Driving better biscuit sales with FBC

Newtrade Insight partnered with FBC UK to trial two Maryland varieties in one independent retailer’s store. Here’s how he got on

Background and aims

The trial’s aims were to learn with retailers how to activate sales of Maryland Minis and Maryland 200g Cookies and how to best use in-store PoS to make the most of these moments and opportunities. Other aims included increasing penetration and value sales across Maryland Minis and Maryland 200g packs during key occasions.

Over four weeks, Neil Godhania’s Premier store in Bretton, Peterborough, was supplied with five cases each of Maryland Minis £1.59 price-marked pack (PMP), Maryland Choc Chip £1.59 PMP and Maryland White Choc Chip £1.59 PMP. Sales of the products were recorded as well as overall biscuit category sales compared to the same four-week period last year, and the two weeks prior to the start of the trial.

A brand representative was also on hand to help Godhania with advice about positioning to increase visibility and purchase opportunities with dual displays. There were seven pieces of PoS used during the trial: aisle fins, till mats, wobblers, shelf strips, posters, a fully branded FSDU and floor stickers directing shoppers to the products.

As a suburban retailer with a dedicated customer base, Godhania was interested to see how stocking the Maryland PMPs influenced his shoppers’ behaviour and approach towards the biscuits category, building upon the Maryland lines he stocked pre-trial. PMPs are particularly important for influencing shopper decisions, identified as one of the six core drivers behind brand growth in the convenience channel1.

Outcomes and successes

Overall, the trial was a success, leading to a considerable uplift in Maryland unit sales in Godhania’s store. He sold 78 Maryland units during the trial period, compared with 27 during the same period in 2024, equating to a 189% total increase. Maryland also increased its share of the biscuit category in the store from 3% in the two weeks before the trial to 10%, based on a comparison of average weekly sales during those two periods.

189% total increase in Maryland unit sales compared with the same period in 2024

The new promotional products led this sales growth: Maryland Minis £1.59 PMP was the top-selling line from the brand, with 26 units, followed by Maryland Choc Chip £1.59 PMP with 24 units and Maryland White Choc Chip £1.59 PMP with 11 units. The combined sales of these three units (61), accounted for 78% of the total Maryland sales during the trial period.

Dual-siting and PoS were crucial in driving shoppers towards the products. “The FSDU we positioned next to the till has really enhanced impulse purchases and given the Minis even more prominence,” said Godhania. “I think the PMP has influenced shoppers across all the products, along with the high-impact, shiny red packaging and the positioning in store.”

The floor stickers also added a fun factor which played well with Godhania’s younger shoppers: “We have two schools, one next door and one opposite and parents are nipping in to buy the Minis for lunchbox top-ups, as are the students who love the ‘stepping stone’ floor stickers.”

**Neil Godhania, JS Premier Neil’s, Peterborough**: I’ve learned that visibility on-shelf and stocking different varieties are really important. I’d tell store owners to look at their category, merchandising and speak to their field sales rep and supplier. It’s definitely helped my store.

**Robin Norton, head of category insights, Fox’s Burton’s Companies UK**: We felt we could optimise Neil’s fixture by making it easier for shoppers to find what they want. At FBC, working closely with retailers is incredibly important to us, so we want to thank Neil for allowing us to run the trial in his store.

Key takeaways

Provoking impulse purchases by dual-siting products, with one position close to the till, was a key reason for the increased sales during the trial. Additionally, spotlighting the products as part of an occasion or mission, such as lunchtime, reinforced the brand to shoppers, providing another avenue for impulse purchases.

Meanwhile, the use of a variety of PoS and planogram advice which made the trial products more prominent and visible had a direct impact on customers choosing them more. Moreover, this positioning was coupled with an attractive PMP proposition, which communicated a strong perception of value to consumers and influenced their decision to opt for Maryland over non- PMP competitor brands.

The £89.14 average increase in category sales per month, if maintained, could translate to an extra £1,070 sales per year. The shop’s customer demographics also played an important role in the trial’s outcome: Godhania’s shoppers are overwhelmingly local and regular, such as the schoolchildren, so they were able to notice the changes to his ranging and the use of PoS throughout the store from repeat visits.

+7% category share increase of Maryland products compared to the two weeks prior

“We have temporary accommodation above the store, so the people who stay there tend to be regular impulse buyers, popping in every day for something, with snacking products being their go-to,” said Godhania. “We have definitely seen a big uptake of the Maryland products with them since we implemented the category advice and PoS in the store.”

Mini but mighty

The trial shows there are ways for retailers to increase their biscuit category sales through a proactive approach, even if they think the category is already pulling its weight in-store. “In 2024, 98% of British households bought sweet biscuits, which equates to £3.1bn in sales2, and this presents retailers with a big opportunity to capitalise on the category’s success,” said Robin Norton, head of category insights at Fox’s Burton’s Companies UK (FBC UK), who helped Godhania with the trial.

A key part of doing so beyond second-siting top lines and use of PoS is looking at category segments which may have previously been ignored – with mini biscuits an important one to consider. Their successful role in the trial, as the top-selling line during the period, is demonstrative of their overall growth nationwide, which many convenience stores are missing out on.

“Independent retailers tend to under-trade on mini biscuits, despite this being the fastest-growing segment of the category over the past five years3,” said Norton. “We added Maryland Minis PMPs to Neil’ offering to help him make the most of this great opportunity.”

Given that so many retailers are proactively looking for ways to increase their profits, investing in growing segments such as mini biscuits is one way to do so. The fact that Maryland Minis are available as a PMP will help retailers to drive sales, especially when the format’s role in helping branded products increase sales is taken into account.

To find out how to maximise your biscuit fixture in-store, head to fbc-uk.com

DATA: This feature is created by Newtrade Insight. Data is gratefully received from the retailers who participated in a four-week trial of Maryland. Any data from other sources is cited.

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