>>a monthly look at the most promising newcomers in key grocery categories. this month: dairy

Product: Benecol Yogurt Drink
Company: McNeil’s Consumer
Launch date: November 2003

McNeil’s Consumer Nutritionals’ decision to bring Benecol’s cholesterol-lowering properties to yogurt drinks has proved to be a wise step.

Launched towards the end of last year, Benecol yogurt drink came ahead of its competitors, clocking up 80% distribution of all possible outlets by August (ACNielsen 4 weeks to August 7, 2004).

And this despite retailers raising concern at the time of launch, worrying that the £2.99 price might inhibit its success. Concern was also raised as to whether it was a bad move not to make the Benecol offering probiotic.

However, there is still room for improvement as only just over 2% of ACNielsen’s consumer panel have tried the product, but more than 50% of those have bought the product again.

Another notable debutant last year was the Flora Pro-activ yogurt offering, launched in March, which has made it into 72% of all possible outlets so far.

Less than 3% of the panel has sampled the product, but a reasonable 34% have come back for a second purchase.

Flora Pro-activ Milk, which was launched at the same time, has not fared quite so well. The product had only achieved 43% distribution at the end of August.

The proportion of consumers trying Flora Pro-activ Milk, launched in a one-litre semi-skimmed format, is just over 1% with an impressive 47% of those going back for more.

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