KP Nuts: Just nuts about Christmas time KP Nuts Chesterton Road Eastwood Trading Estate Rotherham South Yorkshire S65 1TD Tel: 01709 828101 Fax: 01709 828508 Key contactS General manager Andy Rush Sales controller Duncan Hill Marketing manager Aoife Burnell Key Brands · Nutopia · Original salted peanuts · Jumbo salted peanuts · Dry roasted peanuts · Mixed peanuts & raisins · Large roasted cashews · Large roasted pistachios · Exotic nuts & nibbles · Nut & candy · Honey roasted peanuts & cashews KP Nuts, producing high-quality packaged nuts since 1952, sees the Christmas season as a key focus for its marketing and promotion. Christmas has always been a vital time of year for the nut industry, accounting for more than 40% of annual sales. Last year, the nut category saw a year-on-year sales increase of more than 8% over the Christmas period. Bearing this in mind, KP Nuts continues to provide a seasonal range for consumers while driving incremental value and volume sales for retailers. The Christmas season is all about creating visibility and impact but also providing a range that meets consumer needs and pockets. Merchandising, packaging and the correct range are therefore vital for driving sales. The KP range provides high visibility through its primary packaging and products. The company has also made a number of bulk display units available to show off the products in a prominent fashion. Display units are available for all packaging types ­ bags, pots and Nutopia boxes. The KP Christmas range comes in four categories: extra value bags; resealable large pots; resealable luxury pots; and premium Nutopia boxes. According to the company, the offer of 20% extra free on the three core extra value bags has worked well for a number of years, offering value for money for family or party nights. Specific display units are available for these bags ­ housing 20 cases of product, they are delivered to stores with the product already packed inside. Peanuts in resealable large pots are a party or nibble staple and Christmas is the ultimate party season. KP Nuts' larger "party packs" (original salted peanuts, 600g; jumbo salted peanuts, 600g; dry roasted peanuts, 560g; mixed peanut & raisins, 625g) present everyday peanuts in a resealable format for family sharing, parties and snacking. Bright new packaging adds to the on-shelf visibility and impact. The resealable luxury pot range has been extended to include a 370g nut & candy variant. This product is already available in the KP Shots range (45g tubes) and is proving popular with "sweet tooth" consumers. The range also includes large roasted cashews (340g), exotic nuts & nibbles (260g), honey roasted peanuts & cashews (349g) and large roasted pistachios (250g). This luxury range is aimed at consumers who have a feel for the exotic or want a change from the norm. The new silver packaging communicates the quality of the contents and attracts the consumer's eye. KP Nuts describes the new Nutopia range as a decadent new set of products, an indulgent range that is suitable for the real treat occasion and will appeal to the stocking-filler shopper. The three products in the range have been specifically designed and packaged for the indulgent nut lover: Pecan Perfection (100g) covers pecans with a creamy caramel coating; Chocolate Addition (150g) contains a selection of nuts and raisins coated in white and milk chocolate; and the Luxury Nut Selection (125g) includes hazelnuts, cashews and pecans. Each one is packed in a compact, stylish box, giving them gift-worthy appeal as well as on-shelf impact. KP Nuts says its Christmas range has an offering to suit all retailers, from everyday economy bags and big party pots to luxury, while the overall package offers keen price points, high visibility and lots of choice. It expects to increase sales by at least 10% year on year this Christmas. The nut market in general has seen consistent growth in recent years, pushing forward about 9% on the latest MAT. KP Nuts is the undisputed top branded nut manufacturer, outperforming its nearest branded rival on a value share basis by 17% within the grocery trade (Information Resources value share latest MAT). KP says it is continuing to invest in the nut market, fuelling the company's growth through an integrated marketing programme and innovation. According to the company, its broad portfolio of products, including peanuts, treenuts and nut snack mixes, ensures that retailers can find the right products and pack types to suit the needs of their customers and their store layouts. {{Z SUPPLEMENTS }}