Cheryl Hunter (shelflife at marklives.com)’s weekly pick of recent product, packaging, design and food launches:
Finding a balance with Hill’s Pet Nutrition
Doritos launches two new brands
South African rosé wines recognised
Starbucks sets it sights on SA
Pet food market grows rapidly
In the face of two key trends emerging in the pet food industry, Hill’s has launched a new completely natural pet food — Hill’s Ideal Balance. Carolyn Herrick, general manager of Hill’s Pet Nutrition, speaks to Shelf Life about this growing market.
According to Herrick, there are two key global trends influencing how pet owners choose their pet foods: “Pets are increasingly being seen as part of the family and pet parents want to feed them with the same foods they feed the rest of their family; and now, more than ever, pet parents are selecting their pet’s food based on ingredients — those they want and those they do not want.”
As a result, natural pet foods are now more popular in the US than premium pet foods, and the segment is still growing rapidly.
Consumer research, says Herrick, was undertaken to better understand the natural pet-food shopper — primarily well-educated women who believe in natural foods, natural ingredients and how the right food affects their pet’s health: “Their pets are very much members of their families and they feel absolutely responsible for their pets’ health and well-being.
“They want a food made with specific ingredients, ones they would use to cook family meals at home. Before making a purchase, they research available options and make an informed decision about which food will ensure the long-term health of their pet. They want the highest quality ingredients from a reputable, trusted supplier.”
Hill’s Ideal Balance has been developed to satisfy the desire of these “pet parents” — made up of fresh chicken and salmon, fruits, vegetables and brown rice. It’s free from corn, wheat and soy, with grain-free options also offered.
Herrick says the new food was created by the Hill’s team of nutritionists and backed by Hill’s 70+ years’ experience and was designed to provide natural nutrition that’s perfectly balanced for better health, rather than latching onto human food trends that may not be appropriate or in the best interests of pets: “Getting the right balance of nutrients — protein, fats, minerals, vitamins and energy — is critical. Deficiencies or excesses in nutrients can have adverse effects.”
“Ideal Balance’s growth and market share indicates a definite demand for credible, ethical, trustworthy pet foods that deliver optimal nutrition for good health and longevity.”
Hill’s was one of the first premium pet food brands to be launched in South Africa, just over 20 years ago. Prior to this, mainly retail grocery brands were available. What with the growing trend towards pets being treated as part of the family and the desire to improve their quality and longevity of life, the demand for premium pet foods has increased.
Hill’s Ideal Balance also has a range of healthy treats, including Oven Baked Naturals with Chicken and Apples; Soft Baked Naturals with Duck and Pumpkin, and Soft Baked Naturals Chicken and Carrot for dogs; and Crunchy Naturals Treats with Real Tuna for cats.
Hills products are available from veterinary outlets around the country. To join a community of people passionate about their pets, join the Hill’s Facebook page.
www.idealbalance.co.za • Twitter • Facebook • #idealbalance
Getting jacked with Doritos
Doritos has introduced a bigger, thicker version of its popular tortilla-style corn-chip range with the launch of Doritos Jacked, aimed at a youth market that’s described as always hungry for new snacking options.
Available in two flavours, Spicy Nacho and Smokin’ Hot BBQ, the Doritos Jacked launch campaign is underpinned by a Facebook competition, aimed at inspiring the target audience. One lucky fan will win a five-day, four-night trip for themselves and three friends to Ibiza in Spain, simply by smsing their details and barcode from a bag of Doritos Jacked.
Ian Pate, PepsiCo SA global brands marketing manager, says Doritos was once again awarded the title of coolest snack brand in the recent Sunday Times Generation Next 2015 Survey: “It’s accolades such as this which drive us to continue developing new and exciting products for our fans. As Doritos has positioned itself as a brand for the bold, this is also an exciting way to deliver on this promise.”
Doritos Jacked is available from retailers nationwide at a recommended selling price of R19.99
simba.co.za/brands/doritos-and-dips • Twitter • Facebook
Rocking rosé
South Africa’s first-ever rosé wine competition, Rosé Rocks!, has been launched to recognise excellence in rosé winemaking and to promote the SA rosé category.
Rosé is reportedly the fastest-growing category of wine in SA, with sales trebling between 2007 and 2014: Whether your taste is for a bone-dry, pale pink rosé, or something a little sweeter with more body, this increasingly popular style of wine has something for everyone.
Chaired by industry personality Allan Mullins, nine top SA wine judges will pick the best rosé wines made in the country. Judging will take place on 9 September 2015 and results will be announced shortly afterwards. All wines being entered have to be produced in SA.
Following the announcement of the winners, there will be a wine tasting open to the public.
www.roserocks.co.za • Twitter
Starbucks to launch in Joburg 2016
Starbucks Coffee Company — the world’s largest coffee chain — will open its first sub-Saharan store in Johannesburg in mid-2016 in an exclusive deal with Taste Holdings.
The agreement gives Taste the exclusive rights to develop Starbucks outlets in SA. The group also holds the licence agreement to develop US brand Domino’s Pizza here.
Starbucks and Taste have also committed to continuing Taste’s Changing Lanes programme, in which the local group employs predominantly unemployed youths directly from the communities where it trades.
“For the first time in sub-Saharan Africa, Starbucks will open full-format stores bringing the entire range of its food and beverages, including its ethically-sourced Arabica coffee, to SA consumers,” Taste said in a recent statement.
Starbucks already has stores in Morocco and Egypt. It sources coffee beans for its 22 000 outlets around the world from nine African countries.
www.starbucks.com • Twitter • Facebook • Google Plus • Pinterest • Instagram
Shelf Life is MarkLives.com’s weekly column covering new product, packaging, design and food launches. Notify us of yours at shelflife at marklives dot com. Want to sponsor Shelf Life? Contact us here.
Cheryl Hunter (@cherylhunter) has written for the South African media, marketing and advertising industries for more than 15 years. A former editor of M&M in Independent Newspapers and contributor to Bizcommunity, AdFocus, AdReview and the Ad Annual, she has also produced for various television networks and currently consults on communication strategy and media liaison.
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