A free-from alternative to Pringles is set to make its UK debut.
Called The Good Crisp Company, the brand will debut with a quartet of 160g sharing canisters in Original, Sour Cream & Onion, Sea Salt & Vinegar and Smoky BBQ.
Original and Sour Cream & Onion will also roll out in a 45g impulse format.
While specific rsps and listings are yet to be confirmed, they are set to hit retailers’ free-from aisles in January 2024 and be “about 40% more expensive than Pringles”.
The Good Crisp Company was founded in 2015 by Australian marketer Matt Parry, who was following a gluten-free diet at the time.
Parry wanted to create a gluten-free alternative to Pringles, which he couldn’t eat as they contain wheat flour.
Parry created The Good Crisp Company and brought the brand to the US in 2017, securing initial listings in Whole Foods Market stores in northern California.
The brand has since rapidly expanded its distribution – gaining listings in Walmart and Kroger – and in 2021 sold a minority stake to Lotus Bakeries’ investment fund FF2032.
Its North American sales are projected to reach over $50m in 2023.
The Good Crisp Company’s UK debut is being supported by nascent fmcg consultancy Balloon Brands, which was founded in October by John McManus, and aims to scale better-for-you and premium brands in the UK and Ireland market.
Over the past decade, McManus has played a crucial role in bringing several US food & drink brands to the UK, holding senior sales and marketing roles at the likes of Chobani, Vita Coco and Kind.
While The Good Crisp Company is the first international supplier on Balloon Brands’ roster, McManus hopes to recruit two or three more ”premium” brands over the next 12 months.
“For example, this [The Good Crisp Company’s range] is going to be about 40% more expensive than Pringles,” he said.
“We’ll essentially act as fractional country managers for these brands coming into the UK.”
McManus said his first tactic with The Good Crisp Company was to “engage the coeliac community” who were “super-vocal, super-loyal, super interested”.
“We have plans to engage that community through events, sampling, influencers… Just like we did with Kind, the aim of the game is to get the product into hands.”
No comments yet