A number of high profile launches during 2007 helped the brand to reach a sales value of £196.4m, but it was McCain Frozen Chips’ ‘healthy’ innovations which really pushed its performance.
McCain began the year with the launch of Rustic Chips in January, containing only 3% fat, no cholesterol and with the skins left on to keep in nutritional goodness and improve taste.
This product achieved the significant landmark of being the first chip to achieve green across the board on the Food Standards Agency’s traffic light labelling system.
McCain senior brand manager Mike Walker says this helped to show consumers chips are not the “devil food in the marketplace”.
In July 2007, McCain revealed all its chips would be made from 100% British potatoes from October 2007. This was a natural progression for the brand, says McCain, as 95% of its products had already been made from British potatoes for the last five years.
From October a ’100% British potatoes’ logo and the Red Tractor logo were placed on-pack, and the campaign was supported by a multi-million marketing spend.
McCain’s commitment to sourcing British was seen to have a huge influence on the brand’s identity, creating a ‘healthier halo’ and so pushing not only its environmental status but also driving the ‘healthy’ credentials of its products.
2007 £196.4m
2006 £182.2m
yoy change 7.8%
