McVitie’s Penguin unveils first every savoury range
GLOBAL snacking firm pladis has launched an innovative NPD for its McVitie’s Penguin brand as it brings the classic biscuit into the savoury snacks market.
Marking a first for the brand, the new McVitie’s Penguin Bites offer consumers small, penguin-shaped crackers that come in three different flavours with Lightly Salted, Cheese and Salt & Vinegar. All three come in a 125g sharing box format.
This marks a massive shake up for the biscuit brand, which has a heritage dating back nearly a full 100 years, as families across the UK have grown up familiar with the brand’s iconic chocolate biscuit variant.
This new move will bring across the McVitie’s Penguin’s signature wit and quality to a whole new market, while also providing a permissible snacking option for families across the UK.
Available for £2 RRP per 125g box, the new Penguin Bites range will roll out across major grocery retailers from 15 June.
To support this launch, pladis has announced it will run a full media package throughout the key ‘back to school’ period to drive up awareness of the new range with families, with activations planned in-store as well as across social media and amplified with PR.
Asli Ozen Turhan, chief marketing officer at pladis UK&I, said: “Penguin has some of the most recognisable distinct brand assets in the UK, with 92% awareness. Our ambition is to make Penguin more than just a static character on chocolate biscuit bars. We want this cheeky icon’s wit and character to waddle into a new savoury area.
“As the rise in family savoury snacking continues apace, alongside the increased growth in snacks suitable for sharing occasions, we’re pleased to meet these consumer needs alongside the demand for permissible, non-HFSS, snacks with the launch of this bake savoury innovation, Penguin Bites.
“Penguin Bites represents chapter one of our big plans for Penguin, which in consumer testing had stellar scores among parents and children: 80% found the idea appealing or very appealing, while 71% felt the concept was a good fit with the brand.
“We are very excited to move McVitie’s and Penguin – traditional sweet snacking icons – into savoury snacking for the very first time, and deliver fun and flavour with that undertone of permissibility for families.”
