Premier Foods is looking to steal back share from chilled desserts with the launch of a range of Ambrosia rice products featuring new flavours and formats.

The new Ambrosia line-up comprises 12 ambient products in yoghurt-style formats.Among the new SKUs is the Müller Corners-style Rice+, an individual rice pud with raspberry or strawberry jam on the side (rsp: 69p).

The new range would grow the ambient desserts category by targeting snacking occasions, claimed Premier desserts brand director Caroline Jary, adding that Ambrosia would benefit from its biggest-ever investment this year. The £10m marketing budget is five times last year’s Ambrosia spend.

The other products in the range are a 190g snack pot in original, apple, strawberry and custard flavours (rsp: 65p) and a 500g resealable family pot in original flavour (rsp: £1.39).

Smaller 120g pots in original, apple, strawberry and chocolate (rsp: 45p) would target the lunchbox and after-school market. Premier is also launching a 99-calorie 115g Light Rice (rsp: 49p), in another nod to Müller.

The new products will replace Ambrosia’s existing 150g rice pots which include an original, banana, chocolate and low-fat variant.

The move is part of an ongoing effort to revive the fortunes of Premier, which previously announced it was doubling its marketing spend on its ‘power brands’ in 2012 to £50m.

Last week Premier expanded Sharwood’s into wrap meal kits.

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