Independent Retail News collaborated with KP Snacks, a leading player in the Impulse market with a 25.8% share and impressive 32% growth. Together, they visited a Nisa convenience store in Colley Gate, West Midlands to offer valuable advice on capitalizing on the thriving opportunities in this area.
KP Snacks prides itself on being a supportive partner to independent retailers by providing market-leading category advice and a range of top-selling products suitable for all occasions and budgets.
The “25 to Thrive” recommendation provides impartial guidance to retailers on the optimal core range to stock, focusing on delivering growth. This advice consists of 25 bagged snacks that cater to consumption needs during lunchtime, afternoon, and evening.
The advice is straightforward and easy to implement, incorporating best-selling products and tapping into key demand areas. By stocking these recommended core 25 products, retailers can benefit from the growth in this category.
During the visit to the Nisa store, Duncan Tyrrell, Impulse Category Lead at KP Snacks, engaged with the store team led by Lewis Woodward, the Assistant Manager. Tyrrell emphasized the crucial role of “25 to Thrive” in supporting independent convenience retailers, especially in challenging trading environments.
He said, “We have a category-wide focus and approach to building partnerships and supporting retailers in driving CSN sales, which is a highly important category.” This is particularly relevant in the post-pandemic world, where consumers still seek affordable treats and value perception is increasingly important. The Crisps, Nuts, and Snacks category caters to these needs.
To visually demonstrate the advice, an image is included of the recommended “25TT Planogram”.
The product range from KP Snacks offers something for everyone, catering to various price points. Brands such as McCoy’s, Skips, and Hula Hoops are highly relevant in today’s environment, where people are seeking economical lunchtime meals and pick-me-up snacks. Familiar brands like Nik Naks and Skips prove to be popular choices among consumers.
Lewis Woodward, Assistant Manager at Nisa Colley Gate, highlighted the importance of the expert category advice, stating, “It’s always nice to have an expert in, you can apply the advice to how you can merchandise the store in the future to cover sales throughout the day.”
During their visit, the KP Snacks team made several changes to enhance the visibility and impact of the Crisps, Nuts, and Snacks section in the store. Woodward expressed his appreciation for the advice, particularly emphasizing the impact of Price Marked Packs (PMPs), which serve as ready-made point-of-sale displays, and the appealing organization of products.
PMPs are crucial for effective product ranging. The KP Snacks portfolio includes a variety of market-leading PMP SKUs that cater to different budgets and occasions. For example, Space Raiders, the UK’s number one best-value brand, is available in 40p PMPs. Additionally, classic favorites like Discos and Skips are also offered as PMPs. Hula Hoops Big Hoops BBQ Beef, priced at £1.25 for a 70g pack, remains the top-selling PMP, offering excellent value to consumers.
The core advice focuses on both value and meeting current and relevant occasions where independent convenience stores can excel, including food to go, nostalgia needs, and sharing moments. This is particularly important as the Big Night In trend continues.
When revisiting the Nisa store four weeks after implementing the initial advice, the positive impact of the KP Snacks team’s visit was evident. Woodward reported, “Sales of Crisps, Nuts, and Snacks are up by 17% in the month, with some KP products experiencing even larger increases.” In the first week alone, Hula Hoops BBQ sales increased by almost 50%, and the McCoy’s range saw a 35% increase in sales.
The results speak for themselves, and Lewis was extremely pleased with the impact the visit had on the store, noting positive customer feedback regarding the clean and organized appearance and the noticeable value emphasized through shelf edge promotions.
Duncan Tyrrell from KP Snacks expressed delight at the success of the trial, both in terms of customer feedback and sales. He emphasized, “The concept of 25 to Thrive has been carefully created using category insight, and it’s fantastic to see it come to life on shelves.”
Overall, KP Snacks offers unique selling propositions as a category leader and the number one driver of growth in Crisps, Snacks, Nuts, and Popcorn. Their portfolio covers all CSNP segments and is highly relevant in the current economic climate, offering products for all formats and occasions across the value spectrum. Through their marketing and advertising approach, they drive demand by emphasizing mental availability and brand awareness.
