New European Appetite for Healthy UK Snacks

‘Healthy Ideas' Trialled in Shell Service Stations for Future Roll Out Potential
 

Healthy snacks, produced and packaged by Peterborough-based Delicious Ideas Food Group (DIFG), are for the first time being trialled in selected Shell service stations in Germany.

Housed in neat little ‘street market' carts, three of DIFG's healthy grab ‘n' go snack bags feature in prominent positions on racks in central locations within the Shell service stations.

Says CEO of DIFG, Jonathan Potter, ‘Healthier snacking in the UK is on the rise, and we've been producing healthy options at our BRC AA certificated packaging factory in Peterborough for many years, so getting a foothold in Europe feels timely.

‘Our recent research has shown that similar trends are emerging outside the UK right  now, and we're working closely with the managing director of Go Foods, Tommy Barbé, who also feels that this is the opportune moment to start building European inroads with some of our healthier snacking options. What we're hoping for is strong uptake, good sales, and subsequent expansion.'

If the trial goes well and Shell consumers enjoy the selected snacks as much as the British do, executives at Delicious Ideas and Go Foods anticipate a wider rollout of the products on the in-store carts within the next year.'

Says Tommy Barbé, managing director of Go Foods, ‘It's the ideal time to trial this particular range. consumers are looking for new snacking options, not just confectionery sugar fixes, and these products fit the bill. Even so, because customers will be seeing these brands for the first time, it's important to introduce them to what's on offer, and so we have decided to supply free samples on the side of the cart.

He adds, ‘This small investment is the best way to show people how good these snacks are. As with the UK, in general food trends are changing, and trending towards fruit and nut based and vegan and vegetarian produce. We've timed this initiative to meet the changing mood, and it will be good to see what happens. These selected stores is a good start, but there are more than a thousand in total, and it would be great to get into all of them.'

‘At Go Foods, "healthier snacking" is the company's credo, and we are always looking for products that meet trending consumer needs in terms of both taste and health benefits. With innovative products and flavours, as well as single-serve packaging, snack shots, and controlled calorie intake, the aim is to set new impulse buys that meet the demand for healthier food on the go, in Germany and further afield. DIFG's Ideas snacks meet that aim, and we're keen to see what happens next.'

-Ends-

Images (3 links)
 
Go Foods DIFG Shell 1 
Go Foods DIFG Shell 2 
Go Foods DIFG Shell 3
 

Press contact
Matthew Pigott
M: 07903 723 898
E: matt@delicious-ideas.com

Editor Notes

Delicious Ideas expansion timeline:

1991: husband and wife, Clive and Jan Potter, launch Sweet Ideas Ltd with their son and daughter, Jonathan and Emma, selling snacks and confectionery to independent outlets throughout Cambridgeshire.

1994: Sweet Ideas branded confectionery packs launched.

2001: Healthy Ideas brand launched. Sweet Ideas hits £1million turnover

2007: Clive, Jonathan and Emma invest in Manasty Packing Ltd, which has two custom built packing lines with a 250,000 weekly packing capacity.

2007: two new product ranges, Deliciousideas Popcorn and Deliciousideas Bakery are launched.

2008: Move to new purpose-built premises, with a packing capacity of 300,000 packs per week.

2009: Sweet Ideas moves into purpose-built premises, trebles turnover to £3million, and now has 14 staff members in addition to the Potter family.

2015: To meet growing demand for healthy snack options, and clarify messaging, three new brand subcategories are born: Snackideas; Healthyideas; Deliciousideas

2016: Manasty Packing Ltd, the packaging arm of Delicious Ideas, achieves a BRC accreditation to AA standard.

2016: The company invests in a new packing line, boosting capacity to 500,000 packs per week.

2016: With an established client base of 5000, DIFG sells more than 5million packs across the UK and Ireland.

2016: New packing machine commissioned increasing capacity to 500,000 packs per week.

2016: Achieves BRC AA accreditation

2017: DIFG attracts new business in Germany

2018: DIFG buys Barnack Confectionery adding high order value, private label options to retail clients, breaking into the retail sector for the first time.

Some of DIFG's brand partners (past and present):

9Bar; BURTS Crisps; Cofresh Peanut Brittle; Eat Natural Bars; Eat Real Chips; Food Doctor; Henry Goodes Liquorice; Highland Shortbread; Jakemans; KIND Bars; KINGS Jerky; Metcalfes; Nakd Bars; Penn State Pretzels; Perk!er Quinoa Bars; Sesame Snaps; Sugar Free/Organic Chocolate; Tregroes Waffles; TREK Protein Bars; Urban Fresh/BEAR; Wholebake Gluten Free Flapjacks; and more