Crosse & Blackwell claims to be master of the reduced fat salad cream sector with its Waistline range holding a 33% share ­ outselling Heinz Weightwatchers almost two to one. Sales of reduced fat salad cream are up 13% in the year to date following a number of years witnessing limited or no growth, C&B adds. Waistline is also making inroads into premium dressings ­ a market which is up 21% in the year to date ­ with the launch of Waistline Low Fat Italian and Salsa Dressings. "These products fit in nicely with the latest food trends and contemporary tastes for variety ­ it's what people want from salad dressings," says Dominic Box, C&B's condiments marketing manager. "Salad cream tends to be more of a family purchase, whereas with reduced fat dressings, people tend to be buying for themselves because they want to add variety to their diet. "It's an area where consumers are willing to pay a bit more." Own label accounts for around a fifth of the market, he adds, although the brands continue to hold the lion's share as a result of the levels of investment involved. To tap further into the healthy eating arena, last year the company developed Light Blue Cheese and Light Garlic and Herb dressings."There's no reason why dressings should be limited to use with salads, which is where these dressings come in," says Box. "These can also be used on certain hot dishes ­ baked potato with Light Blue Cheese dressing, for example. "It's all about demonstrating how the use of these products can be expanded to fit in with the trends towards convenience. We spend a lot of time communicating alternative uses for our products, and using them on hot food is part of that."{{FOCUS SPECIALS }}

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