Smoothie brand Innocent vies convenience opportunity for new Veg Pots

New Innocent Veg Pots: expanding distribution

Leading UK smoothie brand Innocent is expanding the distribution of its new Veg Pots to convenience stores and smaller outlets and has added a new seasonal winter warmer variant to the initial four-strong range.

Veg Pots comprise a vegetable-based meal, which can be heated in the microwave and eaten from the pot or poured into a pan and cooked on the hob.

They were launched in Waitrose in September 2008 and at Sainsbury’s stores in October 2008. Both retailers have now added the seasonal variant to their range.

According to brand manager Clare Gordon, Veg Pots have subsequently been launched in Tesco and are on trial in Sainsbury’s Local convenience stores.

“We’d also love to go through the wholesale channel and get them into smaller stores,” she said.

International expansion is not ruled out either, although Gordon said the current focus was on the UK market.

According to Innocent, Veg Pots are designed to help consumers meet their targets for eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Each Veg Pot will provide three portions of vegetables. Combined with the two fruit portions in an Innocent smoothie, Veg Pots will help consumers achieve their five a day.

“It’s all about making it easy for people to do themselves some good,” said Gordon. “The reason people buy smoothies is that it is a great way get their fruit portions. In the same way, Veg Pots will help people get their three portions of vegetables a day. They are also natural and healthy at the same time.”

Innocent is supporting Veg Pots and smoothies in a marketing campaign including poster advertising promote the five a day messaging.

Veg Pots are selling well said Gordon.

“We are very happy with how it’s gone,” she said. “It is performing above the launch targets we had set for it.”

Gordon dismissed suggestions Veg Pots would compensate for the slowdown in smoothie sales. Innocent suffered a 20.2% sales decline to £107m last year, according to Nielsen data for the year ending 4 October 2008.

“The focus of the business is still very much smoothies and juices,” she said. “It’s not a new strategy because of the economic environment and we are not trying to replace that business – we always look at new food opportunities every year.”