Clover Lightest

Dairy Crest is expanding the Clover range with a new super-light spread, which it hopes will help propel Clover past the £100m sales mark.

Clover Lighter than Light contains 38% fat compared with 49% for Clover Light and 70% for standard Clover, and just 10.9% satfat compared with 21.3% for Light and 25.5% for standard. It launches in Tesco on 31 March (rsp: £2 for a 500g tub), with listings in other retailers to follow.

Dairy Crest believes Lighter than Light will generate about £5m in sales over the next 12 months, which would help push the Clover brand past £100m in sales. It is currently worth £94.8m [IRI 1 February 2014].

Consumers were looking for healthy yet tasty products suitable for everyday use, and “products with reduced fat and satfat content assure a level of healthiness that shoppers can easily understand and navigate,” Dairy Crest said. “Lighter than Light allows our consumers to enjoy what they’re eating without feeling guilty,” added group brand manager Sophie Lyons.

Reduced-fat spreads have suffered recently while butter sales have done well, but Dairy Crest insisted there was still a compelling case for reduced-fat products in BSM. “Clover Lighter than Light is dediated to consumers who are seeking balance and moderation - they are looking for a healthy product,” it said. “Some consumers switch to butter, but there is still a high, significant number who are seeking the taste but in a low-fat product that Clover Lighter than Light offers.”

Arla launched a super-light version of its Lurpak butter in 2012, called Lurpak Lightest Spreadable, but Dairy Crest stressed Lighter than Light was not a reaction to Lurpak. “Clover Light didn’t lose sales to Lurpak Lightest. Butter consumers are looking for a different product proposition.”

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