Premier Foods : invests a tasty £9.5m in mid-week meals

Premier Foods is driving value into the flavourings and seasonings category with a heavyweight £9.5m investment, a 24% increase versus 2015, and new product launches from two of its best loved brands. Innovation from Bisto and Oxo this month is set to attract new consumers to the market who are looking for mid-week meal inspiration from trusted, quality brands.

Bisto will be launching its first ever ready to use rich gravy sauce range as an extension to its Bisto Best premium offering and will support this with its biggest gravy campaign to date, whilst Oxo will also be introducing a new lamb flavour to its Stock Pots range. Both brands will be supported by a multi-million pound investment and back on TV screens this October.

Helen Touchais, Brand Director, Flavouring & Seasonings at Premier Foods, comments: 'We know consumers are on the lookout to try new products, and the new Bisto Best ready to use range enables them to enjoy this much loved brand across a range of different mid-week meal occasions, from chicken dishes to sausage and mash. Bisto Best is already driving growth of +5% year on year in added value gravy which demonstrates an appetite for premium products in the market. With more shoppers trading up the range is becoming a must stock, as the basket spend of consumers who purchase Bisto Best is worth 22.5% more over standard Bisto buyers each year.'

Aiming to drive further gravy growth, the Bisto Best ready to use range contains real meat juices and is available in three mouthwatering flavours: Beef & Red Wine with Chestnut Mushroom, Red Onion & Ale and Chicken & Thyme. Available in a new pouch format, the products offer a convenient solution for consumers on the lookout for easy flavourful shortcuts that still deliver on quality.

Touchais continues: 'Our number one selling brands provide shoppers with quick and easy solutions that enhance their mealtimes. Oxo Stock Pots is worth £2.3m in its first 10 months in market , and data shows us that 33% of buyers are new to this category . With wet stock in growth by +7% year on year , we expect the new flavour will help encourage shoppers to trade up. Lamb is the perfect addition to the range, and offers a significant growth opportunity. There are around 460m meals that would benefit from lamb stock, but currently, it's only being used in 14%.'

The new Oxo Stock Pot flavour - Juicy Lamb with Rosemary, Garlic and Red Wine - is made from a flavoursome blend of meat juices, vegetables, herbs and seasonings that deliver a deeper, richer flavour.
The product is designed to help busy consumers produce delicious, wholesome meals even under tight time constraints.