Silver Fern Farms Wins Favours With UK Shoppers

Silver Fern Farms Wins Favours With UK Shoppers

19 APRIL 2012

A successful launch for Silver Fern Farms branded New Zealand lamb range into retail giant TESCO has meant the company will now expand the product range available in Britain.

In a first of its kind for the company and for the red meat sector as a whole, Silver Fern Farms launched a range of branded retail prepacks in October 2011 into a category traditionally dominated by supermarket brands. This is the first time that branded lamb has been available in the fresh chilled lamb section of a major grocery chain in the UK.

Silver Fern Farms Chief Executive Keith Cooper says “ We are constantly seeking ways to optimise results for our farmer partners. Our focus on being consumer led has meant that we are regularly reviewing and researching the market and this knowledge means we are better able to provide products that consumers want, meaning more opportunities for our farmer partners. As a cooperative we are committed to providing results for our farmer partners and money invested in the UK is coming back to New Zealand. We’re excited that the early good results at TESCO have given us the opportunity to extend the range with the introduction of Lamb Medallions to the current range-Roast, Rumps, Rack and Loin Fillets. We are currently stocking about 250 stores in the UK with pleasing upward trending occurring over the introductory period.

We believe it is important that we continue to regularly question the status quo that has traditionally existed for the red meat sector and as part of our transformation as a fully integrated, market-focused company that we need to develop world class channels to the global market.

We have been able to utilise Primary Growth Partnership funding to assist with UK consumer research and using branded retail as a test market/prototype will allow us to begin to meet our commitments to achieving the goals within this framework. The project was also supported by Beef+Lamb with $1 for $1 matched levy funding.

We are transforming the standard business model of a red meat company and achieving a market premium through our strategy of adding value; smaller more convenient packs, lean cuts, recipes and cooking instructions on the pack…all things that we know allow us to offer NZ restaurant style lamb at home in the UK.

It’s a three way win, better margins for the retailer, convenience for the consumer and better returns for our farmers”.

The original launch was supported by an innovative marketing campaign focused on creating awareness at the point of purchase and tightly targeted towards TESCO shoppers using TESCO communications mediums

Sharon Angus, Group Marketing Manager says “We needed to be clever to ensure our relatively small marketing spend was optimised in such a large market. The co-funding from Beef + Lamb helped us extend the depth and breadth of our marketing campaign, which included baskets / trolley advertising, print advertising in TESCO grocery and food magazines, in-store and outdoor sampling, branded merchandising units on shelf; point-of-sale, online banners on top UK foodie websites, electronic direct mail to TESCO loyalty card holders, a UK-facing website, consumer competition, plus a PR social media strategy.

We are also fortunate to have a great team of people in the UK who can work alongside our brand team here in New Zealand, we’re able to think local, and act global. It’s this ability to communicate and action our plate-to-pasture strategy of bringing UK shoppers exactly what they want when buying, cooking and eating lamb that makes what Silver Fern Farms does so different from others in our industry.”

ENDS

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