The home snacking market has expanded exponentially in the United Kingdom since lockdowns and travel restrictions were imposed early last year in the effort to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus). Snacking is now the fastest growing food occasion in Britain – up 21%, according to Kantar Usage figures for the 52-week period ending May 14. Ice cream is at the forefront of family snacking, growing at a rate of three times the market at 66%.
Oreo ice cream sales growth was even higher at 75% last summer, according to Nielsen ScanTrack. Now, as part of its success strategy, Froneri aims to capitalize on its popularity in the expanding family snacking sector by introducing the Oreo Cone. The new product features a scoop of vanilla ice cream smothered in an Oreo biscuit coating on top of a crunchy cone, filled with more vanilla ice cream and Oreo biscuit pieces.
Retail packs containing four cones priced at £3.50 are available in Asda stores and will be rolled out in further supermarkets across the UK this summer.
Ice cream as a snack is increasing in popularity for multiple reasons. The sweet treat can be easily grabbed from the home freezer with no serving preparation required, making it a convenient option that can be enjoyed on the go.
The Oreo Cone will strengthen the brand’s range of ice cream SKUs which include the Oreo ice cream tubs, Oreo Stick, Oreo Sandwich, and the Oreo Stick Sandwich, which launched in 2020 and was the fifth biggest value NPD in the take-home ice cream segment. Hailed as game changer in the ice cream market, the Oreo Stick Sandwich was praised for combining the power brands of Oreo and Cadburys and its innovative format.
“The last 12 months of restricted living has had a significant impact on sales of take-home ice cream with an additional £260 million spent,” pointed out Brunhilde van Antwerp, Froneri’s head of marketing in the UK. “With children off school and people working from home, there has been a marked increase in home snacking occasions and a surge in demand for ice cream. Consumers have wanted to treat themselves more often and therefore snacking has become more indulgent, driving growth for the ice cream market and Oreo in particular.”
She added: “Oreo is a unique and much loved brand so it’s no surprise that, as family snacking choices become more indulgent, Oreo continues to over-index in this category. We expect the new cone to be just as successful, if not more so considering the strength of the market at present.”
