To capitalise on the growing price-marked pack trend in independent stores, where 69% of volume sales in ‘Sweet Biscuits’^[1] now come from these products, FBC UK expanded its lineup with the White Choc PMP earlier this year.

To make the most of the launch in store, retailers should ensure that the new biscuits are highly visible to help engage shoppers in different areas of the store. Retailers should also place treats in PMP formats near the till or around the store as secondary touchpoints to maximise on-the-go impulse sales, as well as including them in the main biscuit bay and near complementary categories such as hot drinks and savoury snacks to encourage cross category promotion. This provides an opportunity for retailers wanting to address a range of shopping missions.

As well as being available in the popular PMP format, Maryland is helping retailers to tap into the trend for white chocolate in biscuits. Over a quarter of GB households^[2] are buying into white chocolate biscuits, so Maryland White Choc PMP meets a strong consumer demand for this flavour^[3], whilst maintaining an accessible price-point for consumers.

Winning with Maryland

To celebrate the launch of Maryland White Choc PMP, and to drive awareness of the new format, Maryland launched a convenience exclusive competition which saw five lucky retailers have the chance to win a year’s worth of Maryland stock, as well as a ‘Mary-land’ makeover. The prizes included an array of Maryland branded items to create theatre in-store such as bunting and selfie frames, helping to drive customer engagement. ​

Nila Patel, owner of Millbrook Post Office and Convenience Store stated: “We are thrilled to have won the Maryland competition! We can’t wait to share our winnings of delicious Maryland cookies with our wonderful customers and hopefully raise some funds for our local community too – all thanks to Maryland.”

(Source: NIQ, Total Coverage 52we 07/09/2024 unless otherwise stated)

[1] NIQ Independents to 52we 07.09. 24

[2] Kantar, Total Market (52 WE 29.09.2024)

[3] White Chocolate is worth £58M to Sweet Biscuits seeing strong YoY growth +33.6% vs YA, outperforming the overall Sweet Biscuit growth of +9.5%. – NIQ, Total Coverage (52 WE 17.08.2024)