Natalie Brown
Natalie Brown writes for The Grocer on a freelance basis.
Category ReportPeriod care’s cool challengers: personal care category report 2024
Squeamishness about periods is going out of fashion – and brands that take a more frank approach are winning share
Category ReportSpicing up babycare: infant care category report 2020
Socially conscious small brands are giving market leaders a serious run for their money
Category ReportNatural power: protein category report 2019
Eggs are among the foods shouting about their naturally high protein content – giving bars and shakes some fresh competition
Category ReportThe rise of dark, Brexit effects and the British chocolate boom: bumper confectionery category report 2019
How are chocolate and sweets prevailing despite facing multiple challenges? We find out in this bumper category report
Category ReportBack from the dead: The Dairymen butters & spreads report 2019
After years in decline, vegetable fat spreads are back in growth, with sales up £12.5m in the past year. What’s behind this rebirth?
Category ReportWhy happy guts make for happy sales: The Dairymen dairy drinks report 2019
The gut health trend is giving dairy drinks reason to smile, as kefirs and probiotics gain ground. Can these go mainstream?
Category ReportPlaying chicken: poultry category report 2019
The standoff over the EU is putting the British tradition of the chicken dinner on the line
Category ReportThe lunchbox police: school lunchbox category report 2019
Schools are increasingly policing kids’ lunchboxes. What can brands do to adapt?
Category ReportThe captain's table: frozen food category report 2019
Frozen food is developing culinary credentials far beyond fish fingers
Category ReportKatsu for kids: infant care category report 2019
Quinoa, amaranth and turmeric are among the ingredients making their way into a new generation of highfalutin baby and infant products
Category ReportShaking it up: cooking sauces category report 2019
Consumers are leaving one-step sauces behind for more adventurous kits and pastes
Category ReportCleaning up the planet: household category report 2019
Environmental awareness and social media influencers are having a profound effect on the category
Analysis & FeaturesSpending squeeze hits babycare
Cash-strapped parents are turning to the discounters as sales in the supers slump
Category ReportBack in fashion: pasta & pasta sauces category report 2018
The low-carb diet fad has come and gone. Pasta is back in vogue
Category ReportSpecialised delivery: toiletries category report 2018
This admittedly still niche direct-to-consumer concept is rapidly gaining ground
Category ReportDown & out? The Dairymen butters & spreads report 2018
Strange but true: branded butters & spreads now cost 32p per kg less than own label, following a year of rampant price inflation
Category ReportSunny side up: Breakfast category report 2018
The breakfast category has bounced back from two years of decline, with shoppers shelling out an additional £10m on the first meal of the day
Category ReportLike moths to a flame: free-from category report 2018
The sector has attracted mainstream brands that haven’t changed in any way for the free-from audience – but which are benefiting from its boom
Category ReportHere comes the sunflower: oils category report 2018
An extra 4.4 million litres of sunflower oil were sold in the past year – an 8.4% rise
Category ReportThe breakfast grub: Yoghurt Category Report 2018
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. That’s fast becoming the case for yoghurt