Birds Eye is venturing into the frozen chips market in Britain with the launch of Crispy Chips. The new offering will build on the brand’s heritage and reputation in potatoes, with its popular Original Potato Waffles ranked as the most sold potato waffle in the United Kingdom, according to Nielsen. Now available in grocery stores, the product is a hybrid between french fries and straight cut chips.
Chips are the largest segment within the Savoury Frozen category, accounting for over two billion meal occasions every year. Frozen chips are prepared and consumed in UK households two times per week on average, making up 10% of all value sales within the frozen food category.
“There is no denying that UK consumers’ love of chips is only getting stronger. This offers a huge opportunity for retailers, with the launch of Crispy Chips meaning that Birds Eye is continuing to offer a full meal solution to shoppers through its varied portfolio. With 94% of consumers stating that Crispy Chips meet the needs of the whole family, we are hoping to simplify the buying decision for shoppers with an affordable, high-quality chip option that everyone will love,” said Charlotte Pask, the brand’s marketing manager for potatoes.
Crispy Chips are hitting freezer aisles as part of an on-pack promotion that Birds Eye is launching in partnership with family entertainment company, Hasbro. Running through September 30, the promotion will allow shoppers to receive a free Hasbro game worth up to £39 when they buy four qualifying Birds Eye products, which in addition to chips include various pack sizes of Garden Peas, Omega 3 Fish Fingers Chicken Dippers, Battered Pollock Fish, Green Cuisine Southern Fried Grills, and Chicken nuggets.
“From recent research, we know that the majority of UK households recognize the importance of spending quality time together but in fact less than half the time we spend together is actually considered ‘quality’ time,” said Pask. “With 89% of parents and guardians believing the dinner table is where important conversations and interactions happen, we want to encourage more ‘table time’ this summer, uniting households with great food and fun games.”
The Hasbro on-pack promotion will be accompanied by a marketing campaign and tailored shopper activations across Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrison’s, and ASDA stores. Birds Eye Crispy Chips have a MRSP of £2.50.
