sara lee bread: baking in a new sweetener strategy
DESCRIPTION
Ninety-six percent of U.S. households purchase bread. Brand marketers have pointed to consumers’ expressed concerns about sweeteners as a reason to reformulate bread; in particular, removing HFCS in favor of sugar or other sweeteners. Yet the percentage of consumers that avoid HFCS when purchasing bread might surprise you. Download the full case study to learn more: http://bit.ly/1maabJO.TRANSCRIPT
SLICING UP CONSUMER RESPONSE TO SWEETENER SWITCHING
SARA LEE BREAD
BREAD IS A CONSUMER STAPLE.96% OF U.S. HOUSEHOLDS HAVE BOUGHT FRESH BREAD SINCE 2009.
AND EACH HOUSEHOLD PURCHASED IT 20 TIMES EACH YEAR.
Nielsen Sara Lee Category Data extract, April 2014Advertising Age, March 15, 2014
BUT BREAD SALES ARE SLIPPING ...
Nielsen Sara Lee Category Data extract, April 2014
This leaves marketers scrambling to increase market share through new points of differentiation.
CATEGORY SALES FELL FROM 2013 TO 2014.
SOME ARE ASKING THE QUESTION:COULD SWEETENER TYPE IMPACT SALES GROWTH?
SARA LEE, A MARKET LEADER, SWITCHED SWEETENERS IN 2010 IN AN ATTEMPT TO TARGET HEALTH-CONSCIOUS AND FAMILY-ORIENTED CONSUMERS.
Soft & Smooth, a key sub-brand, switched sweeteners
from high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) to sugar and
changed packaging to make an “HFCS-free” label claim.
DID SARA LEE’S STRATEGY PAY OFF?
Nielsen Sara Lee Category Data extract, April 2014
NO. SWEETENER SWITCHING WAS NOT AN EFFECTIVE POINT OF DIFFERENTIATION.
CHANGE IN SALES (2012 – 2013)
6.2MILLION$
SARA LEE DELIGHTFUL
30.4MILLION$
SARA LEE SOFT & SMOOTH(HFCS-Free)
8.8MILLION$
SARA LEECLASSIC
SOFT & SMOOTH’S “HFCS-FREE” LABEL CLAIM DIDN’T APPEAL TO CONSUMERS OVERALL.
BUT HOW DID SPECIFIC CONSUMER SEGMENTS RESPOND?
STACEYAll naturalPrefers all-natural lifestyle, sometimes trending toward the extreme.
JULIASeeks healthy balanceWants to have good habits for children, even if they don’t do it for themselves.
WALTERNo health worriesDoesn’t care about sweetener ingredients; dines out most often.
JOANDiabetic & dieterHas diabetes and is trying to lose weight by avoiding sugar.
TERESAMaking ends meetIs balancing saving money with healthy decisions.
SANDRATaste over healthNeeds to satisfy everyone in the family – taste driven.
The Sweetener360 is a custom research study commissioned by the Corn Refiners Association and completed in part by Nielsen and Mintel Consulting.
FIND OUT WITH THE FULL CASE STUDY.download The case sTudy here >