Dried fruit, nut and seed specialist Whitworths has reported its best-ever sales performance, with sales doubling in the year to February.
The brand saw its brand grow by 57.8 per cent, putting its strong performance down to the development of new snacking ranges aimed at consumers in different age brackets.
The company said its record-breaking year had contributed to 71 per cent of the growth in the dried fruit, nuts and seeds category, introducing 258,000 new customers to the sector last year and winning more than 1.6 million new shoppers.
Phil Gowland, marketing director at Whitworths, said the results “demonstrate that by understanding our consumers and our market, and sticking to our key principles, we can really deliver.”
He added: “We pride ourselves on offering healthier snacking options that taste great, no matter the age of the consumer, and know our product must fit into consumers lives, and importantly, shopping missions.
“We have high hopes that the momentum will continue throughout 2018 as we continue to focus on developing and enhancing our snacking offering.”
A key driver of sales has been the Whitworths’ Shots range of hand-held 25g portions, which has grown at 74.2 per cent year on year.
The range includes eight different mixes, each with a selection of dried fruit, nuts, seeds and an indulgent addition such as chocolate or biscuit pieces “to make it feel like a treat”.
Following the Shots’ success, the brand extended the range in 2017 with Whitworths Shots Nuts “to meet the consumer desire for high-protein and plant-based alternative snacking”.
These portions contain a mixture of natural and flavoured nuts in one of four flavours: Touch of Chilli, Dash of Salsa, Hint of Smoke and Pinch of Salted Caramel.
In addition Whitworths said its core snacking ranges, which include multi-serve and single serve packs, had contributed to brand growth following an increased demand for traditional tree fruit products, such as dates and apricots.
In a bid to appeal to young consumers Whitworths also launched a range called Bright Little Nuts at the end of 2017, with packs including almond halves, mini cashews and mini hazelnuts.
The 20g snack packs, marketed for their health benefits, were recently part of the government’s Change4Life campaign to help families choose healthier snacks and reduce their children’s sugar intake.
Marketing by the company has included sampling, price promotions and a media campaign at key commuter hot spots in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow, which reached 12 million people.
Additionally, Whitworths appointed a new PR and Social Media agency, McCann Birmingham, to help promote the brand and raise awareness of the positive benefits of healthy snacking.
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