New bakery hybrid to hit UK biscuit aisles
McVitie’s Jaffa Jonuts marks an exciting evolution of the £66.4m brand, mooted as one of the UK’s top 10 bestselling biscuit brands with sales surging by +14.4% last year as consumers came to terms with lockdown.
The new mashup comprises the familiar three layers of McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes – light sponge cake; gooey orange-flavoured filling; and dark chocolate topping – but presented in a doughnut-shaped ring.
Targeted at Jaffanatics
According to pladis, the launch is the biggest format innovation for the brand in the past two years.
“One in three UK households already purchase McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes and we know this brand has scores of ‘Jaffanatics’ up and down the country who can’t wait to get their hands on our latest NPD,” said Emma Stowers, brand director for McVitie’s at pladis UK&I.
“This NPD is the perfect example of how we can push the boundaries when it comes to what ‘should’ take pride of place on the biscuit aisle, plus it unlocks new occasions for biscuits.
“McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes are adored by households across the country – with 54.2% of shoppers buying them again and again – so we know there’s widespread appetite for alternative formats that incorporate the great taste of Jaffa Cakes. In fact, in consumer testing, 85% of people said they’d purchase the product, with a particularly high appeal amongst under-35s.”
The Jaffa Jonuts are hitting shelves in two formats: a sharing box of four Jaffa Jonuts and an individually-wrapped Jonuts snack pack, designed to unlock an opportunity for retailers to drive impulse buys.
Added Stowers, “Now that the nation is no longer bound to the confines of their homes, we expect to see a resurgence in on-the-go snacking.
“Our McVitie’s Jaffa Jonuts individual packs are perfect for these occasions – and 93% of consumers agree – so we’re confident stocking an innovative NPD from such a popular brand will help retailers drive sales over the coming months.”
She added the Yildiz Holdings-owned company has huge ambitions for the McVitie’s Jaffa Cake brand.
“McVitie’s Jaffa Jonuts are just the start and we’re confident that this launch will help us increase household penetration, by making McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes part of even more snacking occasions.”
Flouting convention
The launch is being supported by £2.1m in marketing spend, as part of The Year of Jaffa Cakes. The brand’s ‘Be What You Want To Be’ campaign is centred around flouting conventions, created to entice younger shoppers with a never-before-seen proposition to the biscuit aisle.
McVitie’s Jaffa Jonuts are launching in Tesco outlets across the UK from 16 May, followed by a further roll out into multiple retailers, convenience stores and wholesalers from the end of June. The 4x 43g box (RRP: £1.99) and individual 43g packs (RRP: £0.60) will be recyclable through pladis’ partnership with Terracycle.
