Freshways milk (1) (2) (1) (1)

109 (122) Freshways

Sales: £105.5m (+17.1%)

Freshways has lately been preoccupied with its surprise December purchase of Müller’s Milk & More doorstep delivery business.

The acquisition was a clear sign of ambition from a milk processing business that has delivered a branded value sales jump of £15.4m.

Gains were largely driven by a 15.3% hike in average price per pack – the end result of elevated farmgate prices. But the brand has also delivered a volume gain of 1.6% thanks to an increase in distribution, particularly via Iceland.

KP nuts

112 (117) KP

Sales: £104.1m (+13.7%)

KP is edging towards the top 100 thanks to a £12.6m value gain on volumes up 2.4%.

The nut brand has sought to drive growth by tapping sharing occasions. In October, it added 130g Flavour Kravers bags of Crunchy Coated Aromatic Thai Chilli and Crunchy Coated Katsu Curry.

The following month, KP invested in a multichannel push aimed at sharing snacks in the Christmas period.

“Our portfolio is hugely versatile, satisfying cravings,” says KP Snacks marketing director Kevin McNair.

 

113 (116) Febreze

febreze

Sales: £103.7m (+11.9%)

Fabric and air freshener brand Febreze is wafting ever closer to the top 100, having put an extra £11.1m through tills. This is largely down to higher prices; unit sales have slipped 2.3%. But the brand is also pushing NPD.

“Last year saw the return of the much-loved Frosted Eucalyptus scent,” says P&G VP for sales Ian Morley. He also points to “the launch of our first-ever springtime limited-edition range, Country Garden”.

Plus, the brand is a regular fixture in loyalty price schemes.

More Britain’s Biggest Brands:

 

118 (132) Tango

Sales: £100.2m (+23.5%)

Mango Tango

Tango has seen both value and volume sales soar in the past year – no mean feat in a struggling soda category.

One factor in its favour is the recipe for its flagship orange variant, which has low enough sugar levels (4.6g per 100ml) to duck HFSS rules. It’s allowed the brand to stay prominent in stores amid the clampdown.

But Tango’s newer flavours have been the real driver behind its rise up the ranking this year. Sugar-free Apple, launched in 2022, is now worth £25m alone, says Britvic.

 

120 (131) Regina

Sales: £99.5m (+21.4%)

regina

Paper goods brand Regina has added £17.6m after shifting an extra 2.3 million packs.

That success has been driven by keen pricing, maintained through regular loyalty card price deals for its kitchen roll. Bold on-pack claims about absorption and strength have also buoyed units.

Similar factors are at play in loo roll, which Regina entered in September 2019. At time of writing, Sainsbury’s was selling nine rolls of its Soft Bamboo Toilet Tissue at £4 for Nectar cardholders – down from £5.50.

 

123 (130) Butcher’s

Sales: £97.4m (+18.1%)

Butchers Heathy Heart Image Option 3

Butcher’s has donated more than three million meals since starting its #NourishEveryDog campaign in 2019. It pledges to fill a needy dog’s bowl every time the hashtag is used on social media.

The natural dogfood brand has also added £14.9m after shifting 374,600 more packs.

Plus, it has been growing distribution in supermarkets for its wet meals, and grown its Natural Health Support lineup. In October, the brand introduced a Recover & Revive variant for dogs recovering from illness or surgery.

 

125 (133) Oreo

Sales: £94.9m (+17.4%)

Oreo large 004

While a 1.3% volume gain seems slight, it means Oreo has outperformed the many biscuit brands to suffer a fall in unit sales.

This performance is down to the pull of established brands that consumers “return to time and time again”, says Susan Nash, trade comms manager at owner Mondelez.

But inability to grow volumes substantially – despite the lipstick effect that often lifts sales of small treats during economic hardship – points to challenges for the brand, such as HFSS rules.

 

127 (137) Twix

Sales: £93.4m (+18.9%)

Twix

With HFSS making life difficult for chocolate brands by shutting down impulse fixtures, Twix has expanded into new categories.

In February 2023, it moved into ice cream with Twix Cones. It was “a natural progression”, says Mars Chocolate Drinks & Treats GM Michelle Frost.

It followed up last month with the addition of a Twix variant to Mars’ Secret Centre Biscuits range, which is growing fast. “We expect the new Twix Secret Centre Biscuits to accelerate this growth,” says Frost.

 

137 (148) Pukka Pies

Sales: £85.0m (+23.2%)

Pukka Pies lifestyle

Faced with the challenge of attracting a younger generation, Pukka Pies has pulled out all the stops.

Last year, it brought out on-trend, takeaway-style flavour combinations, including Pepperoni Pizza Slice and Chip Shop Chicken Curry Pie. The buoyant pastry brand – currently looking for a new owner – is “shaking up the category by being different, by bringing our fun and personality to shoppers”, says its MD Isaac Fisher.

The strategy seems to be paying off: value sales are up £16m on units up 12.5%.

 

140 (154) Fage

Sales: £83.9m (+31.3%)

Fage

Greek yoghurt brand Fage reports an “exceptional performance over the last 12 months”.

The sales numbers back its claim: volumes are up 2.2 million packs. That’s a healthy 8.5% gain despite a 21% increase in average price per pack.

Fage has grown units because “quality and value remain really important to justify a share of the shopping basket”, it says.

The brand is now gearing up to launch the spring push ‘It’s pronounced Fa-Yeh for a reason’ with key messages around taste, texture and protein.

Topics

Where next for Britain’s Biggest Brands?