Martyn Fisher talks to Juliet Barratt, co-founder and chief marketing officer at Grenade, finding out the protein bar brand’s plans for the wholesale channel
How has Grenade helped wholesalers grow sales in the past 12 months?
We have used our category-leading resource to help educate the retailer and consumer on how to embrace protein as part of their diet.
There are always challenges behind introducing new brands to fixture and protein is no exception to the rule. But with the huge tailwind behind the healthy eating agenda, this has helped cascade Grenade across the UK wholesale market.
What is the greatest challenge facing wholesale?
The wholesale market needs to focus its lens on the brands that work in this space and not to overindex. The protein bar category is on a rapid growth curve, driven by Grenade, and as it stands, it also shows no signs of slowing down.
What emerging trends and opportunities can customers take advantage of?
The low-sugar, high-protein trend is the main driver behind consumers entering the ‘healthy snacking’ space, and with the innovation in this side of the market spawning a range of different pack sizes, formats and flavours, catering for demand has never been as simple as it is now.
What challenges has Grenade had to overcome in the past 12 months?
One of the biggest challenges we have faced over the past year was the initial concern over pricing and its disparity versus confectionery.
Looking back to 12 months ago, there was a hesitancy to embrace a £2.49 recommended selling price on shelf, with the worry the products would sit on shelf and not sell.
What has been Grenade’s greatest achievement in the past year?
The nationwide introduction to Marks & Spencer’s foodhalls of our Carb Killa Bars. This move has helped bring even more consumer awareness of the brand.
What would you like to see happen in wholesaling in the next 12 months?
We would like to see wholesalers treat Grenade as a mass-market product range and explore opportunities in depot to maximise sales on these products.
There are opportunities within confectionery, catering and soft drinks where Grenade can be positioned and drive incremental sales, and those wholesalers who explore these ideas will reap the rewards.
Are you planning any activity of which wholesalers should be aware?
We are planning some exciting NPD launches this year, along with a few more new product releases in Q1 and Q2 2019, and we would love to see wholesalers get behind these.
We are also partnering with the latest Marvel Movies release, Venom, with the opportunity to win exclusive prizes, and wholesalers have the opportunity to be a part of this competition.
What advice would you give wholesalers looking to grow sales in the functional products category?
Adopt Grenade products as part of your healthy snacking category as soon as possible. The incremental sales opportunities presented by Grenade products are vast and the demand from consumers will organically lift sales and drive spending in depot and online.
Beyond this, be mindful of the fact that the movement of protein into the confectionery category is imminent and we are already seeing this migration in our retailers’ planograms, but not essentially in wholesale, so it is the logical next step.
Fast fact
Carb Killa is the UK’s
#1
selling protein bar, according to IRI data
