Adams Foods is to relaunch Pilgrims Choice next month in an attempt to revive the fortunes of the Cheddar category - and the brand.

Overall Cheddar category sales have fallen 6.9% in value year on year to £620.5m on volumes down 13.7% to 83.1 million kg [Kantar Worldpanel 52 w/e 14 September 2014].

Adams Foods brands director Mike Harper said the onus was on the major branded players to innovate and persuade consumers to trade up in Cheddar.

Revamped black packaging will be rolling out on 11 Pilgrims Choice SKUs from mid-January.

This will be followed by a £3m marketing campaign from May, which will include social media activity, TV, print and digital advertising.

Designed in-house by Adams Foods, the new look was “sensitive to Pilgrims Choice’s historic design equity, whilst modernising the pack and playing to key category navigation cues,” claimed Harper.

“So many brands are saying exactly the same thing, yet volumes are still falling,” he said. “The category is calling out for something different.”

“Pilgrims Choice is the number two brand in Cheddar and we are keen to capitalise on this position by bringing a distinct, disruptive campaign that will energise the category,” Harper added.

Adams will be hoping the push can also energise sales of the Pilgrims Choice brand, which are down by 1% to £74.01m for the 52 weeks to 11 October, with volume sales down by 6% [Nielsen].

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