Dr Oetker Ristorante has reformulated its core line of frozen pizzas to make them HFSS compliant.
Six core flavours – Pepperoni, Speciale, Mozzarella, Funghi, Hawaii and Pollo – have undergone recipe changes and as a result will be exempt from the clampdown on HFSS products planned for October.
The brand has also unveiled a “multimillion-pound refresh” of its UK packaging and brand proposition “to sustain its position within the market for the future”.
The updated pizza boxes will feature “warmer colour palettes” and a new logo.
This was the “first time one of the countries has broken away” from the standard global packaging for Dr Oetker Ristorante, said head of marketing Paula Wyatt.
A £2m marketing campaign, meanwhile, would pay homage to Ristorante’s “Italian-inspired origins and the joy of eating Italian-inspired pizza”, said the brand.
Kicking off with a TV ad on 1 April, the ‘Play it Italian’ campaign will run across on-demand, cinema and prime-time TV slots, and is expected to reach 10 million consumers.
Wyatt said 2022 was “already shaping up to be an exciting year for Ristorante and we’re looking forward to taking our brand in a fresh, new direction”.
The relaunch showcased “everything we love about the Italian way of life, while reinforcing our positioning as a modern, dynamic, energising and playful brand”, Wyatt added.
“We have a hugely loyal customer base and know that consumers love our iconic taste. The brand relaunch will reinforce our commitment to quality, while also encouraging new customers to ‘Play it Italian’ with their at-home meals.”
It comes after what Wyatt called “a challenging few years” for the Dr Oetker brand.
Value sales of its Dr Oetker branded frozen pizzas fell by £3m (down 6.2%) on volumes down 3.7% in the 52 weeks until 11 September 2021, for instance [NielsenIQ]. However its Chicago Town brand saw volumes rise 4.8%.
September saw Dr Oetker make a major move into healthier pizzas with the launch of a new non-HFSS range called The Good Baker.
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