Iceland - real progress
21 October 2016
Iceland are motoring on Kantar and have swung around their decline in dramatic fashion. Putting aside questions regarding the Food Warehouse expansion and whether this space put down is fuelling Kantar growth.... What have Iceland been up to within their core estate to push sales along?
Less about the larger bottles of Coke and tertiary desserts and ambient lines, far more about a wider development of the shopping trip and associated range.
Produce, Meat and Chill have all been expanded alongside Bakery which sees further products added to the range too, like the German discounters - a birthday cake was noted for example.
Highlighting awards, or even where lines have performed well and reached a final are flagged. All part of changing the engagement with the brand.
Iceland was a bit of a byword for 90p Pizza, frozen takeaway kebab meat and cheesy chips. However there has been real work to change that and continue to progress the brand too.
Bacon and indeed Fish here flagged, Bacon as a finalist is shouted about..
Innovative work with suppliers too, Uncle Ben's Sauce and Rice alongside the Iceland fresh (not frozen!) Chicken Fillets here. A great example of how they're developing their brand with this shipper - driving sales of Fresh and also enables Uncle Ben's to drive sales of their range too.
Sushi in Iceland.
Remarkable.
They do flag their frozen Fish range extensively, and increasingly the focus on the backboards to push provenance, recipe ideas and a focus on real quality.
Even comparing themselves to the Waitrose fish counter here... With their line as tasty and half the price.
Despite being frozen, and not fresh. But still, real aspirational work.
With more focus on seafood - with a step by step guide to preparing the dish on the signage itself.
Great product imagery and a good example of their development in the Frozen category, as noted, they still do the 90p Pizza but they're also more about this range of product. Not rock bottom price, but a mid range price and different enough to appeal.
Christmas is on the horizon of course, and Iceland have pushed a lot of their Luxury range products into stores - particularly across the Bakery range.
Appropriate given the trade up opportunity and the range performed well last year, although it was everywhere. If they are attracting new customers then premium is a big play for Iceland and a big reason for their shift towards more of a rounded shopping experience.
Iceland look to be the English German discounter equivalent based on their strategy shift and improved own label ranges.
They've clearly taken a look at what Aldi and Lidl do well (Produce, Meat, Fish, British sourcing and awards) and replicate that.
All this whilst pushing their frozen ranges and continuing to develop the brand partnerships (Pizza Express et al) alongside bringing in new products too.
Iceland look in good shape for Christmas, a few sites are shared with the Asda supermarkets - ex Netto stores - increased competition here certainly won't be helping things....
From the Grocery Insight newsletter archive, first sent to subscribers on 21 October 2016. Steve now writes at read.groceryinsight.com. See also the blog archive and briefings.