Loved by Us gets the chop in Co-op own-label revamp

The Co-op is ditching its Loved by Us brand and revamping its premium tier as part of a major restructuring of its own-label offer.

Loved by Us will be phased out over coming months and replaced by the simpler Co-op brand, which has already been introduced in some fresh and chilled lines.

Meanwhile the Truly Irresistible premium range becomes Irresistible, initially featuring 350 lines across 35 categories, with the first products under the new name appearing at the end of the month, The Grocer has learnt.

The Co-op hopes the premium tier, which currently account for 7.5% of own-brand food sales, will increase to 10% within three years. The own-brand shake-up will affect all 3,500 SKUs and ties in with the start of the new Co-op 5:1 membership proposition, which launches on 21 September.

The mutual said ditching Loved by Us brought its standard tier food range in line with the rebranding it announced at its agm in May, when the new retro Co-op logo first appeared on 625 core products. It also appeared on colleague uniforms, store receipts and advertising and is being rolled out across all stores over the next three years.

The Co-op hopes to take own-brand sales to members from 25% to 50% and own-brand revenue from 48% to 55% of sales in the revamp.

Breige Donaghy, director of food development, said the purpose of the Irresistible premium range was to have ‘delicious’ food, in the right stores, targeting eating occasions and focusing on key seasonal events like Christmas.

The first 350 SKUs include ready meals and party food, snacks, sandwiches, desserts and pizzas. Further recipes and products will come out at Christmas when customers want to trade up, Donaghy said.

“Our team have spent many months and travelled many miles to source and discover quality and authentic ingredients to develop our premium range,” she said. “We have worked with our suppliers to create dishes that deliver flavour and developed recipes that use restaurant preparation and cookery methods to produce food to exceed customers’ expectations.”

The range includes such lines as kale and chilli prawn pizza; Italian n’duja sausage; and cheese-filled provolone pasta.