Fall Ahead

It was a sweltering 94 degrees outside in mid-July, but shoppers in Ahold USA’s Stop & Shop, Giant and Martin’s stores kept their cool with an early taste of autumn in the form of Salted Caramel Inspired Creations – the newest offering in the chain’s successful Limited Time Originals private label program.

The lineup of Salted Caramel items in grocery includes popcorn, chocolate chip mini muffins, apple pancake and waffle mix, apple juice, chocolate-covered caramels, peanut and cashew granola bars, refrigerated cookie dough, toffee ice cream, a 4-inch layer cake in the bakery department and Nature’s Promise Salted Caramel Bacon. 

“These limited-time offer programs engage very successfully with Ahold USA’s brands’ most loyal shoppers,” says Kasey Sheffer, private brands director for Ahold USA, based in Carlisle, Pa. “It’s something customers anticipate, as they look to see what new flavors Giant, Stop & Shop and Martin’s bring to them while also clamoring for favorites, like Limoncello, to come back each year. Our limited-time offer programs continue to grow in awareness – well over three-fourths of our brand customers – with most of our shoppers aware of Limoncello, a significant uptick from 2016.”

With Limoncello representing the most popular LTO to-date, “customers give us kudos for providing something differentiated,” Sheffer affirms. 

In addition to Limoncello, which ran during the summer, Ahold USA will once again be introducing pumpkin- and apple-flavored products in the fall, along with peppermint for the holiday season. Sheffer notes that because the items are only out for a limited time, they engage shoppers to come into the store to see what is new and to stock up on favorites while they last.

LTOs Facilitate Creativity

“The program allows us to flex creative muscle, inspiring our brand customers with exciting items,” Sheffer continues, adding: “Our brands get great marks from their shoppers for these products offering great quality and prices. LTOs bring such a halo to our brand stores and private brands that our customers say these efforts increase their perceptions of both.”  

That same experience is happening with national brands.

General Mills, for example, is introducing a whopping 22 seasonal items this fall, with a roster including Pumpkin Spice Cheerios, Pillsbury Grands! Pumpkin Spice Sweet Rolls, and new for 2017, Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Cookies in Salted Caramel Apple, Football Shape Sugar Cookies and Justice League Shape Sugar Cookies.

For the holiday/winter season, General Mills is rolling out a dozen items, including bringing back Banana Nut Cheerios; Pillsbury Grands! Hot Cocoa Sweet Rolls; Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Cookies in Christmas Tree, Snowman, Reindeer, Winter Cutout and Gingerbread Man Cutout shapes; and a new 30-ounce Pillsbury Gingerbread Chub Cookie tube.

“Limited-edition flavors give consumers something to look forward to as the seasons change,” explains Mike Siemienas, a spokesman for Minneapolis-based General Mills. “With the arrival of fall, consumers look forward to pumpkin and apple-flavored products. As we get into the holidays and cookie season, the flavors that consumers are looking for include gingerbread, snickerdoodle and peppermint.”

Many of General Mills’ limited-edition items are returning favorites. According to Siemienas, it is the consumer who makes the ultimate decision as to which products will return next year, based on their purchases. “We also look at current flavor trends to determine the new flavors that we introduce,” he says. “When items are popular, we normally bring them back the next year. A lot of the excitement around these products is based on the time of year they are available.”

Entice with Endcaps

To maximize sales, Siemienas recommends retailers merchandise limited-edition items on endcaps or in a specially designated holiday section. “Consumers have become very accustomed to these flavors appearing for a limited period,” he says.

When it comes to massive displays of seasonal holiday products, the soft drink aisle is among the most active in the store.

“During the holiday season, many shoppers are visiting the store with a mission to entertain friends and family at home,” affirms Jeanine Lewis, brand director, Coca-Cola Trademark at the Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Co. “Beverage stock-up trips increase 20 percent during the November-December time period. Our brands are perfect complements to these occasions.”

Starting October 30, select Coca-Cola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Life and Coca-Cola Zero packages will be adorned with holiday graphics, which will appear on a broad range of packages including glass bottles, mini cans, 12-ounce cans and MPET bottles. “They will feature holiday graphics inclusive of the iconic Sundblom Santa, Polar Bears and snowflakes. Coca-Cola Life and Coca-Cola Zero will feature Sundblom Santa Graphics on mini-can and six-pack 8-ounce glass carriers only,” Lewis notes.

In terms of limited-edition flavors, the company is introducing two Coca-Cola Freestyle promotional mixes for the holiday, and on grocery shelves, seasonal favorites Sprite Cranberry and Sprite Cranberry Zero are also returning.

