Piccolo is making a major move into the baby formula market.
The brand has created a trio of upmarket organic baby formula milks: first infant, follow-on and growing up (rsp: £14.99/800g).
They are made with organic milk sourced from certified organic farms.
The trio will roll into Boots and Ocado from mid-February, followed by Sainsbury’s from March. The launch will be backed by a £2m marketing push.
“We are proud to have developed a truly organic infant formula range which has considered quality and safety at every stage,” said Piccolo founder Cat Gazzoli.
She added that though breastfeeding was best for babies and had many benefits, parents “should have choices that feel right for them”.
“I know that if, or when, I decide to turn to formula milk, I want to feel 100% confident in the product.
“So, I got to work, consulting with experts to tailor-make a formula that works for babies and parents.”
Piccolo is currently the UK’s sixth-biggest player in the babyfood category, despite having launched as recently as 2016. It grew its supermarket value sales 14.1% to £2.4m last year, overtaking Organix [Nielsen 52 w/e 7 September 2019].
It comes as baby milk sales have fallen significantly over recent years, driven by the UK’s declining birth rate and an increasing number of Brits choosing to breastfeed: value sales were down 5% in 2019 [Nielsen].
Piccolo has also launched a free-to-join ‘Family Club’, offering parents “real support” from family health and wellbeing experts on “everything from boosting their mood post-birth to weaning and meal inspiration”.
Last year the brand launched the UK’s first bio-based babyfood pouches, made from up to 80% of bio-sourced raw materials from renewable sources, which rolled out across its Piccolo Pure and multipack ranges.
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