of those big Scottish drinks names in the last year?

Well it’s been an important 12 months and more for the number-one Scottish drinks brand in Scotland, Glen’s Vodka.

Glen’s is now part of the Loch Lomond Group, of course, and it has maintained its top-ranking position at a time when its new owner has embarked on major branding and marketing initiatives including significant consumer research and major repackaging – all activities that are designed to boost sales but nevertheless all things that need to be managed too.

And the other big development is that there is now more than one Glen’s.

As Loch Lomond Group marketing executive Gary Mills noted: Glen’s Vodka, the number-one Scottish spirit in Scotland and the number-one vodka in convenience outlets across the UK has been “bol-

Tennent’s Lager remains by far the country’s best selling Scottish beer and the best-selling beer overall in Scotland. The Tennent’s brand now covers a range that includes premium, flavoured and no-alcohol lagers.

stered” by the launch of Glen’s Platinum, designed to be a premium vodka that is perfect for gifting but still at a “great value” price that retailers and consumers have come to expect from Glen’s.

Loch Lomond Group has also repackaged its whisky brand High Commissioner.

Number-two Scottish drinks brand is the country’s biggestselling beer Tennent’s.

Claire Arnott, customer marketing manager for takehome at Tennent Caledonian Breweries, argues that the beer category is crucial for cstore operators to ensure that best-selling brands like Ten-

nent’s Lager are always available in sufficient quantities in the most popular pack sizes, including those available as PMPs. More than £1 in every £10 spent on lager in Scottish impulse stores goes on Tennent’s four-packs, she said.

Advertising and sponsorship activity on the country’s biggest beer brand included the major music festival T in the Park. And, as an on-pack offer intended to boost consumer interest ahead of the Christmas selling period Tennent’s ran a competition to win a party at the brewery.

The Famous Grouse collec-

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18/11/2015 14:12

Scottish brands 2015 - alcohol

McEwan’s moves up in the top 25 Scottish drinks brands in Scotland and is thought to have added substantial sales across a growing range of ales that include established market-leading, take-home ale McEwan’s Export and a growing range of premium bottled ales including McEwan’s IPA and McEwan’s Champion Ale.

tion of whiskies actually has two entries in the top 25 this year. Famous Grouse itself remains at number 3 but sister

whisky Black Grouse is a new entry at number 24.

However it’s likely to be the only time that Black Grouse makes an appearance because it has recently undergone what Maxxium UK calls a full rebrand and relaunched as The Famous Grouse Smoky Black.

Among the biggest-selling whiskies Whyte & Mackay is the only one to actually move up in the ranking, leapfrogging Bell’s to take number

four spot.

Also moving up in the higher reaches of the chart is beer brand McEwan’s.

It has certainly been a busy year or so for the brand, now part of the Charles Wells family and arguably therefore in a better position than before to get significant direct investment and find its marketing mojo.

Long-established, marketleading canned ale McEwan’s Export is thought to be in

growth and if it is that would be quite an achievement in a category that was previously thought to be growing old with its consumers. But McEwan’s has also been actively revitalising some of its premium bottled ales and launching new beers in bottle, including McEwan’s IPA. Another ale brand, Belhaven, holds its own at number 19 and craft beer range Innis & Gunn is a significant new entry at number 23.

The blended whisky Black Grouse was a new entry in the top 25 this year. But it has since been rebranded as The Famous Grouse Smoky Black. Whyte & Mackay moved up from number four to number three in the top 25 Scottish drinks brands in Scotland.

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23/10/2015 09:28