Focus On Canned & Ambient Food: 12 April

By Rob Brown (rob_j_a_brown@hotmail.com)

Publishing: 12 April 2025

Advertising deadline: 28 March 2025

Submissions deadline: 24 March 2025

Print, digital and sponsorship opportunities

Brands have taken the upper hand in canned and ambient food, with overall branded share of this £2.9bn category passing the 50% mark in the past year [Kantar 52 w/e 26 January 2025]. Much of this, according to analysts, is being driven by Italian-inspired brands. What’s behind their growth? What can other brands and own-label operators learn from these successes over the past year? And how are canned and ambient brands using health, naturalness and foodie cues to market their products?

Merchandising: This feature will also play close attention to how different retailers and brands are looking to maximise canned and ambient sales through in-store marketing and merchandising. How are featured space promotions, link deals and the like being used to drive growth?

The UPF debate: This feature will explore the opportunities and challenges that growing consumer concern about ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are presenting the canned and ambient food category. How are brands marketing their products and responding to concerns about UPFs?

Innovation: This feature will pay close attention to the latest trends in the culinary world and how this is playing out in terms of product innovation We will profile eight new products or ranges, ideally ones that have not appeared in The Grocer before. We need launch date, rsp, and a hi-res picture of each.