Easter Reminder for Wholesalers
The adverts on TV will tell you that summer bodies are made in winter, but for Wholesale buyers it goes further than that – yes, for the Wholesale buyer spring actually starts in the depths of winter.
So even though this new year has just begun, it’s already time to get Easter-ready and seize those waiting opportunities in the confectionery and baked goods sectors. Remember, Easter is the second biggest season of the year when it comes to confectionery, with baked goods and alcohol also usually seeing a boost in sales.
With the uplift from Christmas and New Year now firmly in the rear-view mirror, this Easter push is perfectly placed to get business booming again – Mondelez International recently revealed (via Better Wholesaling±) that the average shopper spends £17 on chocolate over the period. If you’re not already planning your own Easter strategy, it’s time to get going.
So the potential is there and so are the products. But what else can you, the Wholesaler, be doing to ensure that this Easter will be a successful one for your business?
We’ve got a few ideas…
Get your category management sorted out as early as possible!
Map out the season for your customers – give them a clear idea of what they need and when and how you’re going to make that run smoothly for them.
Be an authority – educate yourself about all the special Easter products, so your customers can rely on you for help, expertise and advice – making them more confident in their purchases. And we know the perfect way to do this…
Use Erudus! We’ve got the specs for thousands of products, so you can be certain of everything from ingredients to packaging – and in this time of allergies, specialist diets and environmental awareness, these are things everyone wants to know.
Lastly, use this as an opportunity to get organised for your summer buying too. It’ll come around sooner than you think, so start noting down ideas and check back here soon for more hints and ideas in a couple of weeks.
Easter 2020 – things to look out for
Instagrammable Easter Eggs
For Millennials and Generation Z, product appearance is a huge decider on whether they choose to buy or not – according to recent research, 18-35 year olds spend on average 5 days per year looking at photos of food on Instagram, and 30% of them would avoid a restaurant of its Instagram presence was weak.^ With this in mind, keep an eye out for products like last year’s Waitrose Avocado Easter Egg, which have a topical, stylised appearance that will appeal to users of social media.
Mini Eggs Gifting Tins
Mini Eggs are reportedly Easter’s biggest-selling confectionery product, and these reusable tins tie into the recent social focus on all things sustainable and environmentally-friendly.
Kinder Joy Easter
This popular range has been revamped for 2020, and will be backed by a £2.7 million media campaign that should boost awareness and popularity.
Cadbury’s Dark Milk Easter Egg
With higher cocoa-concentration chocolate surging in profile as a ‘healthier’ option, this mid-priced alternative to the premium brands like Green & Blacks is positioned for the more mature chocolate lover.
Self-treats
Self-treats are expected to become even more popular – brands are adding even more products to this sector, including Munchies Fudge Brownie, Munchies Cookie Dough, an expanded flavour selection of Dairy Milk Bunnies, Ferrero Kinder Mini Eggs, Ferrero Mini Eggs, and Thornton’s Chocolate Caramel Egg.
Cadbury’s Oreo Egg
Whilst the chocolate in this egg contains milk, Oreos themselves are totally vegan, making this an inspired choice for the flexitarian market of people who are attracted to veganism but do not want to commit entirely to the lifestyle.
Free-from and Vegan
Veganism is an industry hotspot right now, with the UK meat-free [and dairy-free] market estimated to grow from £559m in 2016 to £658m in 2021*, and the rise in allergen awareness with legislation like Natasha’s Law means that Easter products not containing any of the 14 Major Allergens such as milk, peanuts, tree nuts, gluten and eggs will be a very welcome addition to shelves.
In addition to the specialist vegan chocolate brands out there, Cadbury’s Bournville Buttons are totally vegan, whilst traditional Easter treat Hot Cross Bunsnow come in many free-from own-brand varieties.
±Source: Better Wholesaling
*Source: Mintel ‘meat free food’ report, UK, May 2017
^Source: Zizzi Hospitality Instagram Research 2017
