TINY TASTES

Nov 12, 2007 12:00 PM, By KELLY GATES

Today's private-label baby and kid products are healthier, higher-quality and faring so well that retailers are expanding their lines


         Subscribe in NewsGator Online   Subscribe in Bloglines

At Whole Foods, the Whole Kids Center Store offering includes hot chocolate mix, applesauce, apple juice, mustard, peanut butter, and macaroni and cheese. Its fresh offering consists of fruits and vegetables such as small apples, bite-size carrots, green pepper strips and cherry tomatoes.

Sainsbury's Kids currently includes 56 products but will grow to over 90 in February, Hannah Quarmby, senior brand manager for Sainsbury's, told SN.

“We are also revising our age target from 5 to 10 years to consumers who are between the ages of 4 and 8,” she said.

The chain's decision to change its target age group came after research revealed that kids begin to perceive themselves as more adultlike at or around the age of 8. Consequently, they don't respond well to marketing strategies aimed at children.

Age alterations aside, Sainsbury's recently introduced several new items in advance of its February 2008 expansion.

“One is a range of juicy water drinks that provide a child with a portion of their 5-a-day [of fruits and vegetables], with no artificial colors, flavorings or preservatives,” said Quarmby. “The other is a range of organic miniature kids' fruits: apples, pears and kiwis.”

The retailer will also introduce cooking equipment and an apron-and-hat set to encourage kids to participate in meal preparation. They can get started with the line's mini-burger kit that includes ground beef, seasonings and a round cookie cutter for shaping the perfect patty.

Also new in February, all of the Sainsbury's private-label children's products will bear the suggested Food Safety Standards front-of-pack Multiple Traffic Light Labeling system. The color-coded icons will enable moms to quickly discern the fat, saturated fat, sugar, salt and calorie content of each product, according to the retailer.

Healthy and wholesome items often catch parents' attention, but licensed characters, such as those used in Kroger's Disney Magic Selections line, reel in the youngsters.

The initial offerings of the line, which was launched last year, consisted of around 100 items with characters from Disney/Pixar's “The Incredibles” on packaging.

Then the chain rolled out its baby and toddler products touting Disney images of Bambi, Thumper, Dumbo and the Bear in the Big Blue House.

Licensing is likely to be incorporated into more private-label lines in upcoming years, said Sharoff.

Harvest Market, Fort Bragg, Calif., doesn't have its own line of children's foods, but Yvonne Galliani, store manager and district buyer for the retailer's two stores, recognizes the potential.

“If we added private label for little kids or babies, we would probably start with something like juice,” she said.

Galliani is on target with today's trends. Sales of private-label baby juice increased 4.8% to $492,448 during the 52 weeks ending Oct. 6, according to Nielsen. In comparison, branded baby juice sales were down 10.9% to just over $69.6 million during the same time period.

Whole Foods has a store-brand line that contains 100% pure, organic fruit juice. Safeway also has its own brand of juices for kids in apple, wild cherry, fruit punch and lemonade juice varieties.

While Harvest Market might consider its own line of juices in the future, baby food isn't on the retailer's list, said Galliani.

“Canned and bottled baby foods have always been slow movers for us, because most of our customers are into natural and organic foods for themselves and their children, and they typically make their own baby food,” she said.

Indeed, some categories fare much better than others when it comes to private-label products for children, said Jim Hertel, managing partner for Willard Bishop Consulting, Barrington, Ill.

“In high-spend, frequently purchased categories like diapers and wipes, economic necessity can compel shoppers to try private label. After that, it's up to the quality of the products to create repeat purchases,” he said. “But, when buying something that will be consumed by a baby or child, like cereal, shoppers are less likely to try private label.”


Acceptable Use Policy
blog comments powered by Disqus

Subscribe / Renew to Supermarket News

Supermarket News

The most reliable source of industry news and insight...in print and online.

 

 


Refresh: A Whole Health Blog

Bob Vosburgh

Bob Vosburgh:

Read More Refresh

Most Viewed News

Read More News

SN Videos

Food Safety Challenges and Solutions

Supervalu’s Dr. John Hanlin addresses food safety issues in local sourcing, sanitation and cold chain.

Insights From SN’s Marketer of the Year

Jon Wendel, senior vice-president of Marketing, Hy-Vee, discusses the role that Marketing plays at his company.

Misconceptions About Hispanic Shoppers

Sidney Hopper, COO of United Supermarkets’ Amigos banner, clarifies some misunderstandings about Hispanic shoppers.

View All

Subscribe to SN

Latest Cover




Related Penton Sites



Plan a food industry meeting with MeetingsNet.

Subscribe to SN

More Premium Content

newsletter image

SN Free Daily Update

The food trade’s leading daily news service. Register Here

Home Use

Home Use

Value, convenience and product uniqueness are familiar criteria for supermarket buyers scanning the exhibit floor for new products...

Ready to Go

Ready to Go

Twice-a-week fish fries and roasted, three-legged chickens get some of the credit for keeping prepared-food sales up at Dash's Market in Buffalo, N.Y.

In the Soup

In the Soup

As a shopper enters the condensed soup segment of a grocery store, her internal clock begins to tick.

Subscribe to Premium Content Today!

Subscribe to Premium Content Today!

Corporate Finance

Read in-depth coverage of quarterly reports.

Marketing Trends

New promotions, new pricing, new products.

Subscribe to Premium Content