“Coca-Cola also has a multitude of innovative merchandising solutions that closely link the holidays to meals and at-home entertainment occasions,” says Lewis. In terms of display and messaging, “We want to drive a clear shopper connection that nothing refreshes your family’s holidays like Coca-Cola products.”

Cranberry Spices Up the Deli Case

Around the holidays, cranberry is not only popular in the soft drink aisle and the produce case, but in the deli counter, too, as evidenced by Hormel’s fall lineup featuring Jennie-O Cranberry Sage Turkey Breast.

“Jennie-O Cranberry Sage Turkey Breast is great in the traditional service deli or grab-and-go areas of the store, but what makes it a favorite as a holiday limited-time offering is its versatility,” says Brent Koosmann, director of marketing at Jennie-O Turkey Store, a division of Austin, Minn.-based Hormel Foods Corp. “Its unique blend of sweet, savory and fruity flavors makes it the perfect complement to any holiday charcuterie plate or at a holiday party.”

Koosmann notes that limited-time offerings help bring excitement to the deli counter. “Consumers are looking for new and exciting flavors to try, and the deli is the perfect place for them to find authentic and bold new items. The limited availability,” he continues, “also creates an urgency for consumers, driving them back more often to purchase their favorite item. Delis can take advantage of this throughout the year and cement their statues as the ‘go-to’ stop for grocery shoppers. The holidays are a great time for limited-time offerings because it gives people something new and unique to bring to parties or gatherings.”

Hormel Cinnamon Apples are another seasonal product with which the company has found success. The versatile product can be served as either a side dish or dessert, topped with ice cream and granola, Koosmann suggests.

Spooky Eyeballs Ready to Roll

Of course, from Valentine’s Day hearts to chocolate bunnies and giant bags of “fun size” Halloween treats, the candy aisle has always been a mainstay for limited-edition products. However, in recent years manufacturers have added even more excitement with limited-edition flavors and shapes for their flagship brands.

The Hershey Co., for instance, is rolling out Reese’s Peanut Butter Spooky Eyeballs for this Halloween, along with Cadbury Harvest Mix  Solid Milk Chocolates with a Crisp Sugar Shell, along with a new Hershey’s Gift Cubes line that company officials say will re-invent holiday gift giving with festive four-sided graphics and an easy-to-peel, resealable lid.

“We suggest creating themed point-of-sale to showcase limited-edition products and drive impactful merchandising,” notes Mike Rabinovitz, senior brand manager, Halloween/Valentine’s Day at The Hershey Co. “Exciting signs and stands make any new product known and encourages consumers to engage with the product. The key is to use the brand news to drive merchandising and excitement for the entire line of related products.”

John Kerr, director of marketing at R.M. Palmer Co., based in Reading, Pa., suggests retailers merchandise limited-edition chocolate products in several areas throughout the store, including the seasonal aisle, end caps and free-standing displays in complementary sections including party goods, household goods, baking and the dairy aisle.

For Christmas, R.M. Palmer is introducing Stocking Puppies in lifelike foil Golden Retriever and Dalmatian graphics; Caramel Jingle Bear with a caramel filling; Christmas Bars, Double Crisp bars wrapped in Santa and Snowman graphics; and Santa’s Holiday Mix, featuring six assorted items.

Kerr recommends retailers put out holiday items as early as possible.

“Merchandising early leads to increased sales over the span of the holiday season,” Kerr says. “Shoppers make purchases which they consume prior to the holiday and therefore need to replace.”

Breaking Out of the Pumpkin Shell

Over at Mars, the M&M’S characters are coming out of their pumpkin shells with the introduction of M&M’S Brand White Pumpkin Pie Candies Harvest Blend. “Pumpkin pie is one of the top four flavors consumers desire in the fall season,” says Larry Lupo, VP of sales – Grocery, Convenience & Drug Channels for Mars Chocolate North America, based in Hackettstown, N.J. “This new item will drive incremental sales for the M&M’S Harvest portfolio, and seasonal packaging and product coloring will extend and maximize sales throughout the season.”

In addition to limited-edition flavors, Mars offers limited-edition packaging for most of its brands to celebrate all the major holidays, and even for summer. “Unique holiday graphics entice shoppers to celebrate with their family and friends in new and different ways,” Lupo says. “For Halloween, seasonal confections should be displayed September through Thanksgiving, while stores should set for Christmas by November 1,” he adds.