Britain’s Biggest Brands 2022: the contenders

114 (147) Fridge Raiders

Sales: £90.5m (+31.4%)

Newly part of Pilgrim’s Food Masters, Fridge Raiders has been “leading the charge” in the meat snacking market “as shoppers become hyper-aware of their health” says marketing manager Chris Doe. “The fridge has become the heartland for snacking, with consumers increasingly recognising the chilled snack space as healthier than their ambient counterparts.”

Fridge Raiders has taken advantage with innovation such Southern Style Chicken Bites With BBQ Sauce Dip, added in May.

130 (153) Oasis

Sales: £81.3m (+25.1%)

If you want proof the world is returning to normal, this is it. Sales of Oasis’ on-the-go drinks spiked by 42.9% in the final 12 weeks of 2021, helping to drive full-year growth of £16.3m for the brand.

“We expect this trajectory to continue, particularly heading into summer, when our multimillion-pound marketing activity will ramp up,” says CCEP VP for commercial development Martin Attock. Take-home packs continue to grow, he adds, “albeit at a slower rate than at the height of restrictions”.

124 (145) San Pellegrino

Sales: £85.0m (+19.3%)

San Pellegrino has added £13.7m after shifting an extra 6.5 million packs of posh pop and fizzy water.

“Our Tastefully Light Italian Sparkling drinks and in-home formats of San Pellegrino water have hit new records,” says owner Nestlé. “Out-of-home formats have seen good recovery and we’re confident this will continue.”

San Pellegrino has also continued to bag listings in the mults for its trendy Essenza unsweetened seltzers, with Asda and Tesco now stocking lines.

110 (132) Buxton

Sales: £92.0m (+16.9%)

Buxton is approaching the top 100 with a £13.3m value surge. Units grew at a slower rate of 10.7%, reflecting a shift to big multipacks during lockdowns.

“Smaller formats are still recovering as out of home purchasing continues to come back,” says owner Nestlé. This recovery is “contributing to the positive performance of natural source waters”.

Buxton isn’t leaving this recovery to chance, though. The brand has run its ‘Rise Up’ push, sharing stories of sportspeople and musicians who have overcome adversity.

123 (138) Bonne Maman

Sales: £85.5m (+12.5%)

Bonne Maman has seen “strong growth” across its portfolio, says head of marketing Savan Sabharwal.

NPD such as Clementine Mousse “helped deliver incrementality” in desserts, while its spreads benefited from more at-home sandwich and toast occasions. These were boosted in November by the addition of a Nutella-like option.

Bonne Maman’s madeleines and other cakes, meanwhile, were buoyed by Brits trading up with the return of large get-togethers.

111 (126) KP

Sales: £91.0m (+10.2%)

An abundance of big nights in and “sharing and pairing” occasions drove KP’s £8.4m gain, says marketing director Kevin McNair. More gains look likely, considering nuts are immune to the incoming regulations on HFSS goods. That represents “a huge opportunity for growth” says McNair – hence NPD such as Aromatic Thai Chilli Coated Peanuts.

Emboldened by these headwinds, KP returned to TV screens in 2021 for the first time in five years, with a £2.5m push targeting younger shoppers.

122 (135) Snickers

Sales: £86.0m (+10.8%)

Snickers has been busy. Having signed Liverpool FC manager Jürgen Klopp for its ‘You’re Not You When You’re Hungry’ push in March, it unveiled limited-edition Creamy Peanut Butter a month later. Then in summer it signalled support for England and Scotland in the delayed Euro 2020 with its ‘Bothlands’ push.

“Sponsoring both Scotland and England this summer is, well, rather awkward,” said senior brand manager Chloe Smith at the time.

Indeed. But it still scored an extra £8.4m.

140 (152) Yazoo

Sales: £73.7m (+11.3%)

Yazoo is flying thanks to a 30% increase in distribution across grocery, according to Dan Chesbrough, business unit controller for grocery at owner FrieslandCampina.

The milkshake brand has kept shoppers enthralled with limited-edition launches such as 2021’s Jaffalicious Choc Orange, which help to create “a sense of exclusivity” and boost “brand longevity in the long run” Chesbrough says.

A partnership with the Minions franchise, meanwhile, helped enforce Yazoo as a go-to for parents, he adds.

128 (136) Sheba

Sales: £83.0m  (+7.2%)

Sheba’s extra £5.6m was driven by higher average prices as owners “indulge their cats with premium, healthy meals” says Kim Smet, interim GM at owner Mars Petcare.

It’s also been meeting “demand for products inspired by regional cuisines in human food” with launches including Sheba Fresh Cuisine – a range of wet food across variants such as Taste of Tokyo.

Plus, the brand has launched its Sheba Hope Reef Programme, aimed at restoring 185,000 square miles of coral reef by 2029.

146 (155) Butcher’s

Sales: £68.7m (+8.6%)

Butcher’s extra £5.4m is largely the result of a 6.8% increase in average pack price, with volumes up just 1.7%.

But the dogfood maker is still a legitimate challenger. Its natural ingredients, health-focused options and fully recyclable packaging make it bang on trend – and deserving of the Grocer Gold 2021 award for best petfood brand.

A few years ago, Butcher’s was out of step and facing a fall in sales and delistings. It’s now in such demand that it’s just landed £43m in funds to accelerate growth.