Pringles® Minis, a new format innovation that ‘strengthens the savoury part of the vending basket, by unlocking new occasions and enticing new customers’, is set to be the new product of the summer. And the good news for vending operators is that it is available in the nation’s spirals four weeks before it hits the shelves.
‘Yes, the vending channel is first to market’, Jon Morley, Head of Foodservice at Pringles told PV. ‘This strategy recognises the importance of the vending channel to our distribution plans. Pringles® Minis are perfectly sized for vending machines, making them a practical addition to any vending offer. What’s more, it’s a brand that’s already trusted by millions of consumers. In customer testing, we discovered that 75% of our sample agreed that Minis are a completely different proposition to existing products and are a welcome addition to the crisp category.’
If the industry’s reaction to the original vending launch of Pringles® Minis, back in 2020, is anything to go by, expect to benefit from an instant impact. As we reported at the time, ‘Pringles is the growth engine of the Chips & Snacks category in the UK, with a consumer target that over-indexes in out of home consumption’.
Vending operators responded pro-actively and several of them stoked the fires of anticipation by means of concerted social media campaigns. At least two operators, Excel Vending and Graddons, launched sales incentives in which consumers were invited to tweet about their Pringles® Minis purchases; what flavour they’d bought and where they enjoyed them. Winners were chosen at random from the participants and the prize was… a case of Pringles® Minis. The campaigns were hugely successful.
We can already see very strong purchase intent this time round’, Jon said. ‘It performs in line with – and in some cases ahead of – established vending favourites and among Millennials – who are some of the most important vending shoppers – purchase intent rises to 66%. So, Minis isn’t a leap of faith – it’s a well-supported extension of a proven brand.’
Johnny Broderick’s comment from 2020 bears out this new research, He said: for university and college students, the opportunity to enjoy one of their favourite snacks in a convenient way proved to be a huge selling point. Most of the students we met were surprised and excited to see one of their favourite brands in a bag in a vending machine.’
Vending’s specialist wholesaler, ARN, has shared its plans to ensure customers get maximum benefit from the up-coming launch. ‘The original launch led to some great days for vending operators’, said Gordon Johnston, the ARN Sales Director. ‘Our customers commanded a premium price and enjoyed a healthy profit margin, because a premium product was exclusively available in a niche market.
‘Can lightning strike twice? We think it will!
‘My advice to would-be stockists is simple: get your orders in as soon as you can. Once again, the available flavours are ‘Original’ and ‘Sour Cream and Onion’. They come in outers of 28 x 40gm ‘grab bags’ at £13.99 a pop. What’s more, the RSP of £1.20 delivers a POR of 50%*, so place your order with your ARN Business Development Manager now, for immediate delivery. Remember, there’s a four-week period of exclusivity for the vending channel before Minis goes mainstream, so let’s make hay while the sun shines!’
* Any recommended selling price or margin information is indicative only and provided for illustration. Customers retain full discretion to set their own resale prices and margins independently.
See more from Pringles® Minis on Planet Vending here
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