Sarah Moore tells of her work for the popchips brand
Can you give an overview of your brand?
KP Snacks’ beacon ‘Better for You’ snack brand is popchips – popping with positivity and delivering on big flavours and product innovation.
We are passionate about doing the right thing by our consumers and our aim is to provide them with a healthier snack that doesn’t compromise on great taste.
We know health has been a priority for the Government and shoppers alike for several years and the healthy snacking segment is growing 23.9% year on year.
We’re supporting our retailer partners by catering to increasingly health-conscious consumers.
Popped not fried, popchips come in at 100 calories or less per serving, are suitable for vegetarians and vegans, and have a third less fat than the market leader.
KP Snacks’ reformulation programme in response to HFSS legislation introduced in England last year has seen the entire popchips range reformulated to be non-HFSS.
How long have you worked at KP Snacks and what’s your role?
I started working at KP Snacks last November. As senior brand manager for popchips, my role focuses on raising the profile of this vibrant and exciting brand, which continues to disrupt the CSN category with its delicious flavours and texture, and strong credentials in healthier snacking.
What’s a typical working day like for you?
Every day is different and exciting. We are growing at pace and don’t want to be complacent or lose momentum.
It could be anything from working with the factory teams on new products, liaising with the sales team to help drive listings and in-store activation or working with our agencies to deliver great comms.
What’s your favourite flavour/variant and why?
Barbeque without any doubt! Absolutely full of flavour and delicious, I love dipping it into hummus at lunchtime.
How is the brand currently performing?
We know that flavour is the number one purchase driver in CSN and healthy snacking is no exception. Offering a range of delicious flavours across formats, including Barbeque, Sour Cream & Onion and Sea Salt, popchips is currently worth £43.5 million RSV and growing in value at +14.5%. The brand also enjoys an 18.1% market share of the healthier snacking segment.
What do you think sets popchips apart from rivals?
At popchips, we believe ‘Better for You’ doesn’t have to be boring, and our popped not fried process delivers an irresistibly light, tasty and crunchy snack. We cater to the biggest trends in CSN, from sharing to food to go.
With the sharing segment growing 8.7%, our 85g sharing bags are perfect for get-togethers with friends and family, and popchips is ranked as the number one ‘Better for You’ bagged snack in sharing.
Meanwhile, popular popchips flavours Barbeque and Sour Cream & Onion are available as 50g large-format PMPs, ideal for filling hunger and food to go occasions.
How can retailers make the most of your brand?
To drive sales, retailers should stock a range of formats, including singles, PMPs and sharing packs to cater to different shopper missions.
Some 53% of impulse crisps and snacks are picked up in secondary locations, so retailers should utilise displays and POS such as stackers and dump bins to bolster sales.
Last year, KP Snacks relaunched its SnacKPartners website to deliver advice and support for our retailer partners, offering valuable insight into the category to help retailers maximise sales.
Do you have any new product development?
Rolling into stores from mid-February, our latest addition to the popchips portfolio is popchips Hot & Spicy, bringing a kick to the healthy snacking segment.
Fuelling a delicious and fiery snacking experience, popchips Hot & Spicy capitalises on the growing trend of spicy flavours to excite and engage shoppers.
