Lyons Instant Coffee: Last time PV spoke to him, Andy Dixon told us that he had a cunning plan. His strategy to win more business could have come directly from Harvard Business School: ‘I’ll be knocking on doors’, he told us.
He must have knocked on a lot of open doors, judging by the threefold increase in turnover the brand has achieved in the past year or so. ‘It all boils down to the fact that the brand offers a unique combination of quality, value for money and British manufacture’ he told us.
Andy will no doubt tell that story a time or two during Virtual Vendex, but he’s got some ‘hot-off-the-press’ news to go with it… However, like the people who read the shipping forecast, he starts off by presenting the General Synopsis, before delving into the detail of what’s happening in Dogger, Biscay or German Bight.
‘Overall, the future’s looking bright for us, our business has seen substantial growth in each of the sectors in which we’re engaged: discount retail – we supply high-street outlets such as Saver, PoundStretcher as well as the CO-OP. In vending, too, sales have exceeded our expectations and I’m proud to say that the number of vending operators who have engaged with our vending coffee is growing. Better still, that growth is accelerating as customers see us as an entirely viable and more profitable alternative to the more established vending brands. Finally, we’re also making an increasing impact in the hospitality and catering sectors.’
Lyons Instant Coffee is taking the opportunity that this success has delivered to add more products to its roster.
‘This month, we’re introducing Lyons Signature Decaffeinated to our range’, Andy says. ‘I know you’ve heard it before, but this is, genuinely, a launch made in response to customer demand. We looked carefully at the marketplace and decided to go ahead. De-caff completes the range and with its distinctive blue packaging, it looks as good as it tastes.
‘I’m excited by the potential of our 750g catering tins, offering a choice of either Rich Roast or Gold Roast. Once again, they are available through ARN, and they’re selling fast, both to food service wholesalers and vending operators. These products are extremely keenly priced’, Andy said, ‘delivering significant savings when compared to alternatives of similar high quality. They offer operators the chance to make a lot more money without having to sell more cups of coffee. They are a great proposition.’
The pandemic has made people more conscious of hygiene and its role in preventing infection, and the final weapon in Andy’s sample bag is a stick/sachet. ‘Our new sticks are the perfect coffee solution in all kinds of scenarios’, Andy says. ‘There are three varieties: Gold Roast, Rich Roast and Decaffeinated. Added to our range of eight instant coffee mix sachets – including Amaretto, Latte, Flat White , Iced Salted Caramel and Hazelnut – we have an offer that is ideal for numerous situations, from Offices, Outdoor Spaces to B&Bs and everywhere in between. They are all available from ARN, starting this week. Once again, with ‘Lyons’ on the packet, our product bears a unique brand name that says: ‘I’m quality, I’m value for money and I’m Made in Great Britain.’
‘I’m looking forward to meeting up with everybody at Vendex, albeit virtually’, Andy says. ‘I think a lot of people who come for a chat will be amazed at how far we’ve come in such a short period of time, and there’s plenty more to come!’
Visit the Lyons Instant Coffee archive on Planet Vending, HERE
