HAIL CAESAR
When it comes to prepared salads, there’s no denying that French co-operative group Agrial is a brand leader. As a farmer-owned company, it works collaboratively to deliver elite products and service across 11 countries, with a workforce of over 20,000 people. And with salads more popular than ever and consumers seeking new and interesting options, its NPD is always worth keeping an eye on.
Falling under the UK arm of its vegetable division are Agrial Fresh Produce Wigan, Fresh Farms and Florette, who are determined to meet modern expectations that go beyond the sea of beige sandwiches that traditional FTG outlets have previously delivered.
“Taking an insight-led approach, we launched the Florette Ceasar salad bowl last year specifically aimed at the FTG market but also as a staple within the main salad fixture,” said Polly Davies, head of category & marketing at Florette (Agrial Fresh Produce). “This is fully customisable, offering consumers a route to personalisation with their favourite protein or enjoying on its own (we spotted this as a gap). We are committed to extending our reach into the FTG market, working on a pipeline of new Florette salads that are certain to pack a punch on flavour and are filling.”
COMMUNICATION CHANNELS
Buzzwords in the FTG sector are convenience and health, with products of course needing to deliver on taste.
“Proactive health is a big driver within this space but the FTG fixtures are often lacking in solutions to meet this growing need,” said Davies. “Products high in protein, fibre and gut friendly continue to grow in popularity. Menus are also evolving to clearly communicate health benefits but product ranges must also evolve to include more Instagram-worthy salads that are high on colour, nutritious and filling. FTG is well placed to meet the needs of these consumer demands and, as a brand, we are perfectly aligned too.”
Achieving cut-through in such a competitive market is hard work, with delivering the right products to the right outlets central to success.
“We are led by insight, which gives us opportunity to spot trends and habits to target unmet consumer needs. Florette was the pioneer of the prepared salads category – we want to do the same in FTG. Our consumers are highly engaged with our social media channels and marketing support plans.”
MAJOR MOVERS
In terms of key industry partnerships, strategic alignment is essential.
“The most important part of our business is our customers,” said Gwyn Jones, head of commercial - foodservice & B2B at Agrial Fresh. “We have long-standing relationships across QSR and sandwich sectors that include the likes of McDonald’s, Greggs, Subway and manufacturers such as Samworth Brothers and Greencore, where we engage with them across all functions.
“Together with the category and marketing insights, and the significant operational investments within our dedicated foodservice facility here in the UK, we deliver consistently to specifications and requirements. Combined with our expansive grower capabilities across our co-operative within the UK and Europe and operational and supply chain excellence, we ensure the highest standards all year round.”
And one message is key: sustainable farming is close to Agrial’s roots!
“Our brand mission is built on it ‘Crafted by Nature, Perfected by Florette’ – and we always ensure that our FTG packaging is recyclable,” concluded Davies.